Stephen Markham Porter was surrounded by loved ones when he unexpectedly passed away on Wednesday, September 8th, 2021 due to complications from diabetes (as Stephen would say the diet bees).
Stephen was born in Provo, Utah on December 15th, 1981 to Perry Lynne Porter and Renee Call Bair. He lived a life full of generosity as he shared his humor and kindness with so many around him. His talents and charisma helped him succeed as a graduate from Orem High School, serve as a missionary in Brazil, become an Eagle Scout, destroy trust with friends in board games, and work through the ranks to become a manager of software development at Entrata.
Stephen took great pride in his career at Entrata and had an influence in shaping company values. Those he worked with appreciated that he reached out with personal attention and provided laughter through his quick wit while also being dependable. He was a leader who cared deeply for the success and happiness of his team. He worked at Entrata for nearly 10 years, with only a short absence when he and his wife Rikki Carter had moved to Canada. They quickly returned to Utah as that was where he was meant to be. Stephen and Rikki divorced but remained friends as their lives headed in different directions.
Stephen joined Cascade Elementary school’s Young Astronaut Program and had his first experience with the Christa McAuliffe Space Center. This began a life-long passion for storytelling, acting, and software design. He volunteered for years on weekends and through the summers until he impressed his way into an indispensable position as a staff member. Stephen is well known for having developed endearing characters whose interactions created joyful memories for thousands of children over the years of his involvement.
Stephen loved the outdoors, eating delicious food, listening to operas, playing with his dogs, spending quality time with his nephews and nieces, visiting foreign places, and playing video games and board games with friends and family. His dietary staples included Worcestershire sauce, Arby’s sauce, and hot sauce (which he loved to share with others). Stephen also loved movies and television. He could watch a movie once and later be able to quote the best lines from any movie with the best comedic timing. Many of us have benefitted from him sharing music, games, television, and movie recommendations.
Stephen will be missed everyday by his Mother, Renee Bair; his Father, Perry Porter; his sister, Tiscia Westerman (Jeffery); his brother, James Porter (Ann); his sister, Mary Olsen (Keith); his two nieces and four nephews, his sweetheart Ehrin Legler, his dog Wu, his loving aunts, uncles, cousins and many, many great friends he made all over the world.
Stephen is preceded in death by his sister Christy Lynne Porter, grandparents Nyda and Don Porter, and Mary Lou and Rodney Call, as well as his beloved dog Cicero.
Stephen recently shared on social media:
“Pais E Filhos - Legiao Urbana (is) One of my favorite Portuguese songs of all time, and actually was the very first song I learned to play on the guitar. Beautiful throughout the whole song, but the part that gets me is the chorus."
Pais E Filhos - Legiao Urbana
É preciso amar as pessoas
Como se não houvesse amanhã
Por que se você parar pra pensar
Na verdade não há
We need to love people
as if there is no tomorrow
because if you stop to think
in truth there is not
“Thank you to every one of you in my life who I love and I know loves me too.” - Stephen Porter
Memorial Services for Stephen Porter
Saturday, September 18th
9:00 am
Nelson Family Mortuary
4780 N University Ave, Provo, UT
A live streaming service can be found at
And a Thought From Me
Stephen was a major contributor to this Blog's forerunner social media site call the Space EdVentures Yahoo Group. His posts were always witty, sarcastic, and at times just rude. It was his style. He said things about the staff and volunteers I wished I could say but didn't dare. So, in my role as Space Center Director, I'd find myself editing his posts here and there to keep calm in the ranks and to ensure people would speak to Stephen when he came to work as a member of the staff.
My memories of Stephen are many. Almost all good - and that alone is a compliment! He was a great character actor and knew how to read a room, or Starship Bridge. He acted for a dual audience - the campers and the staff and volunteers. We never knew what that evening's performance would bring.
For those many happy times, I'm grateful I had the honor and privilege of working with Stephen.
The following is an example of one of Stephen's YahooGroup posts and my comments at the time added to the post for political correctness sake....
AUGUST 21, 2000
MODERATOR'S NOTE:
ONCE AGAIN THE BLACE MARK OF THE MODERATOR MUST STRIKE CERTAIN WORDS FROM MR. PORTER'S SARCASTIC ESSAY. I REPLACED STEPHEN'S WORDS WITH "CENSORED" SO YOU'LL KNOW WHERE HIS POST WAS EDITED.
AND NOW STEPHEN'S REMARKS.......EDITED REMARKS WITH A FEW CLOSING REMARKS OF MINE.
