Former Dispatch writer Porch dies at 83

Tom Porch, who wrote about the outdoors for nearly 15 years as a Dispatch reporter in the Sports department, died on Saturday at age 83.

A native of Pittsburgh who grew up in Philadelphia, Porch came to The Dispatch in April 1983 from the defunct Philadelphia Bulletin. He retired in March 1998.

“He was one of the rare people in that his vocation was his avocation,” said his longtime partner Cathy Elkins. “He got to write about what he enjoyed — hunting and fishing.”

Elkins said Porch had struggled in recent years with Parkinson’s disease. Besides Elkins, Porch is survived by two sons, James and Randy.