Submitted by: Dan Rich
Ross L. Portolese
May 3, 1923 - July 4, 2001
South Bend Tribune 7/7/2001
Ross L. Portolese, 78, of West 12th Street, Mishawaka, passed away at 8:20 p.m. Wednesday, July 4, at Hospice House in South Bend.
Mr. Portolese was born in Mishawaka on May 3, 1923, as the son of the late Michael and Angela (Mittiga) Portolese.
On July 20, 1946, at St. Bavo's Catholic Church in Mishawaka, Ross married Mary Rose Coppens, who preceded him in death in April 1999.
He is also preceded by a brother, Joseph; his wife's parents, Maurice and Anna Coppens; brothers-in-law, Richard, John and David Coppens, Larry Meersman; sister-in-law, Nancy Coppens and grandsons, David and Daniel Hartman.
Mr. Portolese is survived by two daughters, Terri Ann (Ed) Hartman, of Stevensville, MI, and Cindi Kay (Pat) Nash of Mishawaka; four grandchildren, Chas (Pam) Harman of Granger, Christopher Hartman of Champaign, IL, Mandy Nash of Farmington Hills, MI and Coley Nash of Mishawaka.
He is also survived by two brothers, Frank (Cathy) Portolese, and Don (Shirley) Portolese and two sisters, Mickie Perkins and Mary J. Portolese, sisters-in-law, Liz Portolese, Sharon Coppens, Linda Coppens Muncey, Judy (John) Long, JoAnn (Ron) Stealy, Marlene Gosztola, Marge (Earl) Bradley. Also eighty-eight nieces and nephews and a special friend, Gabrielle Poikus.
Mr. Portolese was a graduate of Mishawaka High School in 1942. He served in the US Army during World War II with the Medical Corp. In May 2000, he revisited Omaha Beach for the first time since participating in the Invasion of Normandy on D-Day, June 6, 1944. He was accompanied by his brother and sister-in-law, Don and Shirley, his sister, Mickie, his grandchildren, Mandy and Coley and niece, Corinne Coppens Blakemore.
He worked as a proofreader for Mossberg Printing for 17 years before retiring in 1986. He was and active member of the DiLoreto Club, BK Club, Mishawaka High School Alumni Association. A founding father of the Portolese Open Golf Tournament and the Broadway Bears, Ross enjoyed music (especially The Moody Blues and Glenn Miller), golfing, bowling, Bonnie Doon's writing, going to movies (especially musicals) and keeping his car spotless.
Friends may call on Sunday, July 8 from 2 to 8 p.m. with Wake Prayers at 4:00 p.m. in Hahn Funeral Home, 505 W. 8th Street, Mishawaka.
A mass of Christian Burial will be held at 10:00 a.m. on July 9th in St. Bavo's Catholic Church, Mishawaka. Rev. Barry England will officiate. Burial will follow at Fairview Cemetery.
Contributions in memory of Ross Portolese may be made to St. Bavo's 2000 or Hospice House of St. Joseph County, 111 Sunnybrook Court, South Bend, IN 46637-3437
Submitted by: Mary Jo Koran
SBT 7/6-7/2001
Ross L.
Portolese