Submitted by the family
Alan Portillo, LCDR, USN (Ret.), 68, of Coronado, California, died unexpectedly at home on Tuesday, August 4, 2026. He had spent the morning doing what he loved, riding his bicycle 20 miles, as he did nearly every day. He was in remarkably good shape and was often mistaken for someone much younger.
Alan was born March 6, 1958, in Watsonville, California, to Edward and Beverly Portillo, both of whom served as U.S. Navy Hospital Corpsmen and met while on active duty. He grew up in Richmond, California, and attended St. David’s elementary and Salesian High School before entering the U.S. Naval Academy in 1976. He graduated and was commissioned as an officer in 1980.
Alan served on active duty in the U.S. Navy from 1980 to 1996, eventually retiring as a Lieutenant Commander. During his Navy career, he served aboard ships, taught seamanship, and celestial navigation at the Naval Academy, and worked in cryptology and naval intelligence. He could navigate by the stars and use a sextant — skills that reflected both his deep knowledge and his lifelong love of learning. His assignments took him around the Pacific, including several years in Japan.
After retiring from active duty, he continued serving the Navy as a contractor and later as a civilian employee, working in cybersecurity until his final retirement in 2022. Alan was proud of his Navy career, but he was always much more than his job title. He was a lifelong learner with an almost endless curiosity about the world. He loved history, the military, books, movies, music, museums, zoos, concerts, new foods, and pretty much any experience that gave him something new to see, learn, or talk about. He could tell you something interesting about nearly everything on the shelves of his extensive library. He was a lifelong Catholic, having attended Catholic schools growing up and remaining deeply involved with the Church throughout his life. During his Navy years and beyond, he formed friendships with priests wherever he was stationed and was always happy to talk about his faith.
Alan moved to Coronado in 1991 and loved the community he called home for more than 35 years. He made friends easily and seemed to collect them wherever he went. He was articulate, intelligent, generous, and always willing to help. He also had a wonderfully playful side and never seemed to lose his curiosity or his “fun kid” energy.
Japan held a special place in Alan’s heart from his time stationed in Misawa in the late 1980s with his family. He returned many times over the years and loved Japanese culture, learning some of the language along the way. He became an avid sumo fan and followed the sport closely. After retiring in 2022, one of his longtime dreams came true when he attended his first sumo tournament in 2023. In 2025, he was able to share that experience with his son Andrew.
Alan was also a longtime fan of comics, science fiction, and monster movies, especially Godzilla and Ultraman. He began volunteering at San Diego Comic-Con in 2012 and continued for more than a decade, volunteering one last time just weeks before his death. He also volunteered at WonderCon in Los Angeles, where he served as a lead. He loved bringing his children to Comic-Con and sharing the things he enjoyed with them.
Family was at the center of Alan’s life. He married Susan in December 1980, and together they built a life filled with family, friends, adventures, and more than a few shared interests. He was a devoted husband to Susan and a loving father to Mandy and Andrew. His youngest son, Adam, died in 2011 at the age of 19. Alan never stopped loving Adam or keeping his memory alive, and he carried his son with him in the years that followed.
Alan is survived by his wife, Susan; his children, Mandy and Andrew; his brothers, Michael and Robert; and numerous nieces and nephews. He is also survived by a very spoiled black cat who, despite being generally selective about such things, allowed Alan to be the one person who could hold her. Alan lived his 68 years with curiosity, humor, purpose, and an enthusiasm for life. He loved learning, loved people, loved new experiences, and was rarely afraid to try something unfamiliar. He could talk to just about anyone, teach just about anything, and somehow make a trip to the museum, a bike ride, a karaoke night, or a monster movie into an event.
He will be deeply missed by his family, friends, fellow veterans, and the many people whose lives he touched.
A funeral Mass will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Thursday, August 20, 2026, at Sacred Heart Church, 655 C Avenue, Coronado, CA 92118, followed by a reception. Military honors and inurnment will take place at 2:30 p.m. at Holy Cross Cemetery for those who wish to attend. Alan will be laid to rest in the mausoleum beside his beloved son, Adam.
