Porter Wharton III

Porter Wharton III passed away peacefully while in hospice on August 29.

Porter is survived by his partner, Wendy Mitchell, his step-daughter, Haley Caroline Fears, his children, Porter Wyatt Wharton, Harper Dee Wharton, his mother Barbara Dee Hardman, his sister and brother in law Sally and Terry Frank, his brother and sister in law Thad and Jennifer Wharton, his brother and sister in law Dr. Greg Hardman and Nancy Hardman, and his sister Julie Reichert. He was born in Elkhart, Indiana in 1950, and attended the University of Colorado Boulder for his undergraduate and graduate degrees.

Porter was an accomplished and talented businessman in Colorado, starting The Wharton Group in the 80's. Over the years, he worked for Vail Resorts, the Denver Broncos, and others. He pioneered the field of governmental relations, a hybrid between political consulting and public relations, and during his career he worked on many high-profile projects across the state including the Colorado Convention Center, Denver International Airport, Coors Field, and Sports Authority Field at Mile High. Porter's drive was second to none and he was most energized when facing a seemingly insurmountable challenge; but, he truly cared about and was incredibly dedicated to his clients.

Porter had a brilliant mind and a dry sense of humor that when combined, could captivate an audience for hours. He traveled the world and always had a story to tell from his adventures. An avid skier, Porter loved spending time in Vail, Colorado enjoying the beauty of the Rocky Mountains with his family. He had a larger than life presence that will be missed by all who knew him.

Per Porter's wishes, the family will hold private services only.

Porter's family asks that in lieu of flowers, contributions be made to either The Medical Center of Aurora or UCHealth University of Colorado Hospital at the links below. They are incredibly grateful for the outstanding care Porter received at both facilities over the last year and would greatly appreciate your contributions in his memory.

The Medical Center of Aurora and HCA
Please make contributions to the HCA Hope Fund to help HCA employees and their immediate families who are affected by financial hardship. This includes disaster, extended illness/injury, domestic violence, death of a loved one, and other special situations.

Non-Employee Donation

UCHealth University of Colorado Hospital
Please make contributions to the UCHealth University of Colorado Hospital, a not-for-profit organization that depends on donations from individuals, families, corporations, and foundations to ensure its continued excellence in patient care, education for health care professionals and research.

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