Joslyn Victor Portmann

JOSLYN VICTOR PORTMANN

Joslyn (Jos) V. Portmann, 86, of Harker Heights, passed on 27 January 2025. Church services will be at 11 AM on 13 February 2025 at the First United Methodist Church, Killeen. Interment with full military honors will be at 1 PM at the Central Texas Veterans Memorial Cemetery, State Highway 195, Killeen. Pastor Beverly Connelly, First United Methodist Church Killeen will officiate. Crawford-Bowers Funeral Home of Killeen overseeing the arrangements. Joslyn was preceded in death by his parents Victor and Catherine Portmann, brother Stanley, and sister Georgia.

Colonel (retired) and Civilian Servant (retired) Portmann was born in Lexington, Kentucky on 4 January 1939. He married his first wife, Anita Rubino, and to that union Caroline Gail was born. He married Martha Henderson February 15, 1980, in Colorado Springs, Colorado. They were married 44 years and have three children: Amy (deceased), Sara and Kari.

Jos enlisted in the Army in 1956, was commissioned in 1962 and retired in 1992. He was deployed 5 times to include 2 years in Vietnam and 19 years in Germany. His last assignment was Deputy Commander, 7th Army Reserve Command in Europe. As a Department of the Army Civilian, he managed Government housing in Bamberg, Nuremberg, and Stuttgart Germany. After retirement, he volunteered in numerous Department of Defense and Department of the Army agencies, III Corps and Fort Hood Soldier Retirement Council, Employer Support of the Guard and Reserves (National Ombudsman of the Year – 2010), Harker Heights Chamber of Commerce Ambassador and was on the Advisory Council of the Central Texas College Police Academy and Family Home Health Care. He was also active in the Harker Heights Kiwanis Club, the Harker Heights Police Department COPS program, the local Emmaus Community, United Methodist Men, Texas Country Gentleman barbershop chorus and was a proud Kentucky Colonel.

Portmann’s civilian education included an Associate of Applied Science (Central Texas College), Bachelor of Science (Eastern Kentucky University), and a Master’s in Education (Boston University). His military education included Basic and Advanced Infantry Officer Courses, the Command and General Staff College and other disciplines in schools in the USA and Europe. His decorations include the Legion of Merit, two Bronze Stars, Purple Heart, Vietnamese Cross of Gallantry, Order of Saint Maurice (Primicerius), several merit and achievement awards, the Presidential Unit Citation, two Meritorious Unit Commendations, Ranger Tab, Parachutist, Expert Infantry and Combat Infantry Badges and an Expert Rifle Marksmanship Medal.

Portmann is survived by his wife Marty, daughters Caroline (Eddie), Sara (Bryan) and Kari (Tim), 12 grandchildren, 6 great grandchildren, and many nieces and nephews and great nieces and nephews.

Visitation is at 10 AM at First United Methodist Church, Killeen an hour before the celebration of life service at 11 AM. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to FUMC Killeen or the Central Texas Wreaths for Veterans.