Portia E. McCargo

Born on July, 17 1947, in Baltimore, Maryland, PORTIA E. McCARGO (LOMAX) was the second of Leroy Lomax Sr. and Cora E. Lomax (Clark) three children. As a young child, she watched as his parents worked hard to provide a better life for their family, a work ethic that she would continue and share with her family later in life. After the family moved from Gilmor Homes to the Forest Park area, Portia graduated from Forest Park High School, studied Nursing at the old South Baltimore General Hospital (now Harbor Hospital) and graduated as a Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN). Upon graduation, she began working in the medical field as an Agency Nurse through Staff Builders Employment Agency. One assignment sent her to Levindale Hebrew Geriatric Center and Hospital, where she worked for five years before becoming a staff employee. During that time, she met and married Floyd McCargo and had one child, a daughter, Angela. Portia loved her job and would often stay late to ensure that all of her patients were properly taken care of. She would also share funny stories of her patients and then the floor pets once the Eden Alternative program was initiated at the facility. Her only complaints were about the doctors’ handwriting when it was time to change the patient files (Kardex) at the end of the month. Portia retired from Levindale after thirty-five years of service in 2012, of which thirty of those years were worked on the same unit. Outside of work, Portia enjoyed going to her home church, Macedonia Baptist and also supporting various charities, often donating to Macedonia’s building fund, back-to-school supply drives and their clothes closet, as well as the Disabled Veterans, Salvation Army, American Cancer Society and the Maryland Food Bank organizations. She also liked going to the different fairs and festivals, her favorites being Artscape and AFRAM, meeting friends downtown to go shopping and Lexington Market for lunch. Portia also enjoyed live entertainment, often going to shows at the Lyric (The Wiz, Sophisticated Ladies, Dreamgirls) as well as Pier Six (Anita Baker, Patti LaBelle). She also loved listening to Motown, R&B and Gospel music, reading the Sunday paper and cheering for the Orioles and Ravens. Portia passed away on December31, 2023, at the age of 76. She is survived by her brother, Michael Lomax; daughter, Angela McCargo; nephews, Kevin Lomax, Mark Edward Lomax, Kaleb Lomax, Kody Lomax, Koen Lomax; numerous cousins and friends. She will be missed by all who loved her.

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Portia E. McCargo

July 17, 1947 - December 31, 2023