Porter Loring Jr.

Porter Loring, Jr. of San Antonio died on Friday, January 14, 2011. Porti, as he came to be known, was born on November 26, 1928 to Porter and Pauline Otto Loring. He attended Alamo Heights Schools, the San Antonio Academy, and graduated from the Texas Military Institute. Porti received his B.B.A degree from Southern Methodist University where he was a member of the Sigma Alpha Epsilon Fraternity and a diver on the SMU swimming team. During college and high school he was a professional rodeo contestant and member of the Rodeo Cowboys Association, riding bulls, bareback horses and saddle broncs. In 1954, after two years in the U.S. Navy, he returned to San Antonio to enter the family business, at Porter Loring Mortuary, with his father who died in 1955. Always ahead of his time in his devotion to caring for grieving families, Porti, in 1986, created a Bereavement Care Program providing support groups and grief counseling to anyone in the San Antonio community. Porti served as trustee or director in many funeral service organizations, both locally and nationally. He was Past President of National Selected Morticians (later renamed Selected Independent Funeral Homes), a member of the Academy of Professional Funeral Service Practice and the Texas Funeral Directors Association. Outside of the family business, he had a passion for many hobbies, especially fishing and hunting where he found himself highly involved in such related organizations locally, in Texas and internationally. Porti and Jackie spent many enjoyable hours with their family and friends on their boat "The Merienda" on the Texas Gulf Coast, San Diego, and the British Virgin Islands. Within the community Porti was very involved in civic organizations that helped those in the community and in Texas. To name just a few, he served as Past President of the San Antonio Rotary Club, the American Red Cross and United Way of San Antonio. He and his late wife, Jacquelyn, served God through a lifetime of membership at St. Luke's Episcopal Church, where he served as Layreader, Vestryman, and as Senior Warden and former Chairman of the Board of St. Luke's Episcopal School. One of Porter's most memorable times was Fiesta. He served as Commander of the Texas Cavaliers in 1974 and in 1975 he reigned as King Antonio LIII for which he was truly honored. He was also a proud member of the Order of the Alamo, the San Antonio German Club, the Town Club, a member of the San Antonio Country Club and the Argyle Club. He was a member of Anchor Masonic Lodge 424, A.F. & A.M., a 33rd Degree Mason, Knight Templar and a member of Alzafar Shrine. Porti was very active in the Scottish Rite Learning Center, serving as Chairman from 1985-1998. Porter Loring, Jr. was truly a caring man of all people. Porti is preceded in death by his wife, Jacquelyn "Jackie" Tritt Loring; his parents; and sister, Dorothy Loring. He is survived by daughters, Paula Loring and her husband, Ed Fasanella, Pamela Rohlfs and her husband, Paul; sons, Porter Loring III and his wife, Lynn, and Patrick Loring; grandchildren, Paul Rohlfs, Jr., Porter Loring IV and his wife, Elizabeth, Katherine Welder and her husband, Hughes, Helen Dear and her husband, Jonathan, Joseph Fasanella, Kimberly Rohlfs, and Cecilia Fasanella; great-grandson, Christian Loring Dear; sisters-in-laws, Paula Peacock and her husband, Dick, Leah Green and her husband, Hubert, and June Fallon; and numerous nieces and nephews. The family is grateful for all the care they have received from the Hospice Community of San Antonio. The family wishes to express their deep appreciation to Ted Moore of Heart to Heart Homecare and all Porti's caregivers, Oscar Gonzalez, Cecilia Contreras, Teri Jo Hultquist, Gloria Barron, Denia Bradley, Desiree Pena, and Gracie Lopez; and most especially the family is grateful for Raul Garcia, Dora Martinez, and Lorri Mach. In lieu of flowers, a memorial contribution may be made to a charity of your choice.