Rex E. Porterfield

Rex E. Porterfield, 83, died Tuesday, March 27, 2012. He was born in Martinsburg, WV on January 30, 1929 and was a son of the late William and Elsie Porterfield. Mr. Porterfield graduated from Martinsburg High School in Martinsburg, WV in 1946 and married his wife, the former Wanda Hilker on November 18, 1950. They celebrated 61 years of marriage this past November. From 1952 through 1954, he served with the U. S. Army during the Korean War Conflict where he was stationed in El Paso, TX. He was cleared for top secret duty and worked on the electrical schematics for, at that time, the new NIKE Guided Missile.Mr. Porterfield worked for Standard Lime and Cement Company which became Martin Marietta Corp of Martinsburg, WV from 1946 until 1968. He started in the store room and then advanced to the General Superintendant’s Office Drafting Department. Later he was transferred to Iowa where he was in charge of electrical engineering and eventually became Plant Superintendant. In 1968 he went to work for General Motors in Martinsburg, WV where he worked as an electrician until his retirement in 1990. He was always actively involved in his community. In the 1950’s he was a member of the JAYCEES and won awards for his editorial writings in their paper called Trade Winds. He served as leader of the Junior Achievement Program, and he also served as a scout master with the Boy Scouts of America and was awarded the Order of the Arrow. He was a talented builder and built several homes for the family. Rex enjoyed golfing, fishing, bow hunting, music, and travel.In 1994, Mr. and Mrs. Porterfield moved to North Carolina and joined Burkemont Baptist Church where he taught Sunday School, sang in the Adult and Golden Voices Choirs, was a member of Young at Hearts, and was a Deacon. Before relocating to Morganton, Rex was a Lay Speaker, Lay Leader, and Sunday School teacher in the United Methodist Church.A loving husband, father, father-in-law, grandfather, and uncle, he will be greatly missed by his devoted family who will cherish his memory and legacy of his many accomplishments and talents.Surviving are his wife, Wanda Hilker Porterfield, of the home; his daughter, Rexene Jones and her husband, Dr. E. Bruce Jones, of Drexel; grandsons, Benjamin Jones and his wife, Jessica, Derek Jones, and Garrett Jones all of Charlotte; and several nieces and nephews.In addition to his parents, Mr. Porterfield was preceded in death by a son, Jace Porterfield, and a brother, Victor Porterfield.Funeral services will be held at 2:00 p.m. Saturday, March 31, 2012 at Burkemont Baptist Church with Dr. David Mills and Rev. Eddy Bunton officiating. Military honors will be conducted by the NC National Guard and the Caldwell County Veterans Honor Guard. The family will receive friends at the church on Saturday from 1:00 until 2:00 p.m. In lieu of flowers memorial contributions may be made to Burkemont Baptist Church Building Fund, 4668 Burkemont Rd., Morganton, NC 28655 or to Burke Hospice and Palliative Care, Inc., 1721 Enon Rd., Valdese, NC 28690. Sossoman Funeral Home & Crematory Center is assisting the family.