McDevitt

Lorraine Mary Portman McDevitt, 96, of Butler, passed away at her home on Wednesday, July 9, 2025, surrounded by her loving family.

Born Sept. 13, 1928, in the Portman family homestead in Summit Township, she was a daughter of the late Edgar J. Portman and Ruth Nebel Portman.

She started her bookkeeping career at Troutman’s Department Store while still in high school and assisted with office work at her family’s business, Portman Dairy. She retired as a bookkeeper from Quad County Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery in 1996.

Lorraine was a longtime member of All Saints Parish, St. Paul Roman Catholic Church, Butler, where she served as a cantor and a pillar of the St. Paul Church choir.

Many remember Lorraine’s beautiful soprano voice. In her younger years, she studied voice with her uncle, Barry Portman, in New York. She is believed to have sung at weddings in most of the churches in Butler. She was a member of the White Star Choir, the Bob McGinnis Singers, the Esquire Players, and she was a cast member in many Butler Musical Theatre Guild productions. She enthusiastically supported the Butler County Symphony and enjoyed attending the orchestra’s performances, along with any community musical productions, Broadway shows in New York City, and the Civic Light Opera in Pittsburgh.

She so loved her family, and actively kept up with the lives of her grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and nieces and nephews. Lorraine was an excellent cook who embraced new recipes, and it gave her great joy to entertain family and friends with lots of great food, either at her home, at holiday celebrations, or at picnics on the farm.

Many folks may also remember Lorraine as quite a horsewoman. In her early days, she enjoyed many trail rides with her dad and brother “A.J.,” as well as large, organized group trail rides.

Lorraine was a friend to all. She was known for her kind heart and gentle spirit. She will be deeply missed by all who were blessed to have known her. Our hearts are broken, and this world will not be the same without her as our foundation. Still, we have been truly blessed by having been a part of her life.

Please consider honoring Lorraine’s memory by doing a kind deed for others. Start with a smile or call someone you have not reached out to lately. Make someone smile. She would love that.

She is survived by her son, Geary R. McDevitt, of Butler; a daughter, Christine Bridges and her husband, Thomas, of Prospect; her brother, Albert Joseph “A.J.” Portman, of Butler; five grandchildren, Danielle McDevitt Ross of Jacksonville, N.C., Eric McDevitt of Anchorage, Alaska, Ryan McDevitt of Lickingville, Pa., Calley Bridges Perrino of Denver, Colo., and Brandon Bridges of Reston, Va.; seven great-grandchildren; and a number of nieces and nephews.

In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her husband, Roy U. McDevitt, whom she married Sept. 3, 1951, and who passed away Aug. 27, 1992; her sister, Norma Jean Portman Leyland; and her brother, Richard “Dick” Portman.

MCDEVITT — Friends of Lorraine Mary Portman McDevitt, who died Wednesday, July 9, 2025, will be received from 2 to 4 p.m. and 6 to 8 p.m. Monday, July 14, at MARTIN FUNERAL HOME, DOWNTOWN, 201 E. Cunningham St., Butler.

A Mass of Christian burial will be celebrated at 10 a.m. Tuesday, July 15, at All Saints Parish, St. Paul Roman Catholic Church, 128 N. McKean St., Butler, with the Rev. Kevin C. Fazio officiating.

Burial will take place in St. Peter’s Cemetery.

For more information, please visit www.martinfh.net.

Please sign the guest book at www.butlereagle.com.