Kristine Porter, the matriarch of the family-run Formula Boats, passed away in February 2026, after a brief illness. She was 94.
Kris and her late husband, Victor Porter, built the Decatur, Indiana, company into a household name in the boating community. Though the next generation of the Porter family runs the company, the late couple’s influence is still seen in Formula’s products and marketing.
Kris married Victor in 1950 and their 71-year marriage laid the foundation for a family and business legacy. While her husband became widely known in marine circles for acquiring and building what would become Thunderbird Products and its flagship brand, Formula Boats, Kris worked largely out of the spotlight.
She supported the launch of Vic’s Frozen Food Center and Center Ice Cream, as well as Duo, Inc., Signa Corp., and the 1976 purchase of Formula. Over the years, she contributed to marketing initiatives and managed employee insurance programs, as the company rapidly grew.
Kris was active in helping the Decatur community. A member of Grace First Community Church, she served as a youth fellowship leader, children’s choir director and Bible school coordinator, among other roles. She was active in Psi Iota Xi Sorority, the Order of the Eastern Star and the Adams County Republican Party, and volunteered as a Cub Scout den mother, Girl Scout leader and PTO member.
Together, Vic and Kris established the Porter Family Foundation and the Victor and Kristine Porter Community Enrichment Fund through the Adams County Community Foundation, supporting initiatives that included the formation of Adams Woodcrest and land and funding contributions to Adams Memorial Hospital. The couple were later named Callithumpian Parade Grand Marshals, a nod to their lasting civic impact.
Kris enjoyed summers at Lake Wawasee and winters in Naples, Florida. She found equal pleasure in boating, music, reading, bridge games and watching cardinals from her window. Her passing came when the family was at the Miami International Boat Show.
While it has been years since Kris has been involved in the day-to-day operations of Thunderbird Products, her children have led the family-owned company. Scott Porter presides as Formula’s president, with siblings Grant, Wayne, Jean and Ted filling executive posts in product, sales, marketing and HR. Several grandchildren hold engineering, operations and marketing positions at the company.
She is survived by six children, 17 grandchildren and 27 great-grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her husband, Victor, in 2021, and her sister, Karlann Kelley.
A funeral service was held in late February with Kris laid to rest at Decatur Cemetery.
