Gerald 'Jerry' Porter, 85

After a long life full of high times with good friends, Jerry Porter went up in smoke on Aug. 7, 2026. 

Gerald Olen Porter was born May 14, 1941, to Eugene Elmer Hoffman and Marjorie Ellen Lewis in Tustin, Calif. He graduated from Tustin High School in 1959. 

Jerry married Diane Charle Mulkern and the marriage brought him Will. Jerry went to Hawaii in the early 1960s ostensibly for military service, but more importantly to fall in love with surfing, scuba diving and his second wife, Deborah McShane. 

After a brief stop in Bellingham, Wash., the couple landed in Sandpoint, Idaho, in the late '70s, where Jerry spent most of his years and built many memories with friends and family at his beloved house on Ruth Street. 

As the saying goes, good things come in threes, and Jerry married his third wife, Ann Riffe, in 1989. Together, they raised Ann’s daughters, Casey and Megan, along with a steady procession of furry, finned and feathered friends.

Jerry doted not only on the people but also the things he loved, including his house, garden and hobbies. Outdoor sports were something of a sacred pursuit for Jerry, and he delighted in collecting the very best equipment to get him out into the wilds of North Idaho. Jerry loved to hunt, fish, hike, ski, play volleyball and bob around on Lake Pend Oreille in Little Martha, his treasured boat. He had a mighty succession of Ford trucks. The bright blue truck from 1978 was the one he used to teach his stepdaughters to drive, an experience that had lasting impact on all concerned.

After leaving the LDS church in the early part of his life, Jerry became a lifelong proponent of what he called “better living through chemistry.” Relaxation was paramount. While all forms of recreational amusement were interesting to him, the strongest throughline was a love of music. He approached the guitar with characteristic discipline, often waking his family with early morning practice sessions of surf, blues and rock songs. 

Music was one of his greatest connections with friends. He played many gigs in the area as a member of Cafe Gas, and later with the Blue Weasels. One of his proudest accomplishments was the album he recorded with the Blue Weasels. Tuesday night was Music Night at Jerry’s house for decades, until health challenges moved the party to a succession of assisted living and skilled nursing facilities.

While Jerry was certainly no stranger to a good time, he also had an incredible work ethic. He worked as a helicopter mechanic, scuba diving instructor, home builder and real estate appraiser. It was the last of these that perhaps reflected his inner world the most. Jerry was always interested in finding an objective way to look at things.

In Jerry’s last days, his biggest priorities were talking to his friends and family, sitting in the sun, playing guitar and drinking whiskey. Jerry knew how to live the good life, and faced the end with characteristic frankness.

Jerry is preceded in death by his parents; ex-wife Diane; and many pets, including Buckwheat, Bear, Scooter, Kodi, Spanky, Black Kitty, Pearl, Dilbert and Rebel. He is survived by Casey Page; James and Megan Cherry; Will Heasley, Annette Greiman, and Griffen Heasley; and ex-wives Deborah McShane and Ann Porter.

Friends and neighbors are invited to Jerry’s Last Jam, a celebration at Eichardt’s Pub from 4 to 6 p.m. Sept. 19. Acoustic instruments are encouraged.