Dr. Cleveland Howard Porter, Jr. of Lynchburg passed away on March 7, 2025. Born in the hospital in Roanoke, Virginia on 16 January 1937 and the nurses gave him the nickname "Sonny" which he went by for years.

Son of Cleveland Howard Porter, Sr. and Ina Mae Carrico Porter, he grew up in the Stevens Creek community in Grayson County, Virginia. He started school in the Stevens Creek Elementary school ~ four-room school on the Carrico Homestead where he attended 1st through 4th grades, followed by Fries Middle and High School.

Enrolled in the College of William & Mary in 1955, he had an academic scholarship and graduated in 1959 with a Bachelor of Science degree. He was a Dean's List student and was a member of the Kappa Alpha fraternity. After graduation from William & Mary, he went to the Medical College of Virginia School of Dentistry in Richmond, VA and graduated with a Doctor of Dental Surgery degree. He received one of two National Institute of Health Research Fellowships in the third and fourth years of dental school and was initiated as an active member in the Sigma Zeta National onorary Science Society.

After dental school, he joined the United States Air Force with the rank of Captain and received one of twelve internships. He was stationed at Wilford Hall Military Hospital in San Antonio, TX.

After completion of the rotating internship in one year, he was assigned to the Air Force Defense Command Radar Squadron; one in Requa, CA, one in Red Bluff, CA and one in North Bend, OR on the pacific coast where he was the dental surgeon for two years.

While in the Air Force, he married Barbara Pace, Registered Dental Hygienist, from Richmond, VA. After completion of military service, they moved to Lynchburg, VA and started a dental practice. Barbara was a wonderful wife and if it had not been for her help and guidance, he would never have been able to maintain a dental practice.

They were blessed with two wonderful daughters, Carrico Fox Porter O'Harrah and husband Ted of Arlington, VA; Candice Pace Porter Anderson and husband Dan of Midlothian, VA and four special grandchildren ~ Hayley Frances O'Harrah, James Edward O'Harrah III, Kathryn Carrico O'Harrah and Porter Daniel Anderson.

It soon became apparent to him that the dental profession was the only profession in the area which did not have a school to train assistants. With the help and guidance from the Virginia Department of Health and with the help of Bob Dozier, a member of the Lynchburg City Schools, they were able to help start the Dental Careers Class at E C Glass and Heritage High Schools.

With financial help from the Lynchburg City School Board and the Lynchburg Dental Society, they were able to remodel a classroom at E C Glass, buy dental equipment and necessary supplies to start the class. There have been over three hundred students who completed the two-year class with externships in dental offices, and many have gone on to college. Of the things he had done in the dental profession, the Dental Career Class is the thing of which he is most proud.

While in active dental practice, he was elected to the Fellowship in the Virginia Dental Association, Inc., Fellowship in the International College of Dentistry, Fellowship in the American College of Dentistry and Fellow of the Pierre Fauchard Academy of the International Honor Dental Organization. He was most pleased with the election as a Fellow in the Lynchburg Dental Society by the members of his own society.

He had a white pine timber farm on the Carrico Homestead which needed a manager. He decided to sell the dental practice and with the help of a great Consulting Forester, Tyler Blount, he was able to manage the farm. He was also grateful for the help of Roger Lineberry and Daniel Lineberry.

There will be a graveside service in the Carrico Cemetery on March 22. The service will be conducted by Tyler Blount, an ordained Presbyterian Minister.

Contributions in his memory may be made, if so desired, to the Stevens Creek Church, 1424 Stevens Creek Rd, Fries, VA 24330; Peakland UMC, 4434 Boonsboro Rd, Lynchburg, VA 24503; or to Dental Careers, E C Glass HS, 211 Memorial Ave, Lynchburg, VA 24501.