Ethel Woodman Porterfield Bausman

Ethel Woodman Porterfield Bausman
1925-2022
If you are reading this note, it means I passed the audition for the Lord’s heavenly choir and just couldn’t turn down a new singing engagement. I didn’t have time to tell everyone good-bye personally, but my family helped me gather notes to share with my friends for my earthly send-off. I was so blessed to have had a long life so full of, well, life…and even fuller of friends. Love you all!
Longtime Grants Pass resident Ethel Porterfield Bausman, died August 19, 2022.
Ethel Melvina Bausman was born to Truman and Ethel Woodman on February 25, 1925, at home, in Providence, Rhode Island, the first of four siblings.
Ethel and family moved to Long Beach, California, when she was 11. After graduating from Jordan High School in 1943, she studied at Woodbury Fashion College in Los Angeles until the beginning of WWII, when she began work as a secretary at the Naval Shipyard in San Pedro.
As a teen, Ethel dreamed of a career in the music industry. Although she never took music lessons or learned to read music, she participated in every competition available to break into the industry as a singer. One highlight included traveling with her mother to New York City to try out for the Arthur Godfrey Show. She was all of 17 years old. During her senior year in high school, Ethel performed on the Al Jarvis radio show in Hollywood where she was interviewed by vocalists Peggy Lee and Margaret Whiting. Ethel sang with several big bands in Southern California – Balboa Beach, Belmont Shore, and Torrance – during her teen years. Ethel’s longest gig was entertaining the troops at the local USO in Long beach.
In 1943 Ethel met Walter “Boots” Porterfield, a professional golfer. Five years later they married and began a family of four children Pegi, Patricia, Betty Jean, and Walter-between 1951-1959. They settled in Oconomowoc, Wisconsin, for seven years and then moved to Grants Pass, Oregon, where Boots became the golf pro at Grants Pass Golf Club and Ethel dedicated her life to making a home for her family. A divorce in 1970 obligated Ethel to take a job outside the home. Her jobs as a secretary at Grants Pass High School, Rogue Community College, and Umpqua Community College in Roseburg, Oregon allowed her to stay involved in the lives of her growing independent children. In between jobs included secretarial work for McRae Century 21 Realty, and Griffith’s Department Store, where she finally could use her fashion design training to create beautiful displays.
One workday at Griffith’s, the widow of her best friend during college showed up and invited Ethel to lunch. After arriving home in Arizona, Alvin “Buzz” Bausman called Ethel to declare his love. That began a fairy tale romance that resulted in a second marriage in 1992. Buzz remembered that Ethel could sing and help launch her second singing career through performances around Arizona. Only eight years later she lost her biggest fan with the untimely death of Buzz, but she honored him by continuing to sing privately and publicly.
When Ethel was widowed in 2001, she moved back to Grants Pass and began a “new season” living life to the fullest with get – togethers with her many old and new friends of all ages, traveling to see her children and friends, and sneaking off on road trips by herself in her beloved Subaru. Especially gratifying, she was able to sing and socialize regularly with her musical soulmate, the Serenaders.
Life changed with a move in 2021 to Forest Grove, Oregon to be closer to family. Even amid the Covid epidemic she was the Trouper, making the best of her swan song, staying in touch with family and old friends with two phones, mail, email, window visits, and finally in- person visits, including uplifting family reunions.
Ethel was proceeded in death by daughter Pegi Miller in 1993, who has been saving her a place in heaven. Also predeceasing her were spouses Walter Porterfield and Alvin Bausman and brothers Kenneth and Elbert Woodman.
Ethel is survived by her children: Patti Clewett- Porterfield (Curtis), a missionary to Spain, Betty Porterfield, a dental professional in Corvallis, Montana, and Walter Porterfield (Mary Jo), owner of Jersey Girl Pizza in Hillsboro, Oregon. Also surviving are her son - in - law Alan Miller of Montana (widower of Pegi), sister- in- law Lee Cummins of Oregon, 13 grandchildren and 8 great – grandchildren, and great greats. Brother Wallace Woodman of Florida and several nieces and nephews also survive.
Ethel loved life, her family, her friends, and her Lord. And, yes, she always had a song in her heart. A virtual Celebration of Life will be held Sunday August 28, 2022 at 11am. via zoom meeting from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. https://genesis.zoom.us/j/3461740112 A Celebration of Life will be held in person a later date.