Elroy J. Porter

Elroy J. Porter

AGE: 92 •

Elroy J. Porter, 92, passed away on Friday, December 7, 2012. Elroy, born on November 5, 1920, in New Brunswick, NJ, to Laura and Robert Porter, graduated from New Brunswick High School in 1941 after a stellar career on the football field. He went on to play semi-professional football for the Connecticut Thunderbolts, while also working for the New Brunswick Board of Education. A member of the Greatest Generation, Elroy served in the U.S. Army from 1942-1945 during WWII as a tech sergeant/medic aboard the hospital ship, The Blanche F. Sigman in the European Corridor. Returning from the war, Elroy worked for Wilcox Trucking for five years before beginning his 37-year long tenure at Johnson and Johnson. He competed on the international level as the captain of the J&J Heavy Duty Rescue Team. Elroy was named a Life Member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars after 68 years of service and was the Past Commander of the VFW Post 370 in New Brunswick.

Elroy enjoyed spending much of his time involved with the local youth, coaching Pop Warner football, umpiring for New Brunswick Recreation baseball and serving as a Boy Scout Leader for many years. He also served as an usher at the Church of the Sacred Heart in New Brunswick where he was a communicant.

Elroy, a kind man with a warm smile, was married to the love of his life, Elsie Wilcox Porter, for 68 years. The couple, along with their children, enjoyed many years at their summer home at the Jersey Shore.

Elroy was predeceased by his grandson Steven Porter, and by his brothers William and Herbert Porter and sister, Geraldine Cerqueira.

Along with his wife Elsie, he is survived by son James and his wife Blanche of Edison, son Robert of New Brunswick, and son John of Edison, along with daughter Joyce and her husband William Young of Highland Park, and daughter Nancy of New Brunswick. He is also survived by grandchildren Robert and Jessica of Ely, Nevada; Jaimie and Billy Golden of North Brunswick; Angela and Lou Marra of Howell; John and Jacklyn of Annandale; Kimberly and Murphy Durkin of Andover and Kelly Young of Somerset and seven great-grandchildren.

Visitation will be on Sunday from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 at the Gleason Funeral Home, 1360 Hamilton St., Somerset. Funeral services will begin at 8:15 on Monday at the funeral home followed by a 9 a.m. Funeral Mass at Sacred Heart Church in New Brunswick. Entombment will follow at St. Peter Mausoleum in New Brunswick.

In lieu of flowers, the family would appreciate contributions to the VFW Post 370 Relief Fund, c/o Gleason Funeral Home.