Ardell Porter is being remembered by friends and family as a kind, hard working, well-traveled, Christian man who loved the Bible and enjoyed spending time with his family. As a longtime board member, we remember Ardell as a great friend to the Talbot Library and Museum (TL&M). Mr. Porter joined the TL&M board in 2006. After his move to Raymore, Missouri, he became an honorary board member in 2019 and remained so until his death. Even after his move, Ardell visited the library many times when he would visit our area.
We, at TL&M, wish to express our deepest sympathy to his family and many friends. He will be missed!
Ardell Porter Obituary
Ardell Porter left this earth on Thursday Nov 16, 2023, surrounded by his loved ones. After being in the hospital for the previous 6 weeks, he was happy to be out of it and at home where he wanted to be when he left this earth.
Born Ivan Ardell Porter on June 28, 1931, to Loss and Edna Porter, he was their 3rd living son to arrive in the family. He had a total of 3 brothers and 5 sisters. He is preceded in death by his parents Loss and Edna Porter, by his 1st Wife Veda Porter, his 2nd Wife Faye Porter, his Son Kenneth Porter, his Brothers Ralph Porter, Howard Porter and Bennie Porter, his Sisters JoAnn Mann, Donna Cannon and Grace Wolf. He is survived by his sisters Patty and spouse Maxie Thompson and Marla Rhoads, his daughters Paula and spouse Jim McKinzey, Judy and ex-spouse Mike Mann, Carol Gurski and partner Alan Foster, his daughter-in-law, Tricia Porter, his stepsons Dennis and spouse Jill Earp, Mike and spouse Cheryl Earp, his 17 grandchildren and 40 great grandchildren, many nieces, nephews, cousins and many more loved ones.
Ardell was never afraid of hard work and starting as a young boy he worked on the family farm in Colcord, Oklahoma. When the family moved to California in the summer of 1943, he would work in the orchards picking peaches and he gathered strawberries in the fields, doing any job to earn money and help the family. He went to the 7th, 8th and 9th grades in California. They moved back to Oklahoma in September 1946 and on the first day of his Sophomore Year at Colcord High School he saw Veda and was smitten with her. He married Veda on Dec. 31, 1950, and after moving around some, they settled in Kansas City, MO in 1953. He was a roofer and could shingle 2 houses a day during those early years. During the 1950’s he worked in Minnesota, roofing during the good months and returning to Kansas City for the winters then repeat it the next year. He took his family to Rolla, Missouri for a couple years in the early 1960’s while he was the Foreman on a reroofing project at Fort Leonard Wood. He later was the Foreman on the reroofing project at the Bendix Complex. He started a business with 2 friends in the early 1960’s known as Porter Watkins and Teague working construction for a time. He later went into the office side of roofing once his back would not allow for the physical labor and he became an estimator for Nugent Brothers. In April 1974 he started his own company, Porter Roofing Company, Inc. He ran a highly successful commercial roofing business being the Top selling roofing contractor in Kansas City off and on during the 1980’s and 1990’s. He was Blessed with the opportunity to travel to all the Continents and see places most of us dream about, this opportunity was provided thru the roofing industry. He retired from work in 1999 at the age of 68 years and moved to Kansas, OK. Ardell lost his wife Veda in January 1989, but was Blessed with a 2nd wife Faye, marrying her on May 5, 1990. Ardell, Faye and Veda had all been friends since their youth. Veda had told Ardell to marry Faye and enjoy his life, as both Ardell and Faye were still young people. She wanted Ardell to have a companion and to provide their grandchildren with a grandmother. Ardell was additionally Blessed with a ready-made family, gaining 2 stepsons and 6 grandchildren. He and Faye enjoyed their lives together welcoming many more great grandchildren, traveling and living on a farm again, where he had cattle and a horse. Faye passed away in January 2017 leaving Ardell alone again. In 2018 he decided to return to Kansas City to be with his daughters and their families. He would go to the great grandchildren’s ball games and enjoyed their activities, watching that generation of his family was such a Joy to him. He continued to travel, hang out with his loved ones and attending church. He loved the Bible and was constantly reading and studying it.
Ardell was a Christian and a member of the Church of Christ. He and Veda were baptized in 1956 and raised their family in the church. Ardell was an Elder for the Grandview Church of Christ and the Kansas Church of Christ. He was Proud to be a Christian and would do any task he was called upon to do for the church, including preaching, teaching Bible classes and visitation. He was involved in the building construction, from the ground up, at the church in Grandview, MO and Kansas, OK, completing that task in his 80’s. On Tuesday, his last day in the hospital, he was still preaching to every person that walked into his room, saying to literally everyone, “Be Prepared for Heaven”. He preached up to the end. His faith and Love for the Lord kept him going throughout his life.
He had plans to do so much more and getting sick was not on his list of Things to Do. God had other plans and we accept that and plan to Honor Ardell by our actions in word and deed. He will be Greatly missed but we know he’ll be waiting to Greet us one day.
There will be a Visitation Service for Ardell on Tuesday, November 21, 2023, at 10:00 AM at the Langsford Funeral Home located at 115 SW 3rd Street in Lee’s Summit, MO. A Funeral Service will follow at 12:00 noon at the same location. A private family burial will take place at a later date.
Langsford Funeral Home Obituary
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