Norman S. Portenoy, 93, a resident of Chatham and Washington, D.C., died peacefully at his Cape Cod home on Saturday, October 27. At the time of his death, he was a senior officer and a director with The Max and Victoria Dreyfus Foundation, a private national charitable foundation with which he and his wife, Winifred Riggs Portenoy, had been involved since its inception in 1965.
Over a career spanning eight decades, he was equally at home in the board room, on the tennis court, and at the controls of military aircraft, flying high-ranking dignitaries and crucial documents around the globe.
Born in New York City, Portenoy moved with his family to England at an early age. He attended the University of London, the U.S. Air Command and Staff College, the Royal Air Force School of Land and Air Warfare, and the University of Oslo. He returned to New York in 1940 to enlist in the U.S. Army Air Corps as an aviation cadet, beginning a 27-year Air Force career.
After pilot training, he was selected for special flight training with commercial airlines, and at the height of WWII was assigned to the Special Missions Squadron out of Washington, D.C., quickly advancing from pilot to aircraft commander to chief operations officer. With duty flying high-ranking dignitaries and senior government officials, his missions included many that helped shape history, among them both the Yalta and Potsdam Conferences. He later piloted the airplane known as Air Force Two.
In a 1945 mission, he landed the first allied aircraft in Berlin for the signing of the cease fire. Shortly thereafter, he piloted an historic flight from Moscow to Washington, which established a speed record not broken until well into the jet age. Onboard were files and documents which needed to be kept out of the hands of Stalin's forces. Portenoy's four-engine C-54 Skymaster made the flight in a remarkable 35 hours, 35 minutes.
In subsequent duty, he was named Commander of the 9th Troop Carrier Squadron and Deputy Air Base Group Commander in Korea, supervising five squadrons. Succeeding assignments included: Director of Inspection, later Acting Inspector General, 14th Air Force; oversight of Reserve Forces flight training and methods with the Continental Air Command; and Deputy Chief, Plans Branch, of Allied Air Forces Northern Europe (NATO) in Oslo.
In 1962, he began a three-year tour of duty as Chief of the Staff Secretariat, Air Force Systems Command, Electronic Systems Division -- an assignment which fueled both his interest and expertise in the groundbreaking field of electronic communications. After a final Air Force assignment as an Executive Officer at the Pentagon, Portenoy turned his attention to that fast-growing industry. Over the next two decades, he explored new ventures as principal in a group of companies with interests in design, integration, and operation of large computer systems and data networks, and the development of applications for computer based graphics technologies.
A strong believer in hands-on community service, he put his considerable strategic planning skills to great use, helping to formulate the missions and guide the operations of many now-thriving non-profit organizations in the National Capital area. He also served on boards of directors and advisory councils for a number of respected non-profit organizations, including the National Public Radio Foundation, WETA (Washington's Public Television station), The Helen Hayes Awards, Washington Tennis Foundation, and Washington National Cathedral. He chaired the Board of Trustees of Mount Vernon College of The George Washington University, which in 1989 conferred on him the degree of Doctor of Humane Letters.
On the Cape, he served on the Chatham Historical Society's Board of Overseers. And from 1960s until his death, he was an active member of the Chatham Beach and Tennis Club, where he was an avid and accomplished tennis player with a wicked backhand until well into his 80s.
Lt. Col. Portenoy is survived by his wife of 66 years, Winifred Riggs Portenoy; daughter Polly Surrey of Washington, D.C.; grandchildren Sara Surrey of New York City, Krista Kubiak Crotty (Jeff) of Spokane, Riggs Kubiak (Ashley Lane) of New York City, and Garrett Kubiak (Andrew Benson) of Seattle; great-grandsons Malachi, Saurin, and Jonah Crotty of Spokane; and nephews James and Jon Rhodes of Marbella, Spain. He also leaves behind his devoted caregiver, Yaw Sarfo, and many close friends. He was preceded in death by a daughter, Winifred Portenoy Kubiak, and a sister, Eleanor Rhodes.
Lt. Col. Portenoy's ashes will be interred at Arlington National Cemetery, in a ceremony with military honors, at a later date.
Contributions in his memory may be made to HopeHospice Cape Cod, 765 Attucks Lane, Hyannis, MA 02601, or to a charity of one's choice. For online condolences, please visit www.nickersonfunerals.com
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