Paul James “PJ” James Porter

Paul James "P.J." Porter was born May 28, 1936, in Waterloo, IA. He died from complications of Alzheimer's Disease on October 24, 2023. P.J. and sister Gretchen were raised by Jeannette "Ginny" Touw Porter and Paul D. Porter. Ginny and Paul welcomed all to their home. With a pool table in the basement, Ginny's renowned cooking, lights on late into the night, and Paul's mission as an AA leader, the Porter household was often more like a boarding house. P.J. carried this philosophy into his adult life – fulfilling it with an open mind and an open heart.

After graduating from West High School, P.J. went on to attain a B.A., Master's, and Ed.S. from the University of Northern Iowa. In 1978, he earned a doctorate in Education from Drake University. P.J. began his teaching career at East High School in Waterloo. He went on to teach Sociology at UNI, later transferring to the College of Education, where he taught courses in educational psychology.

P.J. taught with stories. He loved teaching night classes, was widely known for his humorous and insightful presentations, and was twice voted the most popular professor on campus. Students didn't use the moniker "Dr. Porter." They called him "P.J." This is a testament to how he related to them, and to his abiding disdain for formality. Students and colleagues relied on him as a counselor, advocate, and source of both wisdom and wit. Indeed, they counted on him for much, but not for being around in the morning. A notorious night owl, he cherished an enduring animosity towards mornings.

Though he admired her from afar years earlier, P.J. and Audrey Faith Gunnell were formally introduced near the entrance of the UNI Library. (Audrey regards this as foreordained, pointing out that P.J. rarely visited the library as an undergraduate.) P.J. remained unmistakably smitten for life. The two of them circled in each other's orbit while welcoming a parade of friends into their lives. (All would also agree that were it not for Audrey, the famously absent-minded P.J. would have ended up in assisted living decades before the final month of life.)

P.J. served on boards and volunteered for numerous area nonprofits, including Exceptional Persons Inc., the Boys and Girls Club, the Salvation Army, and – despite a lifelong allergy to organized religion and hymns – Trinity Episcopal Church. He helped start the Hawkeye Community College Police Science program and taught psychology courses for aspiring police officers and nurses.

P.J. loved joining friends at area restaurants. Waitstaff often knew him by name. He retained his childhood admiration for horses and adored spending time on the family farm. He didn't find merit in formal or transactional relationships and detested "high society." If you lived and breathed, you were someone he wanted to know. If you hurt, he wanted to help. He was pessimistic about humankind, but optimistic about people. An individualist to the end, he eschewed rules and roles in favor of values and sincerity. And that humor…

P.J. will be remembered by Audrey, his wife of sixty-three years, son Clark, beloved daughter-in-law Sharon, grandsons Ben Porter (Jill), and Jake Porter-Cohen (Talia), great grandson Lachlan, sister Gretchen, nephews and nieces Scott, Mark, Nancy, and Mike, cousins scattered across two countries, and many dear friends, former students, and colleagues. A special thanks goes to the staff of the Deery Suites and Cedar Valley Hospice, who patiently cared for a man they never had the opportunity to fully know, but one they sensed was worth the effort.

Memorials may be directed to the Cedar Valley Hospice, or to the Alzheimer's Association.

"P.J.'s Parting Party" will be held on Saturday, December 9th, from 3-5 pm, at the Diamond Event Center in Cedar Falls.