Hi, I am Stephen Porter.
Who are you?
oh, really? I have never heard of you.
Oh well.
Maybe next time kid!
Hey, remove "CENSORED" from the volunteers thingy... is he still breathing the petulant gasses as the rest of we mortals? I have not seen hide nor hair of the little guy since the high school mission... off with his head!
Hey, I added another MP3 to the file section.
Check it out!
Hey, does anybody out there have an extra copy of adobe photoshop. If you do... I want it for free.
Yeah for Wayne, he is one of few people whose posts last more than 3 seconds on my screen. HEY YAA!
Boo to "CENSORED" ... She's the one who should be censored. I mean, why do she waste my bandwidth with such pointless dribble ... Wow, it is cool that you know HTML... that is really cool... but don't flaunt it
every second of the day, then it becomes annoying and Cliche.
Boo to Judge Dredd, have you ever seen that movie?
Yeah to Cool volunteers, you know... the ones that only speak when it is appropriate.
Boo to the Galileo, cause it has wheels.
Yeah to the Voyager, it has a color projector.
Boo to the Magellan, for obvious reasons.
Yeah to the Odyssey, wait, on second thought... Boo.
Huzzah to the Falcon, to the only simulator that you board via extra vehicular activity.
Boo to board games, they smell of old spice.
Boo!! yeah! thats right... you like that? huh? thats what I thought.
Stephen Porter - Boo, hiss, queen of filth.
Le traducteur d'AltaVista de visite pour toute votre traduction a
besoin... sur l'Internet.
AS THE SPACE CENTER DIRECTOR AND MODERATOR OF THIS YAHOOGROUP, I MUST ASSUME STEPHEN HAD A BAD DAY WHEN HE WROTE THE POST ABOVE. PERHAPS THERE WAS NO PRIZE IN HIS BOX OF CRAKER JACKS THAT MORNING. ONE CAN ONLY WONDER.
LET US NOT GROW IN ANGER TOWARD POOR STEPHEN SITTING ON THAT FRAYED LAWN CHAIR IN HIS BACK YARD LOOKING DEEPLY INTO THE EMPTY CRAKER JACK BOX AND WONDERING WHAT FATE HAD DONE WITH HIS PRIZE. YES, HIS PRIZE - THE PRIZE HE WAITED FOR AS HE SAVORED EACH CARMEL KERNAL AND SAVORY PEANUT.
WITH HIS POST WRITTEN AND HIS CRAKER JACKS GONE, WHAT WAS THERE TO FILL THE REST OF STEHEN'S EVENING............? I ENVISION HIM STANDING AND TOSSING THE BOX - THE CAUSE OF HIS DISAPPOINTMENT, INTO THE TRASH. I SEE HIM MOVING THROUGH THE HOUSE INTO HIS BEDROOM. HE SITS ON HIS BED AND OPENS HIS DRESSER. HE REACHES INSIDE AND PULLS OUT HIS SOCKS. AT LEAST FATE COULDN'T TAKE THIS SIMPLE PLEASURE AWAY FROM HIM. THE THRILL OF SORTING SOCKS BEFORE BED.
"WHERE'S THE MATCH FOR THIS ONE?" I HEAR HIM MUMBLE AS HE SEARCHES THE PILE.
"THERE YOU ARE YOU LITTLE SNEAK! THOUGHT YOU'D GET AWAY FROM ME DIDN'T YOU?" HE ASKS AS HE TOSSES THE CRAFTY SOCK INTO THE AIR, THEN HOLDS IT CLOSE AND LOOKS DEEPLY AT THE COLOR, THE KNIT - THEN UP TO THE NOSE ..................A DEEP BREATH...............EVEN BLINDFOLDED HE CAN TELL THEM APART.
HAVING BEEN SORTED, INTO THE DRAWER THE SOCKS GO. HE SWITCHES OFF THE LIGHTS AND SLIPS INTO BED. WHILE OTHERS DREAM OF GREAT ACHIEVEMENTS AND ROMANCE, HIS GRINS WITH THOUGHTS OF FRUIT OF THE LOOM DOUBLE KNITS OVER THE CALF.
GOOD NIGHT STEPHEN..........
GOOD NIGHT ALL.........
MR. WILLIAMSON
Good Bye Stephen, our Grand PooPah. Heaven is a happier place now that you've returned home.
IMAGINARIUM THEATER
The Best Videos From Around the World Edited for a Gentler Audience.
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