City officials recognized the legacy of the late Hank Porter during the most recent meeting of the Stayton City Council, acknowledging Porter’s many decades in civic leadership.
Porter died at age 81 on Dec. 26, 2023, less than a year after he stepped down from his seventh non-consecutive term as mayor.
He first held the position in 1979. Porter was also on and off the council for three non-consecutive terms from 1974 to 2014.
The role was in addition to being a beloved civics teacher and cross-country/track coach at Stayton Union High School from 1968 to 2002, and the owner of a gun shop in downtown Stayton.
Porter’s successor, Mayor Brian Quigley, said during the council’s Jan. 22 meeting that Porter was someone who “gave to the community.”
“He made [Stayton] a better place for all of us to live here,” said Quigley.
One contribution was the dog park which now bears Porter’s name on E. Florence Street and Fourth Avenue. The park was completed in 2017 during Porter’s fourth term as mayor and was funded by a partnership between the city and community groups.
Quigley said Porter would be happy to know he had left something behind that the community could enjoy.
He thanked the late mayor personally for being a mentor and for the example he set for all city officials.
“Thanks, Hank, for leading the way for us,” said Quigley.
Porter’s accomplishments were also remembered during a memorial service Jan. 9 at Calvary Lutheran Church, in Stayton.
Former City Councilor Mark Kronquist, who served from 2017 to 2022 alongside Porter as mayor, recalled how Porter led efforts to reinvigorate the downtown business district. Kronquist provided a printed statement for display in the church lobby along with other remembrances.
He said when Porter became mayor again in 2015 the businesses on Third Avenue were dwindling, with Hank’s Gun Shop one of the few left standing. Kronquist said the mayor recruited local residents to reinvigorate the downtown core and “remade Stayton.”
Son Vaughn Porter recalled how his dad was driven to get out and do as much as he could and to “bring some good to the world,” even if not all his efforts were successful.
“As mayor he made a lot of efforts to try and improve on the city,” said Vaughn Porter. “They weren’t always successful, but he put that effort out there.”
“He made an impact on the world,” Vaughn Porter continued. “The fact that there’s so many people here (at the service) I think that speaks volumes of the mark he left on this world.”
In addition to his civic accomplishments, Porter was remembered as a lover of learning and play.
Daughter Penelope Doss recalled the fatherly wisdom he had imparted over the years. Such maxims included “If the park ranger does not know what they’re talking about, it’s OK to take over,” and “You can live off of oatmeal and prunes, you just don’t want to.”
Doss said Porter encouraged her to take more time to enjoy life and not get caught up in life’s doldrums.
“I’ve thought about that a lot lately, and I’m going to make more time to go have some fun because that’s what he did,” said Doss, who also encouraged those in attendance to “be up for having fun.”
Porter’s idea of fun varied broadly and included ancient history, books, movies, guns, cars, boats and outdoor excursions.
Arthur Porter recalled going on a hunting trip to Africa with his dad and the two went on a self-guided tour in a truck for a couple of weeks. Arthur Porter said, though he and his dad fought a lot when they were younger, Hank Porter grew to be his best friend.
“There won’t be a time I won’t want to call and ask him about something,” said Arthur Porter.
Reverend Joel Nickel recalled Hank Porter as a scholar, public servant and occasional “sermon critic,” and said at the end of his life the late mayor felt burdened by the feeling that he was leaving much undone. Nickel said this is often the result of seeking the common good, because pursuing higher purposes is unending on this side of eternity.
