Marion King Portman, of The Villages, age 98, passed away quietly on November 8, 2021. She was born in St. Louis, MO.Marion was the wife of Stanley Portman (deceased) and the mother of Stephanie, Jan, Scott, and Joyce (deceased). She is survived by her children Stephanie, Jan, and Scott, grandchildren Dawn, Paige, Craig, Jared, Eric. Marion was a graduate of Harris Teachers College, St. Louis, in January 1945 with a degree in Mathematics where she was a member of Omega Delta Pi Sorority. Marion was selected from an exclusive pool of highly qualified graduates to move to New York and work for the U.S. Government Bureau of Numbers, Mathematics Tables Division, in the Top Secret Manhattan Project. When the war ended she returned to St. Louis and married Stanley. Marion and Stanley moved to Miami where they went into the builders supply business before beginning their own construction company in Surfside, FL. When she wasn’t managing the finances of the construction company and being a full-time mother, Marion also taught Junior High School math. She studied at night and received her Masters Degree and began teaching at the University of Miami. During the early 1970s when women were a rarity in public office, Marion successfully ran for mayor of Surfside and unseated a long time incumbent. She embarked on-a successful regeneration program for the small city and saw her hard work come to fruition. She continued to work with other notable women to encourage qualified candidates to continue where she left off. Following her time in office, Marion began a career in real estate, distinguishing herself year after year until she finally retired in 2015 and moved to The Villages.
The family requests anyone wishing to send flowers or remembrances to rather direct cash donations in her name to the Harris-Stowe State University, 3026 Laclede Ave., St. Louis, MO 63103 | Phone (314) 340-3366.