William "Porter" Cage

William Porter Cage was born on December 4th in 1995 to Jeff and Karen Cage in Charlotte North Carolina. He was an extremely intelligent and talented child. He had a love of music from a very young age, he was an incredible piano player and later moved to the guitar. He also loved working with computers. He was able to code and create incredible programs at a very young age.

He attended Charter High school in Huntersville NC. His intelligence got him into trouble a few times because he figured out how to get into his schools server and would upload different programs directly into the server. He was also an accomplished swimmer and won multiple state events. He had a good group of friends who got into all kinds of trouble together. From skipping school, to taking apart fireworks, their imagination was endless, and sometimes they even scared themselves with their ingenuity and imagination.

Porter spent his summers in Torch Lake Michigan. This has always been his happy place. His love of swimming took him on many adventures with his close friends Brian and Dillon. Brian was very important to Porter. Their first memories are of being together, and it was a running joke that they shared a brain, as they were so sync with each other.

After Porter graduated high school he spent the summer of 2014 with Brian and Dillon at Torch Lake. Between boating, swimming, and just enjoying life this was one of the happiest summers of his life. That winter Brian and Dillon moved to Big Sky Montana. Porter soon after moved there and worked as a bellhop for the 2014-2015 season. He learned how to snowboard, and took to it so quickly. He was incredible at picking up new things, and his drive and focus took him to incredible heights.

After his time in Montana he moved home to North Carolina. However something pulled him back west. He moved to Jackson Wyoming and worked as a lift operator at Snow King resort. His ambition was boundless, and very soon he was running the entire chairlift operation. That winter, because of him, Snow King had one of their most profitable years on record. His mentor Scott Tuttle taught him so much about managing, and he learned many important life lessons.

After working at Snow King he was unsure of where to go next. At the same time his wife Lila Cage was finishing a winter season at Grand Targhee. That summer neither of them had planned on returning to Wyoming, however they were both pulled there to work at Grand Targhee for the summer season. He always said he had to travel 2000 miles to find the love of his life.

When Porter pulled up for the first day of training, he was driving on two donuts, and had no idea what he was doing back in the Tetons. He saw a white Subaru covered in skiing stickers, and caught a glimpse of a blonde beautiful girl heading into the same building. He thought that there was no way she was heading to the lift ops training. But when he entered the room he saw her sitting in there with the rest of the scruffy crew of guys.

When Porter and Lila looked at each other the first time, they both knew that they were going to be life changing for each other. During the training on how to unload a stalled lift, Porter saw Lila looking uncertain and told her she was coming up on the lift with him. She ended up repelling him down, and that’s when their path together started.

It was what you might call a whirlwind romance. They met on July 14th, and by July 23 they were officially together. They never questioned each other’s love for each other, the first time they said ‘I Love You’ they both experienced a feeling unlike anything before. From then on they were never apart. They worked together, hiked together, and their love for each other grew every day.

On November 10th 2016 Porter proposed to ‘his Lizzy’ in one of the ski patrol shacks on the side of Grand Targhee. The answer was a resounding Yes. On February 10th of 2017 they were married in Rexburg Idaho. That winter they spent working at Targhee, skiing and snowboarding together, and navigating their new marriage. Both Porter and Lizzy loved each other with incredible passion, they were committed to someday having children, and growing old together.

In June of 2019 Lila and Porter moved to Pocatello Idaho so Lila could finish school. While here they have grown stronger in their relationship, and during some tremendous trials, they came to God together. They were baptized together at the same time, an incredible example of the bond they had together. Faith Lutheran Church and the people there have been pivotal for both of them. Porter loved playing his guitar with the church band. His incredible gift with music blessed him, Lila, and so many others. Through their growing relationship with God, their love for each other only continued to grow. Porter had an incredible ability to remember scripture, and always had the perfect verse for every situation. They planned to move so he could begin school to become a pastor.

Porter faced a lifelong struggle with addiction. He also was tormented by mental illness, and this we believe contributed to his actions the night he took his life. He was always very open about his struggle with addiction, but hid his pain too well. He was so generous to others, and every person he came in contact with was touched by his incredible spirit. Through him many lives have been changed for the better.

Porter was preceded in death by his nana, Patsy Cage, and Grandma, Peggy West. He has also lost many friends to addiction, including his extremely close friends Sean and Nick Kasper who he called his brothers.

He is survived by his wife Elizabeth (Lila) Cage. His parents Jeff Cage and Karen Cage, and his siblings, Karson, Keaton, and Briggs. As well as his Grandpa Russ West, and Papa George Cage. William Porter Cage will be sorely missed. This loss leaves a hole in many people’s hearts.

A memorial service will be held at 3:00 PM on Monday, October 25, 2021, at Faith Lutheran Church, 856 W Eldredge Rd, Pocatello, ID 83201.

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