Tributes are paid to choir founder Brian Porter
Tributes were today being paid to a former teacher and choir founder member who has died at the age of 81. Brian Porter sang with Cradley Heath's Voices in Harmony.
He had been with them since they were founded in 1997 and was today described as "caring, loving and loyal" by relatives and friends. Mr Porter, of Halesowen, had taken part in the choir's first public event.
This was a performance of Handel's Messiah in West Bromwich Town Hall with the Sandwell Youth Orchestra during the same year.
He had vowed to continue performing with the choir for as long as he could but the rehearsal following the Festival of Remembrance in November was his final one as he was taken ill shortly afterwards.
During his working life Mr Porter was a teacher and held posts at Woodgate Primary and Woodcock Hill Primary Schools, both in Bartley Green, Birmingham.
Among his hobbies was ballroom, country and line dancing and he attended sessions every week with his wife of 58 years, Lorna.
He was also a keen rambler and would go for a three to five-mile walk every Monday with a group of walkers.
Mr Porter leaves a wife, Lorna, son Kevin and three grandchildren.
Paying tribute to her husband, Mrs Porter said: "He was a caring and loving husband, father and grandfather."
Choir Musical Director Stephen Bradley said "Brian loved to sing and he had been a loyal member for all the choir's 16 years and will be sorely missed."
Members of Voices in Harmony choir, which has around 70 members, sang 'Abide with Me' at his funeral, which was held at Stourbridge Crematorium.
Family and friends attending the funeral made donations to The Heart Foundation, Cancer Research UK and The Foundation for Sudden Infant Deaths.
