Ernest Carroll Buddy Porterfield

PORTERFIELD, ERNEST CARROLL “BUDDY” Ernest Carroll “Buddy” Porterfield, age 79, of Eddy, passed away January 8, 2002. Services will be at 11:30AM Friday, January 11 at Wilkirson-Hatch-Bailey Chapel, 6101 Bosque Blvd. with the Rev. Wayne Stork officiating. Burial will follow at Bosqueville Cemetery. Visitation with the family will be 6:00-8:00PM Thursday, January 10 at the funeral home. Mr. Porterfield was born April 9, 1922, in McLennan County to Thomas Carroll Porterfield and Katura Green Wheat Porterfield. He served in the U.S. Navy from 1940 to 1946. He enlisted as Apprentice Seaman and was Chief Petty Officer by 1945. He received the U.S. Air Medal for rescuing a flyer at sea in enemy territory as well as the Asiatic Pacific, American Defense, American Theatre, Philippine Liberation, Navy Unit Citation, Good Conduct and Victory Medal. He married Laverne Cummings, April 17, 1943. She preceded him in death on October 4, 1997 after 54 years of marriage. In 1956, he and Laverne and a group of dedicated friends made the Central Texas Zoo a reality. He retired from Shep’s Little Chicken Shacks of Galveston in 1981 after serving as State President of the Texas Restaurant Association. During that time, he was an Honorary Admiral in the Texas Navy. He and Laverne made their retirement home on the Mackey Ranch in Eddy, enjoying their family as well as numerous farm animals and their faithful dogs. Buddy Porterfield is survived by his daughter and son-in-law, Joy and Bob Telschow, grandchildren, Derek Telschow, Lesly and Barron Rascoe and Jackie and Jay Hestilow, great-grandchildren, Olivia, Michael, David, and Madelyn Rascoe, Sul and Darrell Ross, and Dusti and Misti Hestilow. He is also survived by a brother Luther Porterfield and two sisters, Marie Donaldson and Robbie Kirk. He will also be remembered by Vera Porterfield McBride of Scotland. Pallbearers will be Derek Telschow, Barron Rascoe, Jay Hestilow, David Kirk, Dale Shepard, David Cummins, Kenneth Porterfield, and Boyd Donaldson. Honorary pallbearers are his great grandsons and the Crew of the U.S.S. Salt Lake City. Memorials may be made to Bruceville-Eddy United Methodist Church or Bruceville-Eddy EMS. WILKIRSON-HATCH-BAILEY