Harry Portwood

Harry Michael Portwood of Godfrey, Illinois died on June 25, 2019 at Alton Memorial Hospital. He was born in St. Louis, Missouri on June 5, 1936 to Hattie Supenbeck and Curtis Portwood. Mr. Portwood graduated from Park College in Parkville, Missouri with a degree in physics and from Stanford University in Stanford, California with a master's degree in electrical engineering. He pursued post-graduate work at both Stanford University and Washington University in St. Louis.

Portwood retired from the United States Air Force after twenty years of service with deployments in Germany and in many bases in the United States, including in Alaska. He was employed at Hewlett Packard (HP) as an engineer and later as a manager. He returned to his native St. Louis as Chief Operating Officer of the Consortium for Graduate Study in Management at Washington University in St. Louis.

Harry Portwood is survived by four generations of family and many friends. He married the former Shirley Motley Carlson on March 14, 1992. She survives. He is survived by three sons: Harry Michael Portwood Jr. and wife Vivian Sming Portwood; Kenneth Portwood; Curtis Portwood and wife Angela Portwood. He is survived by a daughter, Faelynn Angela Monroe. His daughter Deborah Portwood preceded him in death. He is survived by six grandchildren: Mary Portwood-Sturgis and husband John Sturgis; Michael Portwood; Krystle Monroe; Kraig Monroe Jr.; Ruby Rosas; and Annabella Lilly Portwood. Portwood's great-grandchildren are Kameron Wilson, Kayla Terrell, Kaelynn Monroe and Karlene Monroe. Other survivors include brothers-in-law Lawrence Motley and wife Arenthia Motley; John H. Motley; and Calvin Motley; sisters-in-law Carol Motley and Mildred Motley. Nephews include Michael Johnson and wife Karen Johnson; Anthony Ramirez Roberts; Damon Hill; Aaron Hill; Jason Chambers; and Anthony Roberts; and nieces Vanessa Motley; Nicole Phillips; Nicole Barnes and husband Khary Barnes; and Akilah Roberts. He was preceded in death by his parents, Hattie Supenbeck and Curtis Portwood; and his father-in-law, John H. Motley Sr; and his mother-in-law, Cora Motley. 

A visitation, followed by a celebration of life, will be held on Saturday, July 20 at 1:00 at Elias, Kallal & Schaaf Funeral Home,1313 West Delmar, Godfrey, Illinois. The family requests that memorial donations be made to the American Cancer Society or the American Diabetes Association in Harry's name. Donations will be accepted at the funeral home. Online condolences and guestbook may be found at www.eliaskallalandschaaf.com.