Ory Garard Poret was born on 20 April 1919 in Mansura, Avoyelles Parish, Louisiana. He enlisted in the United States Army on 7 January 1942, reporting for active duty on 13 January 1942. During World War II, he served in the Pacific Theater: Philippine Islands, New Guinea, Papua, Southern Philippines, etc. He was honorably discharged on 12 September 1945. Poret attended Southwestern Louisiana Institute (now University of Louisiana at Lafayette) from 1946 to 1947, earning a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration. While at SLI, he served as reporter for the Sigma Alpha Sigma fraternity. He was married to Sarah Becker Poret for 48 years. They had one son, John Garret Poret.

Poret lived most of his life in Baton Rouge. A forty-year state career employee, he retired in 1980 as Director of the State Land Office. He was active in civic and veteran affairs. He published two books on family genealogy and numerous articles on the history of land titles in Louisiana. He passed away on 25 April 2014 at the age of 95 and is buried in Green Oaks Memorial Park in Baton Rouge, LA.