Portia L. Webster

Portia L. Webster, 96, of Augusta passed quietly in the arms of her Lord and Savior, July 3,2024. She was born September 24,1927 in Kalamazoo to Burnell and Doris (Tedrow) Weirick. She is proceeded in death by her parents, twin brothers Ron (Leta) Weirick, Richard (Martha) Weirick, youngest brother Roger Weirick and beloved grandson Aaron Webster.

Portia had many interests, starting in her youth, rock and marble collecting, horseback riding, playing piano and guitar, and dancing. She was a fierce marble player, often taking the best marbles from the boys in her class. Portia went on to become a barrel racer on her pinto horse Tony, and during that time played guitar and sang to entertain at the VA hospital and Fort Custer in Battle Creek. She also taught the jitterbug at the Arther Murray Dance Studio. After graduating from Kalamazoo Central in 1945 she attended Western Normal School (WMU) and earned a Dental Assistant Degree.

Portia married Harold Webster in 1950 and after he completed his education, moved to the Kellogg Farm where he was Farm Director. They started their family with three children. Portia’s Christian faith was very strong, and she made sure they regularly attended Sunday School and Bible School at Gull Lake Bible Church. She often read bible stories from Little Visits from God to help them find the way that Jesus would do things. She loved and trusted Jesus, and knew He loved her, too.

Portia was involved in school activities as a room mother, and playground assistant. She knitted many hats and pairs of mittens for those that didn’t have any and would take them home and wash them to be reused again. She also had been involved with 4-H in her youth, and when her children were old enough, she became a knitting leader and taught quite a few girls how to knit. 

In the summer she worked across the county planning annual rock trips on the 4-H bus to Grand Rapids Gypsum Mine, and to the Cheney Limestone quarry in Bellevue. Her largest trips, planned with a team of experienced rockhounds led the 4-H “pebble pups” twice to the UP to collect mineral specimens from Mining dumps, Copper Harbor, and agates from Lake Superior. She had many beautiful rocks in her collection and shared them with her family.

Portia went on to co-lead the Gull Lake Area 4-H club and grew it to over 200 members and many leaders who taught cooking, wildflowers, electrical science, woodworking, weather, sewing, food preservation, dog care, sheep, poultry, rabbits, beef and dairy science. The 4-H club ran a recycling center to make money for the county to use for county-wide trips and other programs. Portia continued to recycle plastics and paper and enlisted help from neighbors and good friends to get it to the BC recycling center. Her club was the winning booth many times at the fall harvest festival with Gilmer Orchard Cider, caramel apples done by the Chocolate Shoppe in Richland and homemade popcorn balls. All were a great hit with kids and adults each fall.

When her kids were in high school, she started substituting as a Rural Mail Carrier out of Hickory Corners, and eventually took over the main 50-mile route with over 450 stops. She loved giving great service to all her customers and enjoyed glasses of lemonade left on hot days, and many goodies during the holiday season. She had fun stories to tell about rescuing lost pets!

After retiring in 1989, Portia moved to Augusta and concentrated on Wildlife Feeding. She is sometimes credited for “altering the flight path of birds in North America” with her many feeders, birdbaths, and squirrel feeders. She also put seed out for the deer during the cold winter nights and could be seen with her robe and boots on in her yard.

Portia was a true Conservative Republican patriot. She was knowledgeable about candidates and issues, and donated not only to Republican candidates from Michigan, but also supported those in other states and some of them wrote thank you notes to her. She supported groups that preserved Civil War Battlefields. She had many relics from that war and was well read on most of the battles.

Portia’s last year of life was in residence at the Vibrant Life Senior Living Center. She received the best of care from Laurel Space and her “loving cast of characters” including Melly the Australian Shepherd dog that spent time with Portia and listened to her many stories. Portia made friends of the residents there and enjoyed hearing their stories, too.

Surviving are her three children, Stacey McIntosh Portage, Nancy Webster Augusta, and Jeff (Teena) Webster Bentonville, Arkansas. She has four surviving grandchildren, Kadi Webster, Rachel (Kris) Kimbro, Chase McIntosh and Tynan (Riley) McIntosh. Her great grand daughters are Zoie and Bailey Baldini, Krin Kimbro, Lily Wakefield, and Sadie McIntosh. She also is survived by nieces and nephews in Michigan, Ohio, Florida, Illinois, and Iowa. Portia loved to laugh and had many friends in the Richland, Augusta and Galesburg area. She loved having them stop in to see her.

Cremation has taken place, and a private interment will take place at Evergreen Cemetery in Bloomingdale. Arrangements by the Farley Estes Dowdle Funeral Home and Cremation Care, Augusta Chapel. Her Celebration of Life will be held September 21, 2024, at the Dock at Bayview from 1-4 p.m. The Dock is located at 12504 East D Avenue, Richland, MI 49083. Personal messages for the family may be placed at www.farleyestesdowdle.com. Portia’s family thanks you for your support, encouragement, and prayers at this difficult time. God is good all of the time.