Evora Portilla, age 86, long time resident of Houston died peacefully on Saturday, November 13, 2021 in Rockville Maryland. Born in Camaguey, Cuba on November 18, 1934, she was the daughter of the late Evora Manduley Lopez and Jose Antonio Lopez of Camaguey, Cuba. Evora was the beloved wife of Florencio Portilla and mother to Lili Portilla Weingarten and son-in-law Michael Weingarten of North Potomac, Maryland and Susan Portilla Bergeron and son-in-law Gerard Bergeron of New Canaan, Connecticut.
Evora was an elementary school teacher in Cuba. She and her husband Florencio Portilla immigrated to the US in 1962, fleeing Fidel Castro’s communist overthrow of Cuba. Leaving all her immediate family behind in Cuba, Evora and Florencio made a new life for themselves in Houston, Texas. Knowing little English, Evora used her sewing skills by altering men’s clothing at Battelsteins’ Department Store in Houston. Evora then went to work for Sakowitz Department Store as a sales associate in the Fashion Salon for almost 20 years. Upon the death of the love of her life, Florencio, Evora then went to work at Saks Fifth Avenue to continue her career in sales until she retired to Greenwich, Connecticut to be closer to her daughters. Evora doted over her grandchildren, Carter Bergeron, Evan Bergeron, Danielle Weingarten and Tyler Weingarten. Evora was instrumental in working with Congressman Mickey Leland’s office to secure visas for her family that remained in Cuba. In 1979, after 17 years of being separated from her family, she was reunited with her mother, sister, brother-in-law and nieces and nephews in Houston. Evora worked tirelessly with the Mexican Consulate in Houston for several more years to acquire visas to reunite with her father and other sister who were still trapped in Cuba. Evora was an “unsung hero” whose selfless actions have impacted future generations of the Lopez-Portilla family. Evora’s positive attitude and bright smile lit up the room. She will be dearly missed by her family, friends and all that knew her.
Evora is also survived by her sisters, Ana Aurora Lopez Alvarez and Irma Lopez Herrera both of Houston as well as many nieces and nephews. In lieu of flowers and gifts, the family requests that donations be made to Montgomery Hospice https://montgomeryhospice.org/ or the Lupus Foundation of America www.lupus.org in her memory.
A memorial service is being planned in Houston, Texas in January/February 2022. Please check this website for more information or contact Susan at [email protected] or Lili at [email protected]
