Kearney Loses a Community Icon
/Kearney is saddened by the loss of one of the pillars of the community. Mack Porter died peacefully on January 27.
Mack was a substantial part of Kearney, in fact he was one of the things that made Kearney great. His hand touched the golf course, baseball fields, high school basketball court and football field, public library system and many other projects.
“Mack has the biggest heart of anyone I’ve ever met. He can’t say no,” said the late Mayor Bill Dane on Live with the Mayor in 2018. “It’s not just the big things Mack gets involved in. He cares genuinely about kids; about taking care of people.”
Mack’s obituary reads, “Mack was born, November 23, 1927, in Paradise, Missouri to the late Claud Porter and the late Grace Porter. He was raised on the Porter family farm in Paradise, where he learned the value of hard work. Growing up, Mack attended Rocky Point school, a one room schoolhouse, where he states, he gained his exceptional mind for figures. To get to school, he did not have to walk up hill both ways, he rode his horse, Tony. To the day he passed, he kept a picture of Tony on his person at all times, which he talked about to whomever, with fanfare.
“Mack held many occupations throughout his lifetime, to name a few, lumber dealer, teacher, coach, Army solider, philanthropist, and parent. With all those jobs be listed, no “occupation” was more fitting, than him being a servant. He served his family, community, and business till the day he took his last breath. It was very obvious to anyone who knew Mack, that his driving motivation for most of his decisions, was to better the communities which he held dear. His work was most notable in the Kearney and Smithville communities, but ranged all over, from Maryville to Cameron, to most of the Kansas City Northland.”
Services for Mack will be at 10 am on Friday, February 2, at the First United Methodist Church of Kearney. You can listen to Mack’s interview with Mayor Bill Dane HERE.
KPGZ News - Brian Watts contributed to this story
