Cynthia Ann Portera, 78, passed away in her sleep Aug. 16, 2026, at her home in Berkeley Heights.
Cynthia was born Feb. 13, 1948, in Brooklyn. She moved to Oceanport and always felt at home in Monmouth County. Cynthia was raised by her loving parents, Nancy Francis and Alfred Gullotta. She grew up in a loving home full of laughter, music, art and family.
She is survived by her loving son, Michael; her beloved grandson, Jack; her daughter-in-law, Blair; her sister, Adrian Gullotta-Gsell; and the many cousins of her extended family who were like sisters and brothers to her.
Cynthia was a loving mother, grandmother and aunt. She was also a lifelong educator and administrator who believed in the power of education to change lives. She taught art and art history at Hightstown High School and Mater Dei Prep, helping students find their voice and harness their creative power. She was also a passionate advocate for underserved populations, proudly helping adult learners earn their GEDs and find their career paths through MAECOM, the Monmouth Adult Education Commission.
After teaching for over 17 years in a classroom, she spent 15 years in administration as a vice principal at Bloomfield Tech in Bloomfield and North 14th High School in Newark. Through her work, Cynthia became a mother figure to many. She had a way of embracing everyone she met, and anyone who came into her office or home knew they were welcomed and that she was there to help.
Cynthia’s love for art began early in life. She often spoke of her father introducing her to the art world through trips to New York City museums where he taught her about composition and design. Creating art was a constant in Cynthia’s life. She earned an MFA from Hunter College and had gallery shows in Manhattan. She was an accomplished painter, sculptor and potter. Working across mediums, she had an underlying motivation to create and bring beauty into the world. Even in her late 70s, she was exploring new mediums as a way to challenge herself.
She found joy in the simple pleasures of a Sousa march, the Sunday edition of The New York Times, and leafing through Architectural Digest. And she could never resist a good, slightly irreverent joke.
Cynthia found great joy in being a mother, mother-in-law and grandmother. She never showed up empty-handed, always arriving with a new Hot Wheels car or a bag of groceries, and her love and care were palpable from the moment she burst through the front doors. Cynthia’s love of family, education and the arts lives on through them and the countless lives she touched.
Visitation was held Aug. 23 at John E. Day Funeral Home, Red Bank. A funeral Mass was held Aug. 24 at St. James Church in Red Bank; burial followed at Mount Olivet Cemetery in Middletown.
The article originally appeared in the September 3 – 9, 2026 print edition of The Two River Times.
