Lourdes Porta (née Lopes), aged 72, of Naples, FL, formerly of Northvale, NJ, passed away peacefully on Tuesday, May 28, 2024. She leaves behind a legacy of love and devotion as the beloved wife of Ilario Porta for 50 years and as the mother to their four children.
Lourdes was the cherished mother of Florence Vitale and her husband Thomas, Beatriz Negron and her husband Joel, Elizabeth Porta and James Schoenleber, and Augustino Porta and his wife Mia. She was a proud and doting grandmother to Gianna, Joseph, Angelo, Jace, Ava Maria, and Matteo. She was predeceased by her parents, Maria Pacheco Lopes and Orlando Lopes, and is survived by her four sisters, Aurora, Cristina, Soraia, Monica, and her brother Tadeu, along with their families.
In 1974, during a visit to see her cousin in the United States, Lourdes met her future husband and the love of her life, Larry. They settled in the suburbs of Bergen County, NJ, where they provided their children with a nurturing and joyful upbringing, filled with summers of poolside fun and trips across the East Coast, as well as to Brazil and Italy. Lourdes’ greatest accomplishment was to provide her family with her “American Dream”. She was exceptionally proud of both her American citizenship and Brazilian heritage. Cooking was her love language, and she was renowned for her exceptional culinary skills. She expressed her affection by showering friends and family with her culinary creations at every opportunity.
Lourdes enjoyed a fulfilling career at Valley National Bank in Northvale, where she was highly regarded by colleagues and customers. After retiring, Lourdes and Larry relocated to Naples, Florida. There, she spent her days gardening and cooking, and she enjoyed a vibrant social life that included dining, strolling, beach days, and other social activities. She cherished her time with a group of friends she affectionately called her “Sand Sisters”.
Lourdes always found the silver lining in even the most challenging situations, spreading her positivity to family and friends both near and far. Her outlook provided perspective to others and inspired many to persevere through their own challenges.
Throughout their 50-year marriage and her 25-year battle with cancer, Lourdes received steadfast support, both physically and emotionally, from her husband, Larry, who many decades ago affectionately nicknamed her, in Portuguese, her native language, his “little angel”. Their love will endure for eternity.
Lourdes’ warmth, kindness, and zest for life will be deeply missed by all who knew her. As she often said, “Enjoy the journey!”
A graveside service will be held on Friday, May 31, 2024, at 11:30 AM at Garden of Memories in Washington Township, NJ. Following the service, the Porta family will receive family and friends to gather and pay their respects at Taverna on the Green, 314 Paramus Rd., Paramus, NJ, from 12:45 PM to 4:00 PM.
In lieu of flowers, donations in memory of Lourdes may be made to lustgarten.org, a foundation dedicated to advancing research related to the diagnosis, treatment, cure, and prevention of pancreatic cancer.