Donald "Don" Porter

   Donald “Don” Porter, 78, of Harwood, ND, passed away on Thursday, December 25, 2025, at SMP Health – St. Catherine North, in Fargo, ND.

   Donald Gordon Porter was born on April 21, 1947, in Fargo, ND, to Glenn and Grace (Wiger) Porter. He grew up in Grandin, ND, graduating from Hunter, ND High School in 1965, after which he attended DeVry University in Chicago for electrical work.

   He was then drafted into the U.S. Army and served in Thailand during the Vietnam War. Upon his return to the U.S., he began his career in the dental industry, starting out with Hanson Dental, and retiring in 2006 as a traveling salesman.

   On November 15, 1969, he married Mary Lou Dybing in Shelly, MN. They first lived in Fargo and moved to Harwood, ND in May 1976, remaining there ever since.

   Don belonged to the Harwood American Legion Post 297, Zion Lutheran Church in Harwood, and enjoyed hunting, fishing, collecting guns, and spending time on Buffalo Lake. He also enjoyed playing cards and managed pinochle tournaments for several years.

   Don is survived by his wife, Mary; children, Angela Philipp; Charles Porter (Karla Mercer); and a grandson, Richard Philipp.

   He was preceded in death by his parents; and three sisters, Glenda (Gary) Smith, Kathy Olson, and Teresa (Greg) Radcliffe.

   Funeral Service: Friday, January 2, 2026, at 11:00 a.m., in West Funeral Home, West Fargo, North Dakota, with visitation one hour prior to the service.

   Interment: Bethany Lutheran Cemetery, rural Shelly, Minnesota.

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