Angeline (Angie) Bertha Portner

Angeline Portner

 

Angeline (Angie) Bertha Portner of New Ulm, MN, age 96, died peacefully on Tuesday, September 27, 2022 at Brookdale Assisted Living in Eagan, MN. 

Mass of Christian Burial will be 11 a.m. Friday, October 7, 2022 at Cathedral of the Holy Trinity in New Ulm. Father Gerald Meidl will celebrate the Mass. Burial will follow in the Catholic Cemetery in New Ulm.  

Visitation will be held from 9:30-10:30 a.m. Friday, October 7, 2022 at the Minnesota Valley Funeral Home – South Chapel in New Ulm.  

To leave an online condolence for the family, or to sign the guestbook, please visit: www.mvfh.org. 

Angeline is survived by children, Dorothy Howie of Dennison, Donna Portner (Robert Nevitt) of Inver Grove Heights, Diane (Richard) Barghini of St. Croix Falls, WI, and George E. Portner of Bridgewater, NJ; grandchildren, Ryan (Fey Vancamp) of Tucson, AZ, Anna (Carl Schmidt) Howie-Schmidt of North Pole, AK, Drew (Katja Putzke-Nevitt) Nevitt of Madison, WI, Mara (fiancé Michael Banakis) Nevitt of Lincolnshire, IL, Dominic Barghini of FL, and Alexander Portner of Clinton, NJ; eight nieces and nephews; great nephew Brandon (Nicole) Portner and their children Madilyn and Jacob; and many other relatives and friends.

She is preceded in death by husband George J. Portner Jr., parents; sisters Crescentia Meidl and Lydia (Norman) Hofmeister; sister-in-law Carol (Edward) Meidl; brothers-in-law Leonard (Alice) Portner and Raymond (Alice) Portner; nephew Marlin (Carol) Portner; and son-in-law Rolland Howie.

Angeline Bertha Portner was born April 21, 1926 in Comfrey, MN to Edward H. Meidl and Lydia (Lang) Meidl. As the eldest of four children during the Great Depression, she worked hard on the farm, milking cows, shocking straw and doing fieldwork with horses. She attended the nearby country school, walking uphill both ways. Harvest delayed her start until November, but that did not stop her from finishing as an A student.

Angie met George Portner at George’s Ballroom. She liked to polka; he liked to waltz. They married June 25, 1957 and raised four children on his family farm. They watched their children’s ball games and took trips to the State Fair and Twins baseball games. Angie was a fun Grandmother. She had unique ways of creating special memories for each one.

She was always on the go! Being thrifty and inventive, you could find Angie sewing, painting, refinishing furniture, building unique items or working on a ladder. She had a green thumb, winning ribbons in the Brown County Fair for flowers and vegetables. Red roses and gladiolus were favorites. She decorated the church with flowers and holiday displays. Angie kept a close watch on impending weather because that’s what KNUJ Weather Spotters do!

In the 1970s, Angie and George founded the House of Nutrition with another couple. Years later they became founding members of the German-Bohemian Heritage Society, helping establish the German-Bohemian Monument in New Ulm. They met distant relatives and visited family landmarks in Germany. Angie headed the research library, organized events and played harmonica in the singing group. Angie authored 3 books, collections of historical documents from Brown County, MN on country schools, the Poor Farm and Loretto Hospital.

Best of all, Angie was funny and not too picky. Perfection was “for the birds”, except for the radio dial and rearview mirror, neither to be touched!

Brandon and Nicole Portner’s family made it possible for the couple to remain on the farm well into their nineties. Thank you for your love and kindness.

Memorials preferred to the German-Bohemian Heritage Society.

Springfield Advance-Press

13 S. Marshall Avenue PO Box 78 Springfield, MN 56087

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