Obit – Mr. Jim Porter
Longtime and well known Smith and Macon County banker, Mr. Jim Porter, a former resident of Carthage and now a resident of Lebanon departed this earthly life at 10:30 p.m. Monday evening July 15, 2024 and was pronounced deceased at the age of 78 at Knollwood Manor in Lafayette where he had made his home since February 9th of this year on Tuesday morning July 16th at 12:33 a.m. by Gentiva Hospice of Lebanon. He had endured a long battle with dementia for around nine years.
Mr. Porter was at the Carthage Chapel of Sanderson Funeral Home. Friday morning July 19th funeral services were conducted from the Pleasant Shade Upper Cumberland Presbyterian Church with the church pastor, Eld. Scott Rigsby assisted by a longtime family friend, Edward L. Anderson, officiating. Burial followed the 11 a.m. services in the Pleasant Shade Cemetery by his infant daughter.
Born Jimmy Noel Porter in Lebanon on November 1, 1945, he was the oldest of three children, two sons and a daughter, of the late Pleasant Shade Community native and longtime Lebanon pharmacist Garrett B. Porter who died at the age of 65 on March 4, 1988 and Graveltown Community native, the late Mary Cornelia Green Porter who died at the age of 55 on July 14, 1980.
Mr. Porter was a 1964 graduate of Lebanon High School and graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Management from Tennessee Technological University in Cookeville in 1968.
At the Gainesboro United Methodist Church on July 10, 1965, he was united in marriage to Lebanon native, the former Donna Ruth Dressler. They just celebrated their fifty ninth wedding anniversary five days before Mr. Porter’s passing.
The Porter family suffered the loss of their second born child, a daughter, Polly Porter who died shortly following her birth on October 27, 1971.
They were also preceded in death by a brother-in-law, Roger Anthony “Tony” Armistead who died May 19, 2024 at the age of 65.
In his 44 years of lending and banking he served as credit manager of Texas Boot Company, President and CEO of Savings and Loan Association of Smith County, President and CEO of American Trust Mortgage in Lebanon, TN, Senior Loan Officer of Mid-South Bank & Trust Co., Carthage Branch, Regional President of Third National Bank Carthage branches, Vice President and Manager of Citizens Bank of Lafayette Carthage Branch and Vice President and Manager of Citizens Bank of Lafayette Loan Review Department of its 20 branches all over middle Tennessee. He retired February 1, 2016.
He and his wife Donna also were the former owners and operators of Sunshine Ice Cream Parlor located on Dixon Springs Highway in Carthage where the Subway is now located.
Jim had an unwavering love for the Lord and loved serving him and was saved at the age of 11 at the first revival meeting conducted by Eld. Courtland Wakefield following the construction of the Pleasant Shade Upper Cumberland Presbyterian Church.
There he was a member and Elder until moving his membership to the Russell Hill Upper Cumberland Presbyterian Church where he also served that congregation as an Elder.
He was a longtime member of the Carthage Rotary Club.
Surviving Jim and his wife Donna of fifty nine years, are their two daughters Phyllis Porter Mantlo and husband Tim of Hendersonville, Kim Porter Hamilton and husband Jonathan of Aurora, Colorado, four grandchildren: Tanesha Bowler of Virgin, Utah, Milea and husband Greg Hunt of St. George, Utah, Emma Mantlo of Syracuse, New York, Ben Mantlo and wife Rachel of Gallatin; five great grandchildren. Johnny Bowler, Carson Hunt, Kayden Hunt, Stella Hunt and Miles Mantlo; sister, Carolyn Porter Armistead of Lebanon; brother, Kendall Porter and wife Melinda also of Lebanon.
The Porter family has requested memorials to the Pleasant Shade Cemetery Mowing Fund or the Alzheimer’s Association.
SANDERSON of CARTHAGE
