Virginia Lee Portillo

Virginia Lee (Ginny) Portillo, 69, passed away after a long struggle with diabetes and its many complications. She died at Las Palmas Hospital on August 3, 2020 at 4:20pm. She was a lifelong resident of El Paso. She graduated from Ysleta High School in 1969. She briefly worked for the FBI as a clerk in Washington D.C. after graduation. On her return to El Paso, she rose in the Municipal Court House system to become a Court Clerk. She left that job after 26 years to become a Court Clerk in County Court 6. She worked there for 6 years before retiring due to the increasing complications of diabetes. She had been living in the home of her sister Christina Portillo since March because of these increasing complications. She traveled extensively in the U.S., in Mexico, and Europe. She led a very adventuresome life and was always out and about in Juarez and El Paso. She loved being out with her friends. She loved animals and took care of many dogs and cats over the years including neighborhood strays. She loved southwest art and decorated her home with many pots, figures, and pictures. She was a believer in Christ. She leaves behind her mother Anita S. Portillo, sisters M. Margaret Portillo and A. Christina Portillo, and a brother Maurice Portillo married to Antoinette. He had two children: Denise and Joemike. Ginny had recently lost her best friend of 55 years in February 2020, Yolanda Sanchez Leal, to cancer. She was a second mother to Yolanda’s children Adrienne Leal Delgado and Ernesto Leal. They will miss her very much. Ginny still has many uncles, aunts, and cousins still living who will miss her. She had so many friends and acquaintances that were garnered over the years who still remember her fondly and will miss her vivacious personality. She will be cremated. The memorial service at Sunset Funeral Home, 750 N. Carolina Drive, will be postponed until next August when it will be safer for us to gather to mourn her passing. If you wish to honor her memory, send donations to the American Diabetes Association or the SPCA in her name.