Morris Irwin Portin

Morris was born March 7, 1920, to Felix and Ellen Portin in a Swedish farming community near Ridgefield, Washington known as “Pioneer”. Morris was the fourth of seven children: Elsie Baker, Glen, Henry, Arnold, Vernon, and Lloyd. At 101 years old Morris was the last Portin from the era known as, The Greatest Generation.

As a young boy Morris’s farmhouse had no indoor plumbing or electricity, and he walked a mile every day to attend his two-room schoolhouse. Both before and after school farm life included feeding and cleaning up after chickens, pigs, and horses, milking cows, and tending to oat grain and hay fields. His afternoon reward was swimming in the nearby Lewis River with his brothers, followed by some fresh apple or berry pie back home. Besides swimming, Morris enjoyed playing baseball and the clarinet.

Morris graduated from Ridgefield High School in 1939 then took a job at Padden’s Golden West Guernsey Dairy milking cows and delivering milk to save money to attend Edison Vocational School in Seattle. He studied Radio theory and repair then worked for the William C Hamilton Company repairing specialized electrical equipment. Shortly after the US entered WWII Morris and two friends enlisted in the Army Air Corps studying Ultra-high frequency theory and Radar equipment at several colleges including Stanford University. Morris was deployed in 1944 with the 565th Signal Aircraft Warning Battalion as a Radar Specialist to New Guinea in preparation for the invasion of Japan. He soon went on Detached Service with the Armed Forces Radio and served on the nearby island of Biak, where he operated radio station WVTG, and the Philippines. After the war ended, he worked at radio station WLKB in Niigata, Japan, rebroadcasting programming received from San Francisco to troops in the area.

When Morris returned to the US, he attended the Portland Foursquare Church where he met and married Marie Radmacher in 1947. Morris bought Marie a pair of wooden snow skis as an engagement present and for several years they enjoyed skiing on the Glade and Alpine trails between Timberline and Government Camp on Mt Hood. As they started their family, they soon bought a two-bedroom home in the west Portland Hillsdale neighborhood then moved to a larger home in the Gresham area in 1957 when they were expecting their fifth child. They were married 65 years until Marie passed in 2012.

Growing up on a family farm Morris was adept at working independently and using whatever resources were at hand to learn, repair, or build anything that was needed. So, as he became interested in photography, he saw the opportunity to become a business owner and soon owned Gateway Portrait Studio. He worked many years “shooting” portraits, school photos, weddings, church directories, and doing what he liked most… being with people. He took a second job operating the backstretch camera at Portland Meadows and eventually owned Race Track Photo Service; where he provided photo finish, in-house TV, and security camera services at Portland Meadows, Multnomah Kennel Club, the Oregon State Fair, and various county fairs for many years.

Photography suited “Morrie” well because he could always bring a smile to someone’s face. Besides being a smart man and a tireless worker, he saw the best in every person and situation he encountered. He was positive, encouraging, friendly, and kind to all. He was genuinely interested in other people. He listened to others and made them feel important. He was also very grateful and generous with all he had.

Even while working two jobs Morris and Marie loved being active and took time for activities together. The family enjoyed snow skiing, camping, and waterskiing regularly. Morris believed in staying active and one of his sayings was “Use it or Lose It”. Even at 88 years old (and blind) he buckled on a life vest, a pair of waterskies, then plunged in the cold water next to the boat ready for a ski!

The family enjoyed many picnics and celebrations with friends and relatives. Blue Lake Park has been the site of many happy memories for family and friends. Church was also a big part of their family life. Living Hope was their church home until their later years when they moved to East Hill Foursquare.

Morris and Marie moved into Gresham Manor Retirement home in 2010 where Morris spent his last 11 years. Even after advanced glaucoma took away his eyesight, he was able to live and eat with friends, and he continued to follow the Portland Trailblazers. He participated in beanbag baseball, exercised regularly, and was able to take the stairs up to the dining room daily. He stayed active, positive, and grateful to the end.

He was preceded in death by his wife, Marie; daughter Toni Burbank; and son, Doug Portin. He is survived by his daughters, Carolyn (Orvil) Tetz and Donna (Bob) Cochran; daughter-in-law Teresa Portin; sons, Dave (Jenne) and Jim (Donna) Portin; numerous grandchildren, great grandchildren, great-great grandchildren, nieces, and nephews.

A memorial service will be held at 1:00 pm, Sunday, Nov 7th, 2021, at Lincoln Memorial Park located at 11801 SE Mt. Scott Blvd, Portland OR.