John Hill Porter, W’55, a Penn trustee from 1981 to 1986 and a member of several other boards at Penn, died in Vero Beach, Florida on November 7, 2022. He was 89.

Mr. Porter graduated from the Wharton School at Penn as a member of the class of 1955, then worked at Ogilvy & Mather in New York and London until 1972. He then left advertising to accept the position of director of Public Affairs for the Peace Corps. With his passion and talent for public relations, he also cofounded the firm Porter/Novelli. In 1981, he was invited to join Penn’s Board of Trustees, where he served until 1986. Afterwards, he remained a devoted Penn alumnus, serving on the boards of the Penn Medical Center and the School of Nursing, and on several other committees. In 1992, Mr. Porter retired, splitting his time between Philadelphia and Barbados. Barbados inspired his novel, Trouble Tree (2008), and provided a venue for him to take up tennis.

He is survived by his wife of 41 years, Louise;  her children, Cam (Lisa) Abernethy and Colin (Alexis) Abernethy; his first wife, Sandra vanFossen; children, John Clinton Porter II (Susan Mougey), Allison Porter (Michael Zucker), Gardiner (Laurie) Porter, and Dickon (Tali) Mager; 16 grandchildren; one great-granddaughter; and his beloved dog, Cooper.

Donations are appreciated to: Alzheimer and Parkinson’s Association of Indian River County, 2300 5th Ave., Vero Beach, Florida 32960.

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