Evelyn R. Portnoff, July 10, 1924 – October 1, 2025
Beloved wife of the late Lawrence “Larry” A. Portnoff. Dear mother of Neil S. (Susan) Portnoff, Lee S. (Lisa) Portnoff, Scott R. (the late Al) Portnoff and Marc A. (Lynn) Portnoff. Loving grandmother of five and great-grandmother of seven (soon to be eight). Beloved sister of the late Marion D. (late Abe) Lipsitz, the late Irving S. (late Marjorie) Adler and the late Milton H. “Mickey” (Marjorie) Adler. Dear aunt, cousin and friend.
Evelyn’s father died when she was fifteen leaving her mother to raise four children on her own in Stamford, Connecticut during the Great Depression. She attended nursing school at Jewish Hospital in Saint Louis. During winter break, she met Larry at a JCC dance in Connecticut while he was serving in the Army Air Corp during WWII. They got married in 1945 and moved to Penn State University for Larry to finish his industrial engineering degree. They settled in Scranton, Pennsylvania where Larry worked with his father in the family garment business.
After moving to Saint Louis in 1957, Evelyn worked as the office manager and bookkeeper for Larry’s garment engineering firm. She was a Cub Scout den mother for 10 years and active in the University City School System, the Kettelkamp Fund, and Hadassah. She also participated in OASIS. She enjoyed golf and bridge and was always interested in current events.
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Throughout Evelyn’s life she made many friends because of her kindness, compassion, warmth and generosity. She will be deeply missed by her family and all who knew her.
Graveside service Thursday October 9, 2025, 10:00am at Chesed Shel Emeth Cemetery, 650 White Road, Chesterfield, MO 63017. Contributions in Evelyn’s memory may be to Hadassah, 12 Millstone Campus Drive, St. Louis, MO 63146 or the charity of your choice.
A RINDSKOPF-ROTH SERVICE