left, Marie Wolfinger Sheppard, mother of Joe Portman, Senior, center, and Agnes, right

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Joe Portman, Senior, around 1952, Corpus Christi, TX

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Paul Powell Portman, 60's ?, Point Isabel, TX

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Paul Powell Portman, 50's, in front of the old lighthouse, Point Isabel, TX

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Paul Jean Portman, left,  Mother Mary Alvina Portman, and Joe Portman, Jr. 1933,34 ? Raymondville, TX

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Joe Portman, Senior, and wife, Elaine, Corpus Christi, TX, and his Cessna 180.....50's

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Joe Portman, Senior, 18 months, don't know where, Probably Kansas.

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Mary Alvina Portman, Guatemala, Central America, in the river, packing a pistol (which she could shoot very well} around 1930

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Joe Portman and Daddy's German Shepperd, Rex, in Raymondville, TX, around 1937

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Joe Portman, Jr., playing guitar and irrigating a field on Uncle Joe Klinger's tropical nursery, Brownsville, TX, around 1958.

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an unfinished lithograph of the gate at the Governors Palace, San Antonio, Tx,  1942

==========================================================================Unfinished pencil sketch by Mary Portman, El Salvador, around 1932

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Our sister, Dorys Portman.......probably 80 by now.........never met her, but want to find her.

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MARY B PORTMAN  14  STATIONS OF THE CROSS INSIDE THE SAN JOSE MISSION

IN SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS.

About 1949, she made and donated these pictures. She had been commissioned to make them, but refused any remuneration. In 1987 the pictures were restored and larger frames were added. The original flat frames made by Joe Portman Jr. may still be behind the copper, or the may have been removed.

Sometime in 1942, she was named WOMAN OF THE YEAR by WOMAN'S HOME COMPANION magazine. She also won a free art exhibit for 1 month in NEW YORK CITY.  In the magazine, there are several pages of her paintings. I have searched for years but have not found a copy. I saw the magazine in the house where we lived (Victoria Courts) and remember looking at pictures of many of her paintings. From the 30's in the valley to the 60's in San Antonio, I watched her do many art works.....oil paints, water colors, copper reprosse, leather, ceramics, pencil and ink sketches and lithograph. She excelled in all.

My dad was a civil engineer, and I think my mother learned everything he knew........when she bought 10 acres in 1946, it had to be surveyed. She borrowed a transit, rod and chain. She taught me how to throw a chain and to be a rodman. (I later got a job as a rod & chainman surveying a new jet runway down at Victoria in the early 50's.)

      Sometimes on evenings or weekends, in the early 40's, she would do lithograph scenes from the river downtown, such as the Smith Young Tower. Other scenes were the gate at the govenor's palace, and the San Jose Mission church. I was always present as the baby sitter for my two baby twin brothers, Pete & Clair. I enjoyed the excursions and watching my mother work. She taught me to draw three dimensionally..........later as a design engineer, I sold many of my proposals simply because I presented three dimensional drawings.......a picture is worth a thousand words........thanks, mom !

In August of 2007, Joe Jr. took these digital pics which are to be replaced by professional pics at a later date.

1988 Phantom X1 stunt plane,    March 3   2005....before new sails & tires..........and wife, Cher in it.

Sheryl Portman, taxing for a takeoff ! in a MX3 trainer ultralight,  2007

=================================== Sheryl driving our 23 Maxwell Touring Sport......

  My little outlaw twin brothers, Pete and Clair Portman, 2008

 

Background row, left to right....My friend since 1946, John Stauffer, center, Joe Portman Jr.......My blind bass and keyboard player, Ted Lacy........... Forefront. left to right,......Darlene Portman, my brother, Pete Portman..........my wife, Sammie Portman...........Betty, my brother Clair's girlfriend....    1971 at RED DOG SALOON, SAN ANTONIO, TX.

My 34 Ford Roadster convertible body almost ready for the frame, less the hood !