Walter Clifton Porter
Published 12:27 pm Tuesday, January 28, 2025
Walter Clifton Porter, 83, of Madison, Mississippi, went home to be with his Lord and Savior Dec. 22, 2024, at St. Dominic’s Hospital in Jackson. Clifton, as most people called him, was born in Straight Bayou, Mississippi Jan. 11, 1941, to Grover Clifton and Grace McDuff Porter.
When Clifton was five years old, he and his family moved to Valley Park where he grew up working with his family on the farm. The sudden death of his father when Clifton was just 14 years old had a profound impact on his life.
Clifton attended Cary School, and while there played basketball, football, and baseball and was a member of the 4-H Club. After graduating from Cary School in 1958, Clifton went to Mississippi State for a semester and then transferred to Hinds Junior College so that he would be closer to his home in Valley Park and could be around more to help on the farm. After a semester at Hinds, Clifton felt that he needed to go home and work with his mother and younger sisters on the farm and help take care of them. They were a very close-knit family and they all worked very hard to hold onto what they had.
Clifton married his sweetheart Hope Braxton in 1963. They were married for 61 years and had three daughters, Lisa Ann Porter Scott, Leslie Jane Porter Chisholm, and Lara Jan Porter Hill. After the flood of 1973, the family moved to Fitler, Mississippi, where Clifton and Hope built their home and their farm and raised their three girls. Clifton had a great love of farming and working the land. He continued to farm his land in Fitler and Valley Park, and his family’s land in Valley Park, until his retirement in 2010. Due to declining health and the need to be closer to their doctors, Clifton and Hope moved to Madison in 2018.
Clifton was a faithful member of First Baptist Church of Rolling Fork until his declining health prevented him from attending. While there, he served many years as deacon and eventually as a Lifetime Deacon, was Sunday school superintendent, and assistant teacher of the men’s Sunday school class. He previously served as moderator of the Sharkey-Issaquena Baptist Association and was a former member of the Mississippi Baptist Christian Action Commission, where he received the Trustee Service Award.
Clifton was president of Wade Farms, Inc., president of South Delta Enterprises, Inc., stockholder in the Valley Park Elevator, and stockholder in and on the board of directors of Associated Producer’s Gin. He was a member of Delta Council, where he previously served on the board of directors, and as vice president, vice-chairman of the Delta Council Soybean Committee, Delta Council Membership Chairman for Issaquena County, and on the board of directors for the Delta Council Economic Development Department. He received the Delta Council Excellence Award in 2002 and the Delta Council Achievement Award for Outstanding Membership Chairman in 2005 and 2013.
Clifton was previous vice-chairman of the South Delta Flood Control Committee, where he spent countless hours working to try to help get the pumps approved for the South Delta. He was also instrumental in helping to get the Valley Park water system started. Clifton was past president of the board of directors of the Betty Newman Residential Center and served on the Sharkey-Issaquena Academy Board of Directors.
Clifton was a member of the Issaquena County Farm Bureau, where he served as president from 1969-1982 and was on the board of directors of the Mississippi Farm Bureau Federation. He was chairman of the Issaquena County Farm Bureau Cotton Committee and served on the Mississippi Farm Bureau Young Farmers Executive Committee and the Mississippi Farm Bureau Young Farmers Committee. Clifton was a member of Delta Wildlife, the Mississippi Soybean Association, the Mississippi Soybean Promotion Board, the Mississippi Marketing Council, and Issaquena County Port Commission. He received the Issaquena County Farm Bureau President’s Award in 1982 and Conservation Farmer of the Year for Issaquena County in 1987. He was also honored in 1983 with a concurrent resolution by the Mississippi House and Senate for his achievements and service to the agricultural profession in Mississippi.
In his life, Clifton always tried to put God first, serving his Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. He strived hard to make this life a better place for all to live. One of his goals in life was to leave anything that he did or was a part of better than it was when he began – and that’s what he did!
Clifton loved Jesus and lived his faith every day. Given the chance, he would witness to all he encountered. He was sure to ask if that person knew Jesus as their Lord and Savior. If could be someone who stopped by the farm – a worker, salesman, ambulance driver, nurse, doctor, therapist – he was going to ask no matter who and no matter the circumstance. Even in his last months on this earth, he witnessed to others every opportunity he was given.
Clifton was a loving and caring husband, father, papaw, papa, uncle, and brother. He cherished his family and worked so hard to provide for them. He loved telling stories of his youth, especially from his high school and college days, always with a twinkle in his eye. Clifton also enjoyed playing games (he was an “expert” Rook and dominoes player) and watching Mississippi State sports. Clifton was a man of true integrity and always stood firm in his beliefs. He was a wonderful role model for his children and family, helping to instill a strong work ethic and teaching them and leading them in the way of the Heavenly Father.
Along with his wife, Hope, and daughters, Lisa Porter Scott (Randy), Leslie Porter Chisholm (Wayne), and Lara Porter Hill (Tri), Clifton is survived by his grandchildren, Joshua Walter Hill, Kristen Holcomb Weaver (John), Juliana Hope Scott, Ryan Scott, Rachel Scott Morgan (John), Chasidy Scott Theunissen, (Jeremy), Logan Chisholm, Jamie Chisholm, Mary Chisholm; and nine great-grandchildren, Emory Weaver, Luke Weaver, Mason Hastings, Ella Morgan, John Patrick Morgan, Mark Henry Morgan, Mary Michael Theunissen, Ava Grace Theunissen, and Eli Scott Theunissen. He is also survived by two sisters, Eloise Porter Graham and Peggy Porter Holliday (Sanford), along with several nieces and nephews.
Funeral services were held Saturday, Jan. 11, at First Baptist Church of Rolling Fork. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to First Baptist Church of Rolling Fork, 205 South 2nd St., Rolling Fork, MS, 39159; Son Flower Church, P.O. Box 428, Anguilla, MS, 38721; or in Clifton’s name to a charity of your choosing.