Ernest David Porshia
July 20, 1930 ~ June 30, 2006
Resided in:
Asheville, NC
Ernest David Porshia, 75, of 243 Emma Road, Asheville, died Friday, June 30, 2006, at St. Joseph Hospital.
A native of Madison County, he was a son of the late Hershel O. and Maude Hensley Porshia. He was also preceded in death by two brothers, Don Porche and Glenn Porche.
A graduate of Mars Hill High School, Mr. Porshia was affiliated with WWNC Farm Hour in 1949 and with WEAS in Decatur, GA in 1950. He entered the US Navy in 1951 and served in Korea. Following his return he attended Blantons Business College and Winston Salem Barber College. He worked for Westgate Barber Shop from 1957-1963, opening David’s Barber Shop on Patton Avenue in 1963. In 1986 he moved to Leicester Highway and opened Erwin Hills Barber Shop, retiring in 2004.
Mr. Porshia was a compassionate, humble man who loved his Lord, his church and his family and enjoyed gardening, hunting and fishing. He was a member of West Asheville Masonic Lodge #665. He was baptized in Upper Laurel Baptist Church and was an active member of Westwood Baptist Church where he served as a deacon, choir member and with the church outreach ministry as a Sunday School teacher at Thoms Rehab Hospital.
Survivors include his loving wife of 53 years, Mary Goforth Porshia; three sons and daughters-in-law, Tracy Dana and Lynn Porshia of Asheville, Faron Dale and Karen Porshia of Asheville and David Randy Porshia of Myrtle Beach; sister and brother-in-law, Barbara and Otto Honeycutt of Williamsburg, VA; brother and sister-in-law, Kenneth and Oma Lee Porche of Mars Hill; three grandsons, Landon, Travis and Jared Porshia and one granddaughter, Haley “Sweets” Porshia.
Funeral services will be 11:00 am Monday at Westwood Baptist Church with the Revs. Richard Baird and Carson Moseley officiating. Burial will follow at Upper Laurel Baptist Church Cemetery with military honors provided by Mars Hill VFW Post 5483. Sons and grandsons will serve as pallbearers and his granddaughter will serve as honorary pallbearer.
His family will receive friends from 6:00-8:00 pm Sunday at Westwood Baptist Church and request that memorials be made to Music Ministry of Westwood Baptist Church, 150 Westwood Place, Asheville, NC 28806.
View current weather.
Memories Timeline
Guestbook
Sign the Guestbook, Light a Candle
Mary and son’s;
Even though I’ve only known your family for a short time I would like to express what a inspritation David was in my life.Yall are in my thoughts and prayers as always.May GOD bless and keep you in this time fo need.
Your Brother in Christ
Jerry
Mary and family,
There are so many things I want to say to offer comfort in this difficult time, but somehow the words just won’t come. Please know that you are in my thoughts and prayers. Sorry I can’t be there with you but time and distance prevent that. I can’t help but thinking that heaven’s choir is a little sweeter today and that David and my Dad are singing up a storm.
Love y’all
Cathy
Mary,
I hope you will consider God visited his flower garden, but allow you to keep the fond memories. I first met David at the Westgate shop, followed him to Patton Ave and the Leicester Hwy. He was a dear friend, and we missed him so much when he was forced to retire in 2004. I remember that guitar, his singing along with his son. May the Lord continues to bless the family, and we all know where to meet David again. He loved the Lord, and made it known to all he came in contact with. Our prayers are with you.
I’m very sorry to hear of his passing. He never hesitated to welcome this ‘yankee’ into his home and always was very friendly and gracious to me. I feel very lucky that I was able to see him just recently, in May.
You don’t often meet men who are as genuinely kind as he was. He will be greatly missed.
My deepest symphathy for your lose. Dave was a good friend. He cut my hair for over forty years and always had a good testamony for the Lord. We’ll all miss him but can look forward to seeing him again in Glory. A friend in Christ George Fryar
To Dave’s family I give my sincere condolgencies. Dave is with my Daddy now. He and Dad were good fishing buddies. God bless all of you.
Ed Alexander
To the Porshia Family,
Please accept my condolences for your loss. I remember many years reguarly sitting in David’s barber chair as he cut my hair. Then when we had our own sons, he gave each of them their first haircut, of which we still have photos. Those are fond memories and my prayers are with David’s family.
