Marion Elmer Porcupile

January 12, 1925 – October 8, 2011

Marion Elmer Porcupile (also known as “Porky” to friends or “Dink” to family because he was the youngest) died on Saturday, October 8, 2011, at dawn at the age of 86 at his residence in Gold Canyon Ranch, Arizona.  He died of natural causes.  He was born January 12, 1925 in Meeker, Oklahoma to Bonnie Marie and James Henry Porcupile.  He attended Seminole High School but did not graduate, choosing instead to join the U.S. Navy at the age of 17.  He served as a Pharmacist’s Mate 2^nd class for 3 years in the 2^nd Marine Division.  He was awarded the Silver Star for gallantry in action at Guadalcanal and was entitled to wear the Presidential Unit Citation Ribbon with Star for the assault on Tarawa.  He also participated in the Saipan invasion and held the Bronze Star and Purple Heart.  The citation for the Silver Star read:  “Marion Elmer Porcupile, (351-03-29), Pharmacist’s Mate Second Class, United States Navy, for gallantry in action on January 23, 1943, at Guadalcanal.  During action when enemy artillery was shelling the bivouac area of a company of Marines, Pharmacist’s Mate Porcupile displayed exceptional courage and unselfish heroism.  When cries from several men hit by shell fragments were heard he left his fox hole in the face of intense artillery fire, and rendered first aid to the wounded men.”  He was married to Kathryn Elizabeth Simmons on November 26, 1948.  After the war he resided in San Diego, California with his wife and raised his 3 daughters, Susan Helen Pennington, Denise Marie Lasky, and Nancy Elizabeth Sullivan.  He was a devoted father and husband.  He was a founding member and president of the Alco Fence Corporation in San Diego, California.  Major fencing projects were completed at the San Diego Zoo, Wild Animal Park, and Sea World.  He was a life-long member of Local 89 of the Laborers’ International Union of North America.  He was on the board of the San Diego Home of Guiding Hands and the San Diego Zoo.  After retirement, he and his wife moved to Gold Canyon Ranch in Arizona near the Superstition Mountains which were his favorite.  They also owned a home in the White Mountains of Arizona where they spent their summers.  He was an avid motorcycle enthusiast and rode his Harley-Davidson motorcycle with his buddies across the entire country, going annually to Sturgis, South Dakota.  He restored Ford T-Birds and Lincoln Continentals which are all being passed on to his daughters and granddaughters. He was active in the MountainBrook Village community serving on the first homeowner’s board, and the architecture and safety committees.  He was also active in the community luminary committee and was frequently found in the kitchen cooking up breakfast for the community fund-raising events.  He was one of original members of the “Round table”.  He is survived by his wife, Kathryn Elizabeth Porcupile (Gold Canyon, Arizona) and their 3 children: Susan Helen Pennington, husband Ronald, and daughter Maya (Arlington, Virginia), Denise Marie Lasky, husband Ben, daughters Kristen, Sierra and Katherine (Mount Pleasant, SC), and Nancy Elizabeth Sullivan (El Cajon, California); his stepson James Jolly and wife Susan (Cortez, Colorado), several grandchildren (Griffin, Grayson, Lexis, Madison and Ethan, three grand-son-in-laws, Mike Jung (Mount Pleasant, SC), Dave Williams (Daniel Island, SC), and Thomas Legois (Arlington, VA), nephew Daniel Porcupile (San Diego, California) and his cousin Doyle Stearman and his wife Joan (Shawnee, Oklahoma).  He loved his buddies of the Round Table and all his friends in MountainBrook Village.  He considered Fred and Ernie his brothers.  He held a special place in his heart for “Ferby” and his master, Tom, who visited him right up to the end of his life.  His neighbor, Louis, was of great help to him and the family. His death was preceded by those of his siblings: Louise Travers (died 1981, Shawnee, OK), Clifford Porcupile (died 1993, Galena, TX), Gardner Porcupile (died 1977, San Diego, CA), and Clifton Porcupile (died 2004, Chula Vista, CA). A memorial service is planned for the Sunset room in MountainBrook Village on MountainBrook Drive in Gold Canyon Ranch, at 10:30 AM on Saturday, November 5, 2011.  His final resting place will be in Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington, Virginia at a future date.  The family can be contacted for more information on when the service will be scheduled.  Donations may be made to Hospice of the Valley to whom the family is indebted for their loving care and concern.  In the words of his son-in-law, “Porky walked through life with a quiet footprint.  On the surface, he was a simple man.  But like so many others, beneath his simplicity, there was greatness.”