Joseph Ashby Porter
Dec 17, 2019
Joseph Ashby Porter, 77, died Friday, Dec. 13, 2019, in Durham, North Carolina. He was
born in Hopkins County on July 21, 1942, son of Lawrence and Margaret Porter, who
proceeded him in death.
Joe grew up in Madisonville, graduating from MHS in 1960, with many academic awards.
His B.A. was from Harvard University, 1964; masters, Pembroke College, Oxford
University, 1965; University of California, Berkeley, Ph.D., 1973. After teaching at several
universities, Joe became a member of Duke University's English Department in 1980. At
the time of his death, he held the title of Professor Emeritus of English and of Theater
Studies.
Joe produced many academic published works including The Drama of Speech Acts,
Shakespeare's "Mercutio," his edited Critical Essays of Shakespeare's "Romeo and Juliet,"
and eight co-edited volumes of Renaissance Papers.
Fiction writer Joe's books included novels "Eelgrass," "Resident Aliens" and "The Near
Future," and the collections "The Kentucky Stories," "Lithuania: Short Stories," Touch
Wood: Short Stories, and "All Aboard: Stories." His awards include two NEA Creative
Writing Fellowships and a 2004 Academy Award in Literature from the American Academy
of Arts and Literature with the commendation "No writer of his gifted generation has shown
greater daring or has earned higher praise."
Joe is survived by his spouse of 50 years, Ives Porter; a brother, Dan (Rita) Porter, of
Lewisburg; a niece, Rebecca (Denis) Wright; a nephew, Lawrence (Andrea) Porter; and
two grandnieces, all from Russellville; a cousin, Ann Ray Martin (Joel) Gora, of New York
City, who was more like a sister to him. Others mourning his passing is his stepmother,
Nana Valentine, of Madisonville, who helped raised Joe through much of his youth; and
stepbrothers Steve (Diane) Palmer, of Madisonville, and David Palmer, of Bowling Green.  
The family's desire is that his many writing achievements should serve as a celebration of
his life in lieu of a funeral service.

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