Funeral services for Elder Bruce D. Porter of the Seventy were held this morning in Bountiful, near Salt Lake City. He was buried at nearby Lakeview Memorial Cemetery.
Friends, family and Church leaders attended the funeral.
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Elder Porter, age 64, was serving as a General Authority Seventy of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints when he passed away at his home, surrounded by family, on December 28. Most recently he oversaw the Church’s Europe East Area, based in Moscow; he returned home in early December 2016 due to health reasons.
Elder L. Whitney Clayton, Senior President of the Seventy, conducted the funeral service.
Elder Porter’s children, David W. Porter, Christopher J. Porter, Lisa J. Brooks and Jennifer R. Anderson, all shared some reflections about their father.
They spoke of his many health challenges that never got him down. David said “he suffered tremendous health challenges for the last 25 years, meanwhile serving with all his heart in the Church,” and through it all “he had a broad bright smile on his face.” Christopher said he was “troubled on every side, but not distressed.”
Elder Donald L. Hallstrom, of the Presidency of the Seventy, and President Russell M. Nelson, president of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, also spoke.
Elder Hallstrom talked about his dedication to the Church and love for the people in eastern Europe. Throughout all the difficult things facing the members of the Church in eastern Europe, Elder Hallstrom said, Bruce would always say to him, “We carry on with confidence because we know the Lord is in charge.”
Elder Hallstrom and President Nelson thanked his wife, Susan Porter, for her taking care of him. President Nelson said, “Without you, Bruce would not have lived as long or accomplished as much as he did.” He read a letter to Susan from the First Presidency that said, “We rejoice with you in his life of dedicated service.”
After the service, his son David dedicated the grave.
Bruce Douglas Porter was born in Albuquerque, New Mexico, on September 18, 1952. He married Susan Elizabeth Holland in February 1977. Elder Porter was sustained as a General Authority Seventy of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on April 1, 1995.
Prior to his full-time Church service, Elder Porter served as a professor of political science at Brigham Young University. Before that he was the executive director of the U.S. Board for International Broadcasting and a research fellow at Harvard University.
He also authored several books on politics and religion and spoke Russian. At the funeral, Elder Hallstrom spoke about Elder Porter being well-educated and scholarly. Elder Porter’s daughter Jennifer said he, “read every publication he could and converse on every topic.”
The Church issued a statement on the passing of Elder Porter that said in part, “Our gratitude, thoughts and prayers are with his wife, Susan, and their family. We are profoundly grateful for the valiant service he offered to the very end of his life. He will be greatly missed.”
Elder Porter is survived by his wife, Susan, their four children and 11 grandchildren.