Patricia Rose Portzer

As Winston Churchill said, “We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give.” Patricia Rose Portzer (Pat) created a wonderful life as she was constantly giving to others. She was a teacher both in the military and in school, a woman of faith and a voracious reader. Pat peacefully traveled into the next life on July 19, 2026 at age of 88.

Pat was born in Birmingham, Alabama, on September 13, 1937. She was raised along with her sister and twin brothers in a humble home where books became a place to visit when times were tough. She graduated from what was then Walker High School in 1956.

Pat wanted to see the world so she enlisted in the Marine Corps in 1957 at 19. Pat had her basic training at Parris Island in South Carolina where she stated that she was “eaten up by sand fleas.” For the next twenty years she was stationed at various times in the following locations: Camp LeJune, North Carolina; Marine Recruiting in Atlanta, Georgia; Marine Recruiting in Kansas City, Missouri, The Pentagon in Arlington,Virginia and Allied Joint Force Command in Naples, Italy. While at The Pentagon, Pat worked under the Kennedy Administration directly for the Comptroller of the Navy. She was in this position when Kennedy was assassinated and she along with other women Marines were asked to be in his funeral procession. We once reviewed videos of the funeral with her where she was able to locate her position and shared with us the feeling of being involved in such a historical moment.

While Pat was working for NATO in Italy she took the time to travel throughout Europe. Some of our most fun family time was going through all of her photos. She would sit with us and narrate them with the stories of the things she did while there. Pat was a great story teller. While in the military, she also completed her Bachelors of Arts degree through the University of Alabama. Pat had numerous positions while in the Marines including Drill Instructor at Parris Island, Career Planning for soldiers returning from Vietnam and finally as First Sergeant for the last women’s only Marine Corp company. She retired after 20 years of service in 1977.

After her military career, she returned home to Alabama and completed her Masters degree in Education at the University of Alabama. From there she began her twenty year teaching career. She taught at Dora and Boldo High Schools before settling at Curry High School as a Special Education teacher until her retirement. During her time at Curry, she became very close with her students, many of whom continued to contact her after they graduated. Pat would stop to take a call from her students no matter what she was doing. It was during the later years of her teaching career that Pat developed cancer. We were often amazed at how she continued to work between her treatments.

Pat never married or had children of her own but did tell us of her one engagement to a Marine who was in helicopter maintenance. When she went to Europe he headed to his third deployment to Vietnam from which he never returned. However, she did have “children” in her many nieces, nephews and students.

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Pat attended Curry Church of Christ during the last forty years of her life and was loved by the members there. Even during the final years, when her travel was limited she would ask her nephew to connect her to a live broadcast of each Sunday service. She cherished her church family but she just loved people too. Pat was always lending a helping hand with emotional and financial support whenever there was a need. Her home was full of items and notes from people she had helped and she treasured them all. Her family and friends will miss her and continue to remember her joy and love.

Pat was preceded in death by her father, James Paul Portzer, her mother, Vera Mae Portzer and her brother-in-law, Jim Beason. She is survived by her sister Dorothy Ann Beason, her brother Harlis Layne Portzer (Teresa) and her brother Carlos Wayne Portzer (Dianne) along with several nieces and nephews. 

A celebration of Patricia's life will be held Sunday, September 13, 2026 beginning at 2:00pm at Mt Vernon Baptist Church.