Carson Porter

Carson Page Porter, Sr., 80, passed away on March 25, 2026.

Born in Bowling Green, Kentucky in 1945, Carson Porter was the son of Carson Omman Porter and Alice Page Porter.

Carson always loved a party, sweet soul music, and a dance floor. He was a deft orator and a voracious reader, with a steel-trap memory for sports stats, song lyrics, and U.S. history. He came from a long line of kind, loving family, and in that model, he dedicated his life to his wife and his children.

A graduate of the University of Kentucky College of Law, Carson was an accomplished attorney and a truly gifted speaker. He loved being a trial lawyer.

One of his greatest trial accomplishments occurred in 1975: Carson stood before the nation's highest court to represent the City of Louisville and Jefferson County. His arguments in Paul v. Davis led to a foundational ruling on the "stigma-plus" doctrine, clarifying the boundaries of the Due Process Clause and reshaping American civil rights litigation. Justice William Rehnquist's majority opinion remains a staple of constitutional law curricula today.

Carson was a devout Kentucky Wildcat fan. He attended the University of Kentucky on a debate scholarship, and served as student body president of UK from 1966-1967. He was a dedicated member of the Sigma Chi fraternity, returning to campus for Sigma Chi events well into his sixties. He loved sharing stories from his college years, including when he lost his car in a poker hand at a neighboring fraternity.

He shared 59 years of marriage with his wife, Mary Sackfield Porter, with whom he built a life dedicated to hard work, their wide circle of family and friends in Kentucky and the Washington, D.C. area, and their children and grandchildren. He was simply the best husband, father, brother, grandfather, son, and friend.

Carson is survived by his wife, Mary; his sister, Susan McEntire; his children, Carson Porter, Jr. and Catherine Porter; their partners, Lisa Crounse and Jeff Berman; and his grandchildren, Eloise Porter and Jackson Porter May. He joins his father and mother in heaven.

A celebration of life will be held on Saturday, April 18, from 1:00 to 4:00 pm at Pearson's Funeral Home in Louisville, Kentucky. All friends are invited.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to University of Kentucky's debate team: In the "Select Your Fund(s)" section of the website, please scroll the menu and select "Intercollegiate Debate Discretionary".

We would like to thank his wonderful caregivers who kept him laughing and well looked after despite his long journey with Parkinson's.