Artist Porter dies at age 86

Jace Radke

Friday, April 20, 2001 | 10:45 a.m.

Whether it was fashioning the neon signs that lit up the Las Vegas Strip or running advertising agencies, Dick Porter was known as a talented artist who was always willing to do a favor.

Porter put his artistic talents to use at the Las Vegas Sun, occasionally supplying editorial cartoons through the years, and always bringing his outgoing nature, said Ruthie Deskin, assistant to the publisher of the Sun.

"He was one of those salt of the earth kind of people," Deskin said. "He never achieved fame, but spent his life helping people."

Porter, 86, died Monday in a Las Vegas hospital after a long battle with complications from a stroke.

Porter was born on Dec. 25, 1914 in Gueda Springs, Kansas, and came to Las Vegas after serving in World War II as a warrant officer in the Royal Canadian Navy, Porter's wife, June, said.

Porter designed neon signs, including the first sign for the original Golden Nugget hotel-casino, and his designs were also used in the sign for the Thunderbird.

Later he ran two ad agencies, including one that published Sun publisher Hank Greenspun's first magazine, June Porter said. Later Porter worked as a sportscaster for KLAS Channel 8 when it was owned by Greenspun.

Porter is survived by his wife June; son Rick Porter; daughter Patti Bailey; one grandchild and two great grandchildren.

Services will be held Saturday at 10:30 a.m. at Affordable Cremation & Burial Service, 2457 N. Decatur Blvd.