Page 19 - Newsletter_Spring_2020

The gallery was bustling with family, friends and guests visiting the community for the 4th of July week. “Paul’s Passions”
includes a variety of items made using the craft of woodturning, as well as paintings, and some metal work. Porter built a kiosk
for Houlton’s Riverfront Park. Several display pieces at Visions were large works of art, a pedestal that holds a guest book and
the star on the Visions street sign. For several years Paul made and donated wooden toys for the Houlton Rotary Auction and a
local resident has purchased each of them. They were loaned
back for the reception at the gallery. Other items found
in the Porter collection are bowls, plates, balls, Christmas
ornaments, weathervanes and cheese trays with marble
inserts, wine bottle stoppers and a variety of gadgets.

Creativity had been in Porter’s bones since he was a little boy
on his parents’ farm on the Porter Settlement Road in Cary’s
Mills. His father, Herman, gave him a workbench, hammer,
saw and a tri-square for this seventh birthday and he has
been working with wood and other mediums ever since.
However, his first love is woodturning. In his youth he used
a hand-me-down lathe from his father who used it to turn
peevee handles and other farming implements, then moving
up to a “Dunlap” given to him by his cousin. Finally,
while on active duty in Pennsylvania he bought a decent
lathe and through the years has fine-tuned the art form of
woodturning. He is currently the secretary of the “Up There
Woodturners of Aroostook County,” a recognized chapter of
the American Association of Woodturners.

On Wednesday, January 14th , 2015, Patty Fitzpatrick, Nancy Ketch, Paul and Karen Donato met to work on the plans for
the 2015 gala to be held July 11th . Paul had been an integral part of the planning since the inception of the galas that began
in 2000. Although every year he threatened to not participate the next time, somehow we always managed to reel him in for
another, with the promise of, “we will help.” Paul was the guy who ran around the town securing Marty Gervais for the bar,
Sean Conlogue and the Elks crew for the gala dinner, a decorator for the arena, Andy Marino and the Elm Tree for the food or
paper products for the social. He was the one who teamed the volunteers when it came time to set up the tables and made sure
everything looked just right. On that Wednesday, Paul was the same old Paul, crabbing when Karen said, “We need lighted
trees and signs for class years,” or “no we don’t want canned peas—they need to be either fresh or frozen.” Paul also, matter of
factly, told us not to plan a meeting on the first Wednesday of the month because it interfered with his woodturning group.
“No problem, Paul, we wouldn’t think of it.”

No matter how much we argued about a detail we always were able to compromise and end on a happy note. Paul and Karen
walked out the door together laughing about the meeting and he reassured Karen he would have his pink jacket on in July. He
had his folder under his arm with a list of what had to be done next. He was going to go to Karen’s Facebook page to review
the photos from the 2010 gala and would let her know if she needed to print some out. On Thursday about noon while at
work, Karen noticed she had a missed call from Paul. Thinking that he needed the photos she checked her voicemail only to
hear the voice of Paul’s wife, Glynn, telling her that Paul Porter had passed away in the night. It was the last thing she had ever
expected to hear.

Paul was survived by his wife of 59 years, his sons, John of Hodgdon and Steve (Bink) and his wife, Jill of Ludlow. He left four
grandchildren, Sarah, Ross, Jessica and Jason. He was also survived by his sister, Lois Simpson and two special nieces, Erin and
Colleen of NJ.

Paul was clearly a man with a mission in life. From his accomplishments, it must be said that he did very well at fulfilling that
mission. Trying to fill Paul’s shoes has been a challenge, but no one will be able to fill that pink sports jacket ever.

So long good friend, you lived life well and you left your mark. You will not be forgotten. HHSAA made it through the 2015
multi-year reunion and did a special tribute to Paul; a display of his pink sports coat and outreach to Glynn and the rest of
Paul’s family to attend the Gala which Paul started. Now, in 2020, HHSAA still reminisces over memories of Paul.

www.houltonalumni.com PAGE 19