Dear Mary, Our deepest sympathy to you and your family. David was one of a kind and will be greatly missed by all. He cut my daddy’s hair (Elmer Parham)& my brother-in-law’s (Earl Clark).I didn’t know about David until I read the paper Sunday night when I got home from work(at Aston Park HCC).That is where I first met him when your aunts were there. He was so friendly. You know he is in a much better place than we are. It is very hard to give our loved ones up but we have all our wonderful memories and family and friends to help us. Take care. Love,Debbie Parham
Dear Mary Tom, Randy, Faron, & Tracy,
Peggy & I were deeply saddened to hear of your loss. David Porshia never failed to make me feel welcome in his home and treated me as one of his own. I will never forget the trips to Laurel to visit family. He supported me in DeMolay, and took Randy and me on countless adventures. I loved hearing his rich voice and the sweetness of his guitar on those occasions I was fortunate enough to hear him sing. Yes, he cut my hair a lot…and my dad’s & brothers too!
We will all miss you, David. I rejoice that you are in a better place, and am grateful for the experience of knowing a man whose life was a witness by example.
Danny & Peggy Silvers
My family and I are sorry for your loss.
Dear Porshia family,
We will keep you in our prayers. We love you. If you need anything, please let us know.
Dear Mary and family,
We were so sad to hear about David. He will be greatly missed! We enjoyed hearing him sing. God’s choir has a wonderful addition now! Know that our thoughts and prayers are with you all.
Love to you all,
Charlie & Donna
I will always appreciate the quiet, tender manner of David. David was always so gracious and so caring. When he spoke with you, he was never distracted … you had his full attention, a rare quality in these busy times. He never seemed to be in a hurry. He had time for the most important things in life … like God, family, friends. Those were his priorities. The scripture that comes to my mind when I think of David is 2 Corinthians 2:14-15, which says that God always leads us in triumph in Christ and diffuses the fragrance of His knowledge in every place, and that we are to God the fragrance of Christ among the saved and the perishing. David’s life and witness was a sweet smelling aroma to God, pleasing to Him. His influence will live on through his children, grandchildren, and those lives he encountered on his journey here.
I remember the time that I got a mandolin for Christmas and Mr. David played it for me. I also remember him helping out at my grandfather’s funeral. Mr Porshia was a good man and Karen and I are sorry to know that he is no longer with us. We will continue to pray for the Porshia family in this time of sorrow.
Mary and family. Please know that even though we aren’t with you today in person, we are there with you in
spirit. David was such a kind, soft
spoken, gentleman!!!!
We loved him. Please know our
thoughts are with you during this
difficult time.
Betty Jean
Dear Mary & Family,
My deepest sympathy to you in the loss of David. It has been a long time since I have seen any of the family butI can remember David well at my Aunt Glady and Uncle Elmer’s home. I remember him as a friendly and pleasant man. Faron and Karen, I am so sorry. You will miss him terribly.
Joyce Dover-Evans
I was honored to know David and your whole family for most of my life. David and you all have meant a great deal to me and my family. The many years that we had at Westwood will always be in my heart. David was such a kind,gentle man who deeply loved the Lord and his family. He always had a kind word for everyone that he met. David always made my Christmas special when he sang ‘O Holy Night’ for me. There is no one who could or can sing it like he could. That is one of many great memories that I will carry with me.
Please know that you are all in my thoughts and prayers. Please let me know if I can do anything for any of you. I know that he and my Daddy are singing in that great choir in heaven, and someday we will all be together again.
Love,
Myra
I am sorry to hear about your loss. I always tell people about the beautiful music that David, Faron, and Karen sang in the Easter Drama at Westwood as well as many other times. I am praying for you in this time of need.
Mary & Family,
We were so sorry to hear about David. We were out of town. You and each of your family is in our hearts and prayers. He was a wonderful person. He will be missed.
All our love.
Your Brother & Sister in Christ
Janet & Tony
mary,faron,tracy and randy,
we are really sorry to hear about david he was a great person and was so kind to everyone he will be missed dearly and we are thinking of all of you at this time if you need anything please call us and we will keep you all in our prayers we love you mary
tammy cash,brandon wilson and courtney wilson