Teresa M. Portman

Teresa Mae Portman passed away early on December 25, 2012 at age 81 of natural causes. Mrs. Portman was born in Clyde, Kansas on May 18, 1931 to parents, George and Lillie (Bachamp) LeBlanc.

Teresa Mae LeBlanc was raised on the family farm in St. Joseph, Kansas in a small French speaking community. She started school speaking French and her older cousin Marceline translated for her. Mom went to school through the elementary grades and later got her GED. Her parenting style led us by example. After receiving her GED, she went to school and became a Key Punch Operator. She worked for various companies here in the Kansas City area as a Key Punch Operator until retirement in 1993. She believed it very important that us kids get an education and expressed to us that we could not do Arithmetic if we didn’t know how to read.

Mom was married in 1950 to our father, Robert Newill till divorcing in the early 1980’s. Mom then married Richard Portman, July 31st, 1986. Richard teased her and said she didn’t disclose her five children till after their marriage. Mom and Richard were married 26 wonderful years. They made the cutest couple.

In the early 1970’s, Mom joined Weight Watchers and became a Lifetime Member. She was still an active member and had many fun times with the leaders and ladies of the Weight Watchers at Independence Center. We can say that she honestly enjoyed all of the ladies and friends she made there as well.

Teresa was a member of the VFW Women’s Auxiliary Post 9997 since 1986 and served as the Conductress Officer more recently. She loved serving with the new friends she made there. She baked zucchini nut loaves for their bake sales and helped with the dinners. Especially fun was the St. Patrick’s’ Day corned beef and cabbage dinner fundraiser. Mom really loved the camaraderie of her friends in the VFW Women’s Auxiliary.

Mom had a diverse interest in many hobbies after retiring in 1993. Teresa and Richard bought a place at Leisure Lake in Trenton, Missouri after she retired and they spent about 16 years traveling between their home and the lake. Mom and Richard had a friendly competition catching the huge catfish out of Leisure Lake. She caught them using a fishing pole and Richard caught them on a trotline. Mom would then filet and freeze the fish after cleaning. She had cleaning fish down to an art. They would then invite family and friends to Leisure Lake for many fish fry dinners during summer holidays - Memorial Day to Labor Day all those years. Those were lively times! She and Richard had a large garden at the lake as well.

After the Leisure Lake years, she started finding other hobbies to fill her time. About 5-8 years ago, she began quilting and proceeded to work on other people’s unfinished quilts as well as making many of her own. She made so many quilts she started asking us to divide them up and take them out of the house because the closet was getting so full. She quilted right up to the time she became too ill. Mom loved her quilting ladies and quilted with her daughter-in-law, Belinda, at the Roger T. Sermon Center and the family church, White Avenue United Methodist Church, where she was also on the Board of Directors until the church closed. She met many new friends as she quilted. Mom showed her quilts in the quilt show at the Roger T. Sermon Center during Santa-Cali-Gon Days in Independence, Missouri and was the featured quilter a few years ago. She loved quilting so much; she quilted till her arms hurt.

After White Avenue United Methodist Church closed, Mom and Richard became members of Mount Calvary United Methodist Church. As Richard grew weaker with the effects of COPD and Mom’s care for him became more focused, Mom reached for spiritual support from her congregation at Mount Calvary. She so completely loved and enjoyed her new friends and brethren of Mount Calvary United Methodist Church.

Other enjoyments of Teresa were cooking for family & friends, her morning 3 mile walks with her walking buddy and her gardening competitions for the first edible tomato before July 4th.

Teresa is preceded in death by her husband, Richard Portman on November 3, 2012; her father, George LeBlanc; her step-father, Louis (Curly) Fief; her Mother, Lillie Fief; two brothers, Earl LeBlanc and George (Junior) LeBlanc and a grandson, Ryan Newill.

Teresa leaves behind her five children; Judith Thornton & husband Larry; Earl Newill & wife Belinda; Terence Newill all of Independence, MO; James Newill & wife Marti of Phoenix, AZ and Jeanne Burge & husband Ray of Trimble, MO. She is also survived by a sister, Arlene Gilbert of Fairview, KS; two brothers, Bernard LeBlanc & wife Truda of Splendora, TX & Elmer LeBlanc of Salina, KS and widowed sister-in-law Carla LeBlanc (Earl) of Powell, WY as well as 5 grandchildren, 8 great-grandchildren and a multitude of nieces, nephews, great nieces and great nephews.

We miss her so much. We can honestly say that Teresa loved us all and was ever so helpful to everyone she encountered in life. If ever a soul is resting with our Heavenly Father it is she. Rest in peace, Teresa!

Interment of Ashes same day:

Friday, January 11, 2013 at 1:00 pm

Higginsville Veterans Cemetery

20109 Business Highway 13

Higginsville, MO 64037

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to:

Mount Calvary United Methodist Church

In Memory of Teresa Portman

700 Blue Ridge

Kansas City, MO 64125