Lt. Col. Albert M.P. Porter, Jr., 82, of Dartmouth died Tuesday September 20, 2016 after a brief illness. He was the son of the late Albert M.P. and Annie M. (Goldrick) Porter.

He was the retired Assistant Principal at Dartmouth High School. He served the Dartmouth School System for 39 years as a teacher, track and cross country coach, guidance counselor and administrator.

Lt. Col. Porter served 28 years in the United States Army Reserve in a multitude of command and staff positions.

He graduated from New Bedford Vocational High School. While at the New Bedford school, he was an All American miler, finishing third, fourth, and second in the mile at the National Championship at Madison Square Garden his sophomore, junior, and senior years respectively. He was also the Massachusetts State Champion in the mile and the 880 yard run. He won the New England 880 championship in 1952 as well as the class B cross country title that same year.

Mr. Porter attended the University of Notre Dame on a track scholarship, winning monograms his sophomore, junior and senior years. He was a member of the Notre Dame Monogram Club. After receiving his Bachelor’s degree in 1957, he received a Master’s degree in secondary education administration from Bridgewater State College.

He has been inducted into the Greater New Bedford Regional Vocational Technical School Hall of Fame, the Dartmouth High School Hall of Fame, the State Track Coaches Hall of Fame, and received career achievement honors from GNBRVT.

Albert also graduated from the Industrial College of the Armed Forces, the Army Command and Staff College, as well as the Air War College. He is a perpetual member of the Military Order of the World Wars and has served as Commander of the New Bedford Chapter three times and as a Region 1 New England Commander. He is also a member and president of the Retired Officer’s Association Southern New England Chapter, a lifetime member of the Reserve Officer’s Association, The National Rifle Association, the Army Engineers Association, and the Armor Association.

His other memberships include the Board of Directors for the Greater New Bedford Voc Tech Alumni Association, the American Legion Post 1 New Bedford, The Friendly Sons of St. Patrick, where he served as President in 1976, the Massachusetts State Track Coaches Association Board of Directors, and the Massachusetts State Track and Field Officials Association. He also served as a selector on both the Dartmouth High School and GNBRVT Athletic Hall of Fame Committees as well as a member of the Wamsutta Club Men’s Luncheon Club, where he enjoyed many Wednesday afternoon and evening gatherings.

While a track coach at Dartmouth High School, his teams won nine State Class Titles and his athletes won 37 State Class and New England Titles. In 2006, the Dartmouth High School outdoor facility was named in his honor. Since his retirement, Mr. Porter has served as an official at track meets both locally and across the state.

Albert is survived by his two sons, A.M. Patrick Porter, III and his wife Jill of Natick, and Jeremy M. Porter and his wife Suzanne of North Andover, and his only daughter, Jane E. Rousseau and her husband Glenn of Lakeville. He was also the father of the late Timothy Justin Porter, beside whom he will be laid to rest.

He was the beloved Grampy to his nine grandchildren, Morgan Ann Rousseau, Collin Rousseau, Liam Porter, Patrick Porter, Atticus Porter, Portia Porter, Jackson Porter, Harrison Porter, and Katherine Foster.

He leaves behind his fiancée, best friend, and constant companion, Ann Santacroce of Harwich with whom he enjoyed over 20 years of travel and adventure, creating lifelong friendships, and sharing many milestones within their respective families.

Albert is also survived by his two brothers, James Porter of Fall River and John Porter of Shelton, Connecticut; his aunt Ethel Chase of East Providence, Rhode Island; two nieces; two nephews; and many cousins and extended family members.

For the last eight years Mr. Porter has been the proud “Daddy” of his beloved Irish Wolf Hound, Cuchulain-Na-Muirthemne, better known as “Coo-Coo” and the two have been seen regularly together marching in multiple parades annually, both locally and across the state. Al and his dog were familiar faces throughout the city and in their Dartmouth neighborhood. Rarely was Mr. Porter seen out and about without his dog.

The Porter family wishes to extend their most sincere gratitude to the nurses, doctors, and entire staff at the Southcoast Center for Cancer Care in Fairhaven. The exceptional love, humor, comfort, and care shown to Albert throughout the last few months will always be remembered and we his family are eternally grateful.

His funeral will be held on Monday, September 26 at 9 a.m. from the Saunders-Dwyer Home for Funerals, 495 Park St., New Bedford, followed by his funeral mass at St. Julie Billiart Church at 10 a.m. Burial with full military honors will follow at the Massachusetts National Cemetery in Bourne. Visiting hours will be on Sunday, September 25, 2-7 p.m.

In lieu of flowers, remembrances may be made to either Friendly Sons of St. Patrick Scholarship Fund, P.O. Box 4021, New Bedford, MA 02740 or GNBRVTHS Alumni Association Scholarship Fund, Attn: Maria Fredette, 1121 Ashley Blvd., New Bedford, MA 02745. For directions and guestbook, please visit www.saundersdwyer.com.