Jeffrey William Porter

Jeffrey William Porter, who answered to “Jeff”, “Jeffy”, and “Camp Counselor”, passed away peacefully on October 16 at Duke University Hospital. He was surrounded by his wife Shari and his two children, Brian and Holly, listening to The Beatles.

Jeff was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia on Sunday, October 12 at Novant Health, and was transferred to Duke University Hospital. Due to the illness’s aggressive nature and complications, doctors did not expect him to survive past Monday; he fought hard and held on until his immediate family could be with him.

Jeff was born in 1961 in Cambridge, Massachusetts, and grew up in Charlottesville, VA. He graduated from Charlottesville High School in 1979, and received a Bachelor of Arts in English from the University of Virginia in 1983. He met Shari in October of that year in Washington, DC; they were married in 1988.

Jeff received his J.D. degree from the College of William & Mary in 1988, and opened the Law Office of Jeffrey W. Porter, P.C. in Wilmington, NC in October 1994. Over 32 years, he and his incredible staff helped thousands of Wilmingtonians.

Jeff and Shari moved to Wilmington in 1991. Since then, they have been surrounded by a loving and joyful community of family and friends. They raised Brian and Holly in a home full of laughter and love, and Jeff instilled in them a love of music, books, and eternal optimism.

Jeff loved many things: traveling with his family; playing golf with his friends; dancing; a good martini; The Beatles; the novels and short stories of P.G. Wodehouse; and quoting his favorite movies. Above all else, he loved to laugh and to make others laugh.

Jeff is survived by his wife of 38 years, Shari Porter; their children Brian (and fiancé Alondra) and Holly (and partner Josh), and dog ZuZu; his mother Anne Porter; his brother Steve and husband Doug; his brother Dan and wife Mary, their children Chris and Olivia; his sister-in-law Lisa Buck and husband Eric, their children Scott, David, and Melissa. Jeff is preceded in death by his father, Harry Porter.

A celebration of life will be held in Wilmington at a later date.

In lieu of flowers, the family asks for donations in his honor to Duke Health at giving.dukehealth.org or to the charity of your choice. Jeff’s family would like to thank the caring and dedicated staff of Duke’s Medical Intensive Care Unit for helping us bear the unbearable.

Hug your loved ones, find humor in everything, rewatch your favorite movies, dance often, and, as Jeff always said, “Don’t worry ‘bout nothin’.”