Fred Porter
October 15, 1962 — May 29, 2015
Mesquite, Nevada ~ Freddie L. Porter, Jr. 52, passed away Friday, May 29, 2015 at Mesa View Regional Medical Center due to complications from a massive stroke he suffered at home on May 2, 2015. He was born October 15, 1962 in Louisville, Kentucky to Florence Greene and Freddie L. Porter, Sr. He married the love of his life, Colleen on January 14, 2014 in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Fred was raised in Louisville, KY where he attended Central High School graduating in 1981. He immediately joined the United States Air Force where he served for four years. He refueled airplanes and played the trumpet in the Air Force Band. This not only allowed him to serve his country, which he was so proud of, but also gave him the opportunity of a lifetime to travel the world and play music which he so dearly loved. He loved to tell his friends his overseas stories. He was honorably discharged in 1985.
Shortly after being discharged from the Air Force, he moved to Las Vegas for a brief time where he attended dealing school and the rest, they say, is history. He dealt for nearly 30 years and worked on the Las Vegas strip and in Lake Tahoe, but most recently for Mesquite Gaming for nearly 17 years. He was also a Gaming Instructor at the College of Southern Nevada in Mesquite. He had a passion for teaching others. He also loved Contemporary Jazz. He had an ear for music others just couldn’t understand. Golfing was another one of his loves and would take every opportunity to get out and play with his buddies. A good friend introduced him and his wife to cruising and he would always say, if you wait until you can afford it, you’ll never go. So he saved all year to take that cruise with her. He loved to get together with friends on a Saturday evening or Sunday afternoon to watch NASCAR and football. These friends were more known to him as family.
He is survived by his beloved wife Colleen who he loved “more than life itself” and “made it his mission in life to make happy”. He is preceded in death by his parents. In lieu of a memorial service, a Celebration of Life will be held at a later date. A memorial fund has been set up in his name at Wells Fargo to assist with expenses for anyone who would like to contribute.