Obituary of Luigi Portello

Luigi Portello, age 79, passed away on Sunday, July 10, 2016 surrounded by three generations of loving family. Mr. Portello was born on October 17, 1936 in Sacile, Italy. He grew up in a family of farmers, but chose instead to apprentice as a tailor. Just before serving in the Italian Army, Luigi met an American girl, Diana Pavan, who was vacationing in a nearby town. They corresponded through letters from across the ocean until they married in 1960. Speaking no English, Luigi came to America where he taught himself a new language and began a successful 50 year career in the fashion industry, where he would work for Benneton, Bobbie Brooks, Liz Claiborne, Emanuel Ungaro, and New York & Company, just to name a few. Luigi would also become a U.S. Citizen, raise his family, and eventually return to his farmer roots in retirement by cultivating an amazing back-yard garden. He was an avid fan of the Boston Red Sox and New England Patriots, and a bigger fan and proud patriarch to seven grandchildren. Son of the late Giuseppe and Maria Portello, Luigi is survived by his wife of 56 years, Diana Portello, his three children and their spouses, Robert Portello, Richard and Kim Portello, and Lori and Michael Tyger; a sister, MariaRosa Oggiano, and his sister-in-law and brother-in-law Elda and Lou Zamparo. He is also survived by his grandchildren, Michael Portello, Jackie Portello, Elizabeth Portello, Emily Portello, Daniel Portello, Alexis Tyger and Joseph Tyger; two nephews, Francesco Oggiano and Nicolo Oggiano and their families, four nieces Donna Murray, Lynn Miller, Kathy Fields, and Mary Beth Ashcroft and their families; and many cousins, extended family, and friends both in the United States and in Italy. Luigi fought a courageous battle with liver cancer for ten years, teaching those close to him not only how to live, but also how to die. He even managed to return to Italy for several months in the summer of 2015 to revisit some of the places he remembered fondly from his youth. As his son Rick noted recently, he lived a great life, and saw more of the world and did more things than 100 people combined. More importantly, he set a great example for his family and all those who were blessed to know him. The funeral will begin on Wednesday, July 13, 2016 at 9AM at Poulson & Van Hise Funeral Directors, 650 Lawrence Road, Lawrenceville, NJ 08648. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 10AM at the Church of Saint Ann, 1253 Lawrence Road, Lawrenceville, NJ, Entombment will follow at St. Mary’s Cemetery, Hamilton, NJ. The viewing for Luigi will be held on Tuesday evening from 5-8PM at the funeral home. Memorial contributions in Luigi’s name may be made to Tomorrows Children’s Fund or St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital., both in care of www.inmemoryof-memorial.org.