David "Dave" Porter

Dave Porter passed away peacefully Tuesday, February 26, at his home in Fargo after many years with Parkinson’s disease. He was 68 years old. He was loved and will be missed by many. David Robert Porter was born in Fargo on February 5, 1951. He grew up on the family farm in Bohnsack Township between Hunter and Grandin. He graduated from Dakota High School in 1969 and attended North Dakota State University, earning a degree in Mechanized Agriculture in 1973. A lifelong Bison football fan has was a season ticket-holder for more than 40 years. After graduating, he worked several years in Sydney, Montana, Torrington, Wyoming, and Wahpeton, North Dakota as a field rep for Holly Sugar and Minn-Dakota Cooperative. He also earned his private pilot’s license to assist in travel; and made many friends in those communities. In 1980 Dave returned to the Porter family farm, partnering with his parents Bob and Dolores, raising sugar beets and wheat. Short and Sweet Farms has been a very successful family farming business for nearly 40 years due to the innovation and hard work of Bob, Dolores, and Dave; and continued by Dave and Dolores after Bob’s death in 1998–with the assistance of Frank Kartes. Dave was a very dedicated farmer who truly loved being in the field aboard one of his many John Deeres. In 2014 Dave received the top grower award in his sugar beet growers group. In addition to being a dedicated farmer, Dave was a fun-loving guy who enjoyed his time between harvest and spring planting. He and Bob sold and raced Chaparral snowmobiles in the mid 1970’s. An excellent shot as a goose hunter, he enjoyed many hunting trips to northern North Dakota. A fearless downhill skier, he took many memorable annual trips west to the mountains of Colorado and Utah with college friends, his sister Bonnie, and brother-in-law Scott. He also enjoyed many summer weekends at the Pinehurst Resort on Twin Lakes near Mahnomen¬–pulling skiers on his speed boat, fishing for northerns, and sipping a brandy soda at the bar while looking for a winner from the pull tab jar. The 4th of July holidays at Pinehurst were family traditions for nearly 25 years and Dave could always be counted on to bring an impressive truck load of fireworks! “Uncle Dave” will always be fondly remembered by his nephew Ian and niece Annie–his teasing when they were little; his generosity when they were older; his sense of humor; his fireworks; and his remarkable work on 30-year-old “vintage” Chaparrals, getting them running for at least a few hours of memorable rides across the frozen fields and coulees of Bohnsack Township at Christmas. Dave will be missed and remembered by loved ones: His mother Dolores; sister Bonnie Nelson and brother-in-law Scott Nelson (Edina, MN); nephew Ian Nelson (Portland, OR); niece Annie Nelson and her fiancé, Tommy Grogan, (Chicago, IL); cousin Jane Porter (Fargo ND); and close friend and farming colleague Frank Kartes (Hillsboro ND). In Lieu of flowers memorials are preferred to the Hunter Lutheran Church or Parkinson’s Foundation. Funeral Service: 1 PM Saturday, March 2, 2019 at the First Lutheran Church in Hunter, ND – with visitation one hour prior to the service Burial will take place at a later date at the Hunter City Cemetery