curtpenn said:
Mr Tulip said:
Euell Porter directed my small Methodist church's choir here for a number of years. My wife still has the personalized copy (Alto) of Handel's "The Messiah" he gave her.
I was recruited for lower strings at Baylor coming out of high school. I thought, "C'mon! A music degree isn't employable. I'll pay my own way to Texas and be an engineer instead!"
Uh, about that....
I no longer recall the details, but Dr Porter's wife was severely injured in an accident very early in their married life. She was confined to a wheel chair and clearly suffered some sort of cognitive damage.They were never able to have children. I learned all I needed to know about faith and the Christian walk just watching him interact with her. Just an incredible life lesson and example of real and abiding love. Dr Porter was one of the finest men I've ever known.
Good on us for the Euell Porter observations. If you have to derail a thread, he's the best reason.
Here's the story on His wife:
In 1940, she had a stroke during childbirth. The son died but Christine survived, and Euell cared for his wheelchair bound love the rest of her life. She did recognize folks while I knew her and travelled on choir trips while she could. My freshman year, she remained at home and suffered some setback. The Kansas Hwy patrol flagged down the bus and took Dr. Porter to the airport to fly him home. We turned the bus around between Wichita and Tulsa and drove straight back to Waco. Christine never was able to travel on tours after that setback.
A Capella choir was singing in Navasota one Sunday. We all travelled in cars. Euell stopped me after Friday rehearsal and asked if he could ride with me. Never forget that trip. We were going thru Bryan-CS when he got really quiet; his mind obviously occupied. He turned to me and said "Today is the day my son was born so long ago. Christine had a stroke and I lost them both." The rest of the trip was in silence. The concert restored the life and fire, though.
Euell probably had the greatest impact on my life as a man after my Dad. Tremendous man.