| Location | Stoke-on-trent |
| Age | 77 years |
| Cause of Death | Other Disease |
| Date of Birth | 25/08/1931 |
| Date of Death | 07/06/2009 |
| Visitors | 409 since 12/06/2009 |
| Creator |
My Dad was an amazing man.So influential, so full of knowledge,so compassionate,so emotional,so loving,so practical,so wise,so witty,so annoying and so clever! He touched and inspired so many people's lives .It is so hard to imagine life without him, but I know his spirit lives on in my heart and that he will always be there beside me guiding me in every thing I do.He told me always have a plan B and then you will never be disappointed in life !Just wondering what my Plan B is now ?
There are so many stories about my Dad which I'm sure we are all sharing, even as I write this. This site is to allow us all to remember Bob in our own special ways. Please write what you feel. Make this a celebration of his life, like we hope his funeral will be on the 22nd June at 2 pm at St Lukes Church in Endon! Here's to Bob!!
An "Elecric" Engineer !!!
As colleagues of Bob at MEB, involved in the same activity "in Birmingham" as he was in "Stoke" he quickly got to know everyone at co-ordinting meetings and on courses. We all came to recognise him as an enthusiastic, exhuberant, friendly and energetic character full of sometimes outrageous ideas which caused great hilarity but always with the serious intention of stimulating the ways of promoting the efficient and innovative use of electricity in Industry, a true Engineer!. Meetings and courses were never dull when Bob was present, (except perhaps soon after lunch when at litttle R&R was necessary after the efforts of the morning session). We always expected the unexpected from him even to the point of turning up at the right venue on the wrong date or vice versa.
On a serious note, Bob had great concern for everyone and their welfare with an encouraging word and help whenever needed.
During his illness and after retirement he still carried on all his interests despite the sad loss of his Son and being greatly debillitated on many occasions, a great example to us all to live life to the full whatever the circumstances.
Bob was devoted to his Family and we would share with them his sad loss but remember his influence on our lives.
Alan Jackson, Geoff Hadley & MEB Birmingham IDEs
A Grand Engineer
In loving memory of Bob. From Barbara Clarkson, Clarry and Rita Gauden, The Dev Cente Halesowen
Bob Porter
Bob or Uncle Robin as he was known to me as a boy has been one of those permanent fixtures in my life since the age of 5 when my family and I moved to 33 Hillswood Drive and became neighbours of Bob and Ina.
A larger than life character to me my earliest memory was of a trip to Blackpool to see the illuminations. The highlight of the trip was not Blackpool itself but the journey in Bob's converted Ford Transit mobile home, the one with the beds in the lift up roof! Over time I came to realise that this was Bob's passion, mechanical and electrical engineering and many nights as a boy I was rocked to sleep by the sweet tones of my dad's classical music playing downstairs interwoven with the sound of Bob's welding equipment.
As I grew up into a young man I spent time during summer holidays travelling with Bob whilst he performed his job for the MEB promoting economy 7 to an assortment of factories and new build housing estates across the midlands. This opened up a whole new world to me and of course I discovered a lot about Bob the Businessman. Through this time he always reminded me of Terry of Terry and June fame, with grim tales of his domineering boss who seemed so like Sir Dennis.
I also spent one summer helping Bob to build the extension to the back of their house, a task I thought beyond us both but one which taught me so much. In many ways this typified Bob's character to me, someone who had a substantial amount of practical knowledge and was prepared to have a go at using it even though at times he probably overstretched himself. Ultimately it did always seem fun even when Bob would burst a pipe, blow his top and I'd have to retreat to the safety of home.
I'll miss Bob although I'll never forget my Childhood days, times which seemed seemed enourmously secure and loving to me through my own family and my lovely neighbours.
The night after Bob died I had a vision of him walking into Heaven. He strode in at that infuriatingly slow pace of his taking time to speak to everyone and asking them what they did in life. He was giving out advice freely some useful some not but relishing every moment of his new adventure.
Bob
Bob. A great friend, and an inspiration to all that knew him. Caring, thoughtful, witty and wise, he will long be remembered.
Uncle Robin
Bob or Uncle Robin as he always was to me and my sisters,was there from my beginning. My parents, Mary and Gerald bought No.29 at the same time as Bob and Ina bought No.31.Bob chose their house because the chimney was central and so was more thermally efficient! I was born 9 months later and Helene was 9 months after that.We always played together and were soul mates from the start. Later came Catherine and Stuart and finally Susan and our little gang played in each others gardens. If either Ina or Mary wanted to go shopping the other always covered childcare. Uncle Robin put in steps to allow nipping in the back doors. They were very happy times.How many kids can you fit in a wigwam?
As I got older,Uncle Robin could often be found in his
Aladin's cave of a garage. I never went in unless invited. Robin always had a strong sense of right and wrong and he told us straight!I never touched anything in there unless asked. The smell of oil and metal was wonderful.It was a mystery as to what all the gadgets did. He was always making and repairing things. He keenly shared his interest, explaining enthusiatically what he was doing and letting me help. He had an ingenious car battery system which meant their house shone on throught he electricity cuts of the 1970. He gave me my interest in mechanical and electrical things and I am sure he contributed to my choosing a career which relies on lots of gadgets and practical skills!
He was a free thinker, very caring and wise and I always took any advice he gave seriously. The families stayed close even when we moved to Alsager when I was 9 years old. Robin and Ina came to my 21st birthday celebrations.
Thank you Uncle Robin for so much. We will miss you greatly.
With love
John
Bob Porter was a REAL gentleman.
Ina Porter has been coming to our shop for over 25 years and whenever Bob came to meet her, he always made time for a chat and was always so friendly and nice to everyone.
The bond between Bob and Ina was always so apparent and it was a wonderful sight to see a couple so much in love, still after many years of marraige.
I'm sure he will be missed by many and we will do our best to look after Mrs Porter whenever she comes into the salon, as she will need a lot of TLC over the coming months.
Our thoughts are with the family and we hope you will all pull throughthis great loss.
Mark and the team at The Partnership Hairdressing.
Memories Of Bob
I'll never forget the holiday Bob took Stuart and myself on, when I was a teenager. We ventured out to West Wales in the amazing transit van Bob had designed, a mini motorhome well ahead of its time. It started with the gear stick coming off in his hand, progressed through gold panning and museum visits and ended with a Welsh Highland Railway trip through Snowdonia. Bob of course fixed the gear problem on the spot, and we all had a marvellous time.
That holiday really summed Bob up, a lover of beauty and industry all rolled into one. Oh and an excellent bodger, wherever and whatever.
In adult life, he was always there if you needed to talk and offer his opinion and advice. He had a talent for seeing the good in people too.
Thanks Bob, you'll be missed..
Bob
My earliest memory of Bob was of myself as a boy lying awake at night listening to the sound of welding and grinding next door. Over subsequent years I understood that this man could build, repair, design and create just about anything he put his mind to. When I eventually embarked on a career in Engineering Bob was full of support and advice. On several occassions Bob visited me at my place of work, sometimes I think because he missed the factory environment, on each visit he would remark upon the machinery and would always amaze me with his knowledge. He would invariably tell me stories of his career in Engineering, he was however fully aware of all the latest technology and I have yet to meet his equal for either passion in this or an overall understanding of the industry. Thankyou Bob.
Bob
Bob was the father-in-law of my sister Jane and I and my family have stayed with Bob and Ina on many occasions when they have always made us very welcome. I will always be very grateful for their tremendous support for Jane and the boys since Stuart died, especially as our own parents died so young. We will all greatly miss Bob and his many stories and our trips to Endon will never be the same again.
Helen, Mark and Clare Higson
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