Obituary of Carl A Portieles

Carl A. Portieles, 69, of Washington Township, NJ passed away peacefully by the side of his loving wife on January 10, 2020 at Hunterdon Medical Center. He was born on August 3, 1950 in Havana, Cuba to the late Carlos E. and Leonor Portieles. Carl left Cuba and came to the United States in 1962. He graduated from Memorial High School in West New York, NJ in 1968. He then earned a degree from Lincoln Technical Institute in Union, NJ. Carl was employed as a Heating, Ventilation, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration (HVACR) Technician for Johnson & Johnson (Ethicon Inc.) in Bridgewater, NJ until his retirement in 1995. He married his soulmate and best friend Judy (Melei) in 1981. Carl was a faithful parishioner at St. Joseph's Catholic Church. He had countless talents, hobbies, and interests. Among these were music, computer programming, wood turning, nature, dogs, photography/videography, and especially art. He had always loved many forms of art and in recent years developed an interest in painting, in which he was quite talented and truly enjoyed. Carl had an extraordinary ability to self-teach. He was always reading non-fiction books and learning, while encouraging others to do the same. As a result, he was able to fix almost anything and had an incredible ability to retain and recall details and obscure facts. Carl was not the type of person to become bored as he was interested in such a variety of subjects that there was simply not enough time to do everything he wanted to do. Not only was he able to entertain himself, but Carl was also an entertainer to others. He always left an impression on people, with something interesting or funny to say. He was a lot of fun, and his jokes and humor will be among the characteristics that are most missed about him. Above all, Carl loved his family. He wasn't close with very many people, but his family meant the world to him and he was always helping them, making them laugh, and teaching them. He is survived by his loving wife, of 39 years Judy; A daughter, Phyllis Portieles and her fiancé Doug Pohl; A son, Luke Portieles and his wife Laura; A brother, Carlos S. Portieles and his wife Gladys, 2 nephews, and 4 grandchildren. Family and friends may pay their respects on Wednesday January 15, 2020 from 2-4 & 7-9 PM at the Warren Hills Memorial Home. 234 W. Washington Ave. Washington, NJ 07882. A Mass of Catholic Burial will be celebrated on Thursday January 16, 2020 at 11:00 AM at St. Joseph Catholic Church. 200 Carlton Ave. Washington, NJ 07882. Interment will follow at St. Joseph Cemetery in Washington. Funeral arrangements have been entrusted to the Warren Hills Memorial Home. To send an on-line condolence please visit www.warrenhillsmemorialhome.com