Pedro H. Portela

In the same way that he lived his life, he battled the effects of a sudden stroke with his characteristic realism, strong will and can-do spirit until finally accepting our Lord's invitation to rest eternally in comfort and peace.

Supporting Pedro as he made preparations to transition to eternal life, were Gloria, his wife of 65 years and his three daughters, Gloria Portela (Richard Evans), Maria Elena Portela, (Brian Cronin) and Cristina Portela Solomon(Steven Schueler). Waiting to welcome her father is his daughter Maria Teresa Rubly (Lawrence Rubly), who joined our Heavenly Father in 2004. Also providing much needed solace, companionship and compassion to Pedro and the women he loved were sons-in-law, Steve Schueler, who rarely left Pedro's side at the hospital (earning the nickname "Dr. Steve") and Dick Evans, who opened his and Gloria's home to all of Pedro's family members (and their ever present cell phones) in the last week of his life, just as Pedro would have wanted and done.

Pedro is also survived by his two grandsons, James Rubly (Liliana) of Lake Forest, Illinois and Eric Solomon of Boston, Massachusetts. He took great delight in calling their births “Pedro’s revenge,” after having raised four girls. He also leaves behind his only surviving sibling, Elisa Brodbeck and her husband, Edward Brodbeck of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, step-grandsons Curt (Debbie) and Carter (Sandra) Evans and seven beloved great-grandchildren along with numerous nieces and nephews. Pedro delighted in his extended family and cherished hearing about their many adventures. He looked forward to frequent visits from his out of town family, particularly because they were largely unaware of his medical and lifestyle restrictions and helped him “live it up” while they were here.

From its inception, Pedro's life was a contrast of joys and sorrows and it was his innate ability to "treat those two imposters just the same" that defined his character. Born on January 11, 1929, in Havana, Cuba, he was the eldest child of Alfredo Portela and Maria Teresa Lavastida and grew up with brother Alfredo and sisters Maria Teresa and Elisa.

Pedro was always a stellar student. He attended Belen Jesuit school in Havana and the University of Havana from whose law school he graduated in 1951. Pedro was a lifelong devout Catholic and considered his moral and theological formation by the Jesuits to be the bedrock of his character. Just days before his death, when asked by one of his daughters whom he loved most in the world, he replied “God.”

Pedro's first challenge was the death of his mother when he was 14, after which his three siblings were raised by his aunts (his mom's sisters), while he was raised by his father, who never remarried and devoted himself to life with Pedro. As a result of the loss of his mother, Pedro and his father formed a lifelong bond – they lived and practiced law together; entertained clients and friends at Tropicana nightclub; shared in the operation of a beach resort hotel in Varadero and travel, mostly to New York City, which sparked his lifelong passion for gourmet restaurants, theatre and late night hours.

Four years after his mother's death, Pedro, then 18, met Gloria Torres, 16, while she and her mother were out walking on a rainy evening. He was immediately captivated by Gloria. Not one to let any opportunity slip away, he introduced himself and offered his umbrella for the remainder of their walk home. Symbolically, he always continued to shelter Gloria and began a courtship that lasted until they married in October, 1953, and continued until his death, as she was, and remained, his everything.

After their marriage, he and Gloria settled into their own home within his father's compound in Palmas Gemelas (“Twin Palms”) where they raised their four daughters. Their idyllic life in Havana ended in 1961, when he was forced to flee the country with his family, taking only few possessions.

Since the U.S. would not recognize the law license of Cuban lawyers when they immigrated to the United States, he accepted a job in Chicago with Commerce Clearing House (CCH), a legal publishing company, where he worked as a legal editor rising to the position of vice president. After working at CCH for more than three decades, he retired in 1991.

Demonstrating his amazing talent for adaptability, flexibility and optimism in any new situation he faced, Pedro built a comfortable life in Chicago with his family, including warmly welcoming his in-laws into his home where they lived for most of their lives.

After the death of his daughter, Maria Teresa in 2004, he and Gloria left Chicago for Key Biscayne, Florida, which he dubbed “Paradise,” and where he recreated the closest thing he could to his ideal life in Havana. He and Gloria spent several years there, living in an ocean-side condo while he indulged all of his passions: playing tennis every morning, smoking Cuban cigars and drinking Cuban brandy and expresso at night, always in company of old friends and new, of which there were many. Once again, his ability to find the joy in life after facing tragedy head on was on full display, and his ability to excel at both was an inspiration to all who knew and admired him.

In spite of having found "paradise", he left Key Biscayne in 201, when his wife asked him to move to Houston where daughters Gloria and Cristina reside. In Houston, he lived in a high-rise apartment in the Galleria and drove his red Cadillac around the city – discovering restaurants, taking Gloria to every single one of her medical appointments and attending theater and opera. He ultimately discovered the "Hoyo de Cuba", where he spent many hours wrapped in cigar smoke and lively conversation with other members of the Cuban community. In short, he defied age at every turn and took great pleasure in living life as he defined it – head first and with little restraint, constraint or moderation.

As his aged, and his health declined, he again followed his wife Gloria to Belmont Village in December of 2017, where he carved out his own unique “senior” lifestyle. He charmed the facility's personnel into bending every rule. He enjoyed planning and being taken out to lunch every Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday with family members (a schedule imposed by him as he rebelled against institutional food); and he occasionally sneaked out onto the facility’s patio to get a "sun tan" or for a late night cigar. While institutional living and schedules were contrary to Pedro's style, his love of life on any terms and his sunny nature once again prevailed, as he found all the joy he could in his final months, or what he called, "the extra innings" of life.

The family would like to express their deep gratitude to the special "PALS",(caregivers) Selam Abraha, Albie Sisniegas and Anna Hernandez who accompanied Pedro 24/7 and kept him safe and in good spirits these last few months, a particularly tall order, given his fearless nature and his desire "to run the show."

In the end, he considered himself a fortunate and blessed man, as he acknowledged during a toast he gave to himself on his 85th birthday, "Life, you owe me nothing." However, those of us that were fortunate enough to be loved by him, owe him everything, and we wish to honor his life, and particularly his love of life.

Friends are cordially invited to greet the family during a visitation from six o’clock until eight o’clock in the evening on Wednesday, the 22nd of August in the Jasek chapel and the grand foyer of Geo. H. Lewis & Sons, 1010 Bering Drive in Houston. The recitation of the rosary for Pedro is to commence at six o’clock.

The family will gather for a private Mass of Christian Burial.