Scott Courtney Porter

Scott Courtney Porter, beloved husband, father, brother, uncle and friend, passed away unexpectedly at home in San Mateo at the age of 67. Born in Berkeley, California, Scott was the youngest child of electrician Lewis Willard Porter and waitress Larayne Amelia Weidenbach. He was preceded in death by his parents, older sister Pamela, and cherished Labs Jack and Spike. He is survived by wife Julieann, daughter Stephanie, sister Daphne Bogart, brother Tom Schelske, and many grieving family members and friends. Scott came of age in the 60s in the epicenter of movements opposing the Vietnam War, advocating for women's rights, and fighting against racial inequality. He loved living in Berkeley and loved being part of the political and social action. He earned his GED at age 18 after leaving home and school at 15 to work on a fishing boat. When his draft number 3 was called, Scott immediately enlisted in the U.S. Navy, serving one year as a mechanic on the flight deck of the USS Midway aircraft carrier off the coast of Vietnam and the Philippines and another year at the Naval Air Facility on Adak Island, Alaska. Poor eyesight derailed his dream of becoming a fighter pilot. Scott was proud of his service but uncomfortable with compliments; he believed the honor was in serving. He had a soft spot for veterans and always gave money to vets he found living on the street. Upon completing his service and being honorably discharged, Scott returned to his beloved hometown and used the GI Bill to earn a bachelor's degree in finance and marketing from U.C. Berkeley, where he served as president of the Undergraduate Business Association and was selected to be the school's student speaker at its commencement ceremony in 1979. At Cal, he formed bonds with fellow students who became lifelong friends. For 40-plus years, Scott and "the Bears" socialized together, raised children together, vacationed together, attended Cal and other sporting events together, wine tasted together, and celebrated holidays and milestone birthdays together. Scott loved his Bear friends, loved being with them, and loved reminiscing about their days together at Cal. After graduation, Scott moved across the country to attend Harvard Business School, where he earned an MBA in 1984. He subsequently worked two years for a political consulting firm in Boston and then returned to the Bay Area, specifically the San Mateo Highlands, where he lived the remainder of his life. Scott spent most of his career as a marketing executive in the electronics/high-tech industry, and later transitioned to the nonprofit sector to develop and oversee a charitable organization. Scott was lucky to find love twice. Following his divorce from wife of 10 years and high school sweetheart Dyan Pointkowski, Scott met Julieann Kugelman through mutual friend Barbara Nufer. Scott and Julie wed in 1990 and were married for 30 years. While Scott didn't have a hero himself, he was a hero to his only child, Stephanie. The two were cut from the same cloth, both having intense personalities. Normal conversation between Scott and Stephanie was loud and long. Every morning from Stephanie's childhood through high school, Scott made her oatmeal, and to this day, she has yet to find or make a bowl of oatmeal that tastes better than the ones made by her dad. Scott doted on Stephanie in many ways, riding with her on every ride in Disneyland, buying her Disney princess costumes, chauffeuring her and her friends on field trips and outings, and telling her often-requested stories about his childhood and teenage capers with friends Lyle Ledward, Greg Sage, and Jim and Joe Muzzini?and scary stories such as the "Legend of the White Witch." Scott was Stephanie's best friend, and to her, the greatest father she could have wished for. Scott loved adventure, Cadillacs, Corvettes, car restoration and home renovation shows, family vacations to Disneyland and Incline Village with Brian and Terese Blockhus and their girls, Motown music, fast driving, dinner parties at home, holiday feasts hosted by longtime best friends Jim and Joe Muzzini and their wives, sweets, the ocean, and traveling. He visited every U.S. state except North Dakota, every country in North America and Western Europe, a few countries in Eastern Europe, and many countries in Asia. He most recently visited Quebec and the Maritime provinces in Eastern Canada. He hated sad movies, mint, seafood, and staying in one place too long. He was deeply loyal to loved ones and never failed to show up for them when needed. Fiercely competitive, Scott and dear friend Brian Blockhus took competition to another level, always trying to outsmart the system, whether collecting more than their share of Disneyland fast passes or talking their way out of challenging situations. They dominated at Trivial Pursuit and gloated in their wins. They also met quarterly in San Francisco for dental appointments and boys-only dinners with fellow "Bears" Mike Bentivoglio, Brian Parsons, and Joe Styger, and were usually the last two to leave a restaurant. Brian and Scott could talk?and argue?for hours, especially on long hikes or at the bar on the pier of the Hyatt Regency Lake Tahoe Resort, one of Scott's top five favorite places. Driven, kind, a craftsman, DIY master, great conversationalist, and overall entertaining individual, Scott would often say "I may not know the answer, but I will act as if I do and give you an answer anyway." Scott had a signature look: khaki pants and a polo shirt, of which he owned multiples of every color and shade. His signature drink was a VO Press: Seagram's VO with club soda, a splash of ginger ale, and a twist of lemon. He also liked Sapphire martinis, dirty, up, with three onions and three olives. He loved spy novels, especially the Bourne Identity. His favorite movie was Top Gun and his favorite song was "What's Going On?" by Marvin Gaye. Singing the line "brother, brother, brother" over and over while brewing a pot of coffee was his morning ritual for many years. When asked to name the most influential person in his life, he would say, "My brother, Tom, taught me everything I know." No service is planned at this time. Later this year, when it is safe to assemble again, immediate family members and close friends will gather privately to spread Scott's ashes at sea, where he always found comfort and felt the most at home. Rest in peace, big boy.