HOT SPRINGS — Charles Ralph Porter, Jr,

of Hot Springs, passed away on February 22, 2021. Charles was preceded in death by his mother; Shirley Porter; his father, Charles Ralph Porter, Sr.; his son, Rodney Jerome Redmon; and his aunt, Mary Porter.

Charles, (Ralph) was born in Hot Springs to Charles and Shirley Porter on October 15, 1938. He graduated from Langston High School in 1956. Ralph graduated from Lincoln University in Jefferson City, Missouri in 1961. He was a member of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc. since 1963. He served in the US Army. Ralph also played for the 24th Division Army Football team in 1962-1963.

Ralph united in holy matrimony to Jewel Dickerson and they were blessed with two children. He served as an excellent mentor for youth. In 1971-1972 Ralph worked for Boys Scouts of America, and in 1973, Ralph became the Director of the Boys and Girls Club in the Bronx, N.Y.

In the 1990s, Mr. Porter became the President of Mid Bronx Desperados Housing Corporation. He was commended by former President William Clinton for working to improve urban life for inner city people.

In 2005, Ralph and Jewel retired to Hot Springs, Ark., where Ralph continued to work tirelessly for the Hot Springs community.

Charles Ralph Porter is survived by his loving wife, Jewel Dickerson Porter; his sons, Shabazz Dickerson (Dana Andre) of Brooklyn, N.Y., and Sekou Senghor Porter of Atlanta, Ga.; his grandchildren, Julien Porter of Greensboro, N.C., Denzel Ward, Amina Powell Dickerson, Ahmad Powell Dickerson, and Jeremiah Porter, all of Brooklyn, N.Y., and Jaayden Porter of Atlanta, Ga.; and one great-grandson, Camron Porter of Greensboro, N.C.; special cousins, Kenneth Stanley and Vaughn Jordan of Arkansas; brothers-in-law, Jordan Dickerson, Robert Lee Dickerson, Charles Oliver all of Little Rock, Ark., and Major Dickerson (Brandi) of Clinton, Md. sisters-in-law, Erma Dickerson of Little Rock, Ark., and Barbara J. Rawls of Memphis, Tenn., and a host of nephews, nieces, cousins, and friends.

Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m., Wednesday, March 3, 2021, at Roanoke Baptist Church in Hot Springs with Rev. Blackmon officiating. A wake will take place at 10 a.m. on Wednesday, March 3, 2021, at the church. Burial be on Tuesday, March 9, 2021, at the Veteran’s Cemetery in Sherwood, Ark. Arrangements are by Carrigan Memorial Funeral Services, Inc.