Danny Ray Porter passed away unexpectedly on July 26th, 2022, in Rapid City, South Dakota at the age of 70. Although his life was cut short in years, Dan believed in living life to the fullest.

Raised in Rittman, Ohio by his beloved parents, Raymond and Irene, he was an ornery boy and caused his share of ruckus, along with his dearly-loved brothers, David and Bobby. He had an extraordinary sense of adventure and curiosity. He was the kind of person that would turn over every rock to see what was under it. This deep love of exploring stayed with him his entire life.

Dan became a father at a young age and he worked hard to support his family as a Boilermaker (Local No 744 where he met some lifelong friends). Dan retired from the boilermakers when the tolls of the job, like being injured in a boiler explosion, finally caught up to him. At 46 he pivoted, obtained his GED, continued his education at the University of Akron and graduated with a Bachelors degree and specialized in gerontology. Dan had a natural ease with the elderly. He spent time as an ombudsman, representing patients and their families in nursing homes and as a recovery support advocate at Edwin Shaw Rehab Hospital. Additionally, through the fostering system, Danny’s home served as a safe haven for numerous children that had been removed from their homes due to trauma and abuse.

Danny didn’t do anything small and there wasn’t much that he couldn’t dream into reality. He was visionary in his ability to see what a property’s potential was and he spent his entire life buying, customizing and selling the beautiful real estate that he had created.

Moving from his farm in Ohio to the top of a mountain in Sturgis, SD, the lifelong biker was in his element. The last several years have been very special as he was able to spend them with his partner Judi. Traveling the country and supporting her work as a AKC Dog Judge was very important to him.

To know Dan is to know that he was an avid outdoorsman that could trap, hunt and make the fish tremble with fear. He was an explorer and spent years searching caves, looking for gold and tracking mountain lions. In his last years, he shifted to feeding more deer than he hunted but was he was still more at peace in the hills, the woods and lakes than anywhere else.

Dan will be remembered by those that knew him as being quite a character- because he was. The character that suited him best was being a loving father. May we all take our memories and turn them into the kind of stories that Dan loved to tell.

Preceded in death by his parents (Raymond and Irene Porter) and brother (David Porter), he is survived by his Partner Judi Bendt; Daughter- Yvonne Anderson (Edward); Brother- Robert Porter (Lisa); Nieces and Nephews- Christine Winthrop (Andrew), Samantha Vance (Josh), Robert Porter, Mason Porter and other family and friends.

Donations can be made to St. Jude Hospital https://www.stjude.org/give.html