Sonny James Porter

Sonny James Porter, 50, of Shelley, passed away on July 4, 2018, at home from complications after surgery.

Sonny was born on July 15, 1967 in Kalamazoo, Michigan to Eveon Porter and Rick Sihey (Sea-hi) and was the oldest of 5 siblings. He spent most of his childhood in Kalamazoo and was always a little smooth-talking salesman. He did many odd jobs as a kid, selling candy and as a baker’s assistant, to help his mother financially. Sonny attended Plainwell High School until halfway through 10th grade when he decided that supporting his family was more important than education and dropped out, a decision he later regretted and was working towards getting a G.E.D.

He spent 13 years with his girlfriend, Laura Hughes (Replogle) and had 2 children with her. He held many different jobs during that time: landscaper, working in a junk yard, farmhand, cab driver, and unbeknownst to his family, he worked as a Chippendale dancer. After his relationship with Laura ended, he left Michigan and ended up in Sandusky, Ohio where he worked as a roller coaster operator at Cedar Point Amusement Park. He moved to Reseda, California with a co-worker he was dating and was there for a few months when he decided to move to Idaho after experiencing his first earthquake. He had lived in Idaho Falls years ago when he was with Laura and had always liked the area.

Sonny was working as a bartender at Chic’s Lounge when he met Nicole Heald Olmsted in August 2000, married on November 3, 2000, and lived happily for the next 17 ½ years.

Sonny loved to work and was a “Jack-of-all-trades.” He worked as a cosmetic production line operator, fast food cook, restaurant janitor, gas station attendant, and was a Walmart cashier for the last 3 years, a position he dearly loved.

When he wasn’t working, Sonny loved to play World of Warcraft, watch WWE wrestling, shoot pool at the bar, karaoke, watch his favorite movie “Young Frankenstein,” and listen to artists like Josh Turner and Alice Cooper. He loved telling jokes and playing pranks, anything to make you smile.

Sonny is survived by his wife, Nicole; his mother, Eveon of Kalamazoo, MI; 2 brothers – Russell (Rebecca) Wolverton of Portage, MI and Jason Wolverton of Kalamazoo, MI; 2 sisters – Dani-Elizabeth Wolverton-Topham of Kalamazoo, MI and Michelle DeLeeuw of Vicksberg, MI; 2 children – Katherine (Jeff) Persons and Derick Porter, both of Kalamazoo, MI; 3 step-children – Douglas (Taylor) Olmsted of Huber Heights, OH, Jason Olmsted and Emily (Dustin) Hyde, both of Shelley, ID; 4 grandchildren, and several nieces, nephews, aunts, uncles and cousins.

Funeral services will be 11:00 A.M. Thursday, July 12, 2018 at the Shelley First Ward Chapel (184 N Park). The family will meet with friends Wednesday evening from 6:00 till 7:30 P.M. at Nalder Funeral Home (110 West Oak) in Shelley and Thursday 9:30 till 10:40 a.m. at the church. Burial will be in the Shelley Hillcrest Cemetery and a luncheon will follow.