Lavern Duane "Porky" Secrest

LaVern D. Secrest, known as "Porky" to his many friends and family, was an optimistic and fun loving man with an enthusiasm for life. He cared about people and was understanding and compassionate. He helped others in whatever way he could. His greatest joy, however, was found in his family; he was a devoted son, loving brother, great friend and fun uncle. With his wonderful sense of humor, Porky had a way of putting all the people in his life at ease, making them feel welcome and blessed to be a part of his life. Porky was born during a period of great change in our nation's history. The 1960s marked a shift from the idyllic innocence of the previous decade into a slow burn of social unrest. Protest movements were at the forefront of discussion as more and more U.S. troops headed for Vietnam. Despite the looming problems across the country, Richard William "Dickdoo" Secrest and his wife, LaVerna (Cloud), of Muskegon, Michigan, were focusing on the newest blessing to their family. On May 18, 1962, the couple welcomed the birth of their son, LaVern Duane. He was the second youngest of their eight children: Jean, Richard, Kathy, Robert, Debbie, Wayne, LaVern and Larry. To support their large family, Richard worked as a house painter, while LaVerna was a busy homemaker and mother. At a very young age, LaVern somehow picked up the nickname "Porky" and throughout his life he always introduced himself that way. This must have been when Porky got his great sense of humor, since people usually gave him odd looks when they heard his name and Porky always got a good laugh from it. As a kid, Porky was said to be a real "roughneck", feisty, full of energy and always looking for some fun. That included being a typical little brother to his sisters, teasing them and being annoying at times. Porky learned the value of hard work from his father, and as a teenager, he started doing lawn work for the nearby trailer park to earn extra money. Porky left school after the eleventh grade and went to work in various shops, usually doing some kind of maintenance jobs. Most recently, he was employed at Hackley Hospital for the last three years, working in maintenance; he was very good at fixing things. For Porky, family was the greatest source of happiness in his life. He was especially devoted to his mother, visiting her daily and doing anything in the world for her. In fact, his brother, Wayne, and his wife, Jackie, recalled a time when their mom mentioned she wanted a BBQ sandwich, and Porky walked straightaway to the barbeque place, waited in long lines and walked back, only for his mother to take one bite and say she didn't like it. Wayne said that "anybody else would have been really mad", but Porky never fussed and when she asked for something else, he said "If I go and get it, you're going to eat it, right? " But Porky was this attentive with his whole family. He called his siblings every day during his break and never hesitated a minute to help them if he could. Porky adored his many nieces and nephews, and there was always laughter and fun when Uncle Porky was around. His generous, kindhearted nature overflowed to his friends too. Porky would take in friends and their families if they fell on hard times until they got back on their feet. Porky's own family would ask him "Why are you doing this? " to which he humbly replied, "Oh well, it's only money." His family admired Porky's compassion for others and said, "Porky had a real gift for putting himself in other people's shoes." Although Porky's life was happy, it was also marked with sorrow. He lost his father in January 1999, his brother, Richard, in January 2003, and his brother, Robert, in February 2004. Losing Robert was especially hard for Porky because they were roommates and shared a lot of things together. In his time of sorrow, Porky could always look to his faith for comfort and guidance. Although he wasn't a member at any church, he believed in his Lord and Savior and lived his life accordingly. One of Porky's most defining traits was his wonderful sense of humor, which always had a way of brightening someone's day. Just this last Valentine's Day, Porky, in his ever joking way, left a message for his brother, Wayne, saying, "Hey Wayne, did you buy me a bunch of chocolates?" and then all you'd hear is Porky's adorable laugh in the background. It is for the joy of his laughter, the kindness of his heart and the unconditional love of his family that Porky will be forever remembered. He will be greatly missed. LaVern "Porky" Duane Secrest, age 44, of Muskegon, MI, went to be with his Lord and Savior on Thursday, February 22, 2007. He is survived by his mother, LaVerna Secrest of Muskegon; 3 sisters: Jean (Carl) Baker of Muskegon, Kathy Hulbert of Muskegon, Debbie (Dan Thompson) Fundervurg of Muskegon; 2 brothers: Wayne (Jackie) Secrest of Muskegon, Larry Secrest of Muskegon; 17 nieces and nephews, 19 great nieces and nephews; and many friends that he cherished. He was preceded in death by his father; two brothers: Richard Anthony Secrest and Robert John Secrest, and brother-in-law, Ron E. Hulbert. Services for Porky will be held on Tuesday, February 27, at 1:00 p.m. at Clock Chapel with Rev. Stephen Brower officiating. Interment at Sunrise Memorial Gardens. A time of visitation will be on Monday, February 26, from 2-4 and 6-8 p.m. at Clock Life Story Funeral Home - Muskegon. Memorial contributions may be made to the Muskegon Area Family Association (MAFA), 5368 Austin Road, Twin Lake, MI 49457. Please visit www.lifestorynet.com where you may share a memory of Porky or sign his online registry.