Hector Gutierrez Sr.

On August 01, 2017, a great man raised his arms towards the sky and opened his eyes wide, then gently passed away in the confines of his beloved home. This great man was our beloved father, Hector David Gutierrez, Sr.

A master electrician by trade, he was a veteran of the Korean War and a member of the American Legion Post 850. For 89 years this wonderful man traversed the earth with an aura of strength and pride few people have ever possessed. Raised in a family of 11 whose parents died while the children were still very young, the brothers and sisters struggled to make something of themselves and succeeded, raising their own families which in time, became ourselves and our cousins. In 1952, our father married our mother, his beloved wife, Marta, with whom he recently celebrated 65 years of marriage, and along the way raised 4 children, Sylvia, Hector, Adolfo, and Mario. Mario, who was born with down syndrome, was our father's (and mother's) pride and joy. Blessing our family with his love and affection, Mario has always been the Angel by our side. Dad always taught us about family pride and unity. Such were the teachings of this great man. A very wise man, he taught us to treat people equally and fairly, and never to judge anyone by their skin or color, or by their social or economic status. He welcomed all our friends into our house, and taught us to always be hospitable and never let anyone go hungry. Having been a cook in the army, he took great pride in the large array of tasty foods he liked to cook. His barbecue meat, potato salad, drunken beans, menudo, and chicken salad were and still are, second to none. A feisty and stern man, he taught us to always stand up for ourselves, meet our challenges head on, and never give up on our dreams. A loving and protective father, he was always there for us, all the way to the end. A talented man, he loved to sing, listen to his favorite singers, recite poems (El Brindis del Bohemio was his favorite), and dance to his favorite tangos, boleros, and danzones. A humble man, he taught us to help those who needed our help. An honest man, he taught us to play by the rules and never to put money ahead of loyalty and integrity. Always a family man, he basked in being a grandfather to his two grandchildren, but he thoroughly enjoyed his five great-grandchildren and being called "Guelo and Guelo Viejo." Not one to put up with too much noise during his life, he would withstand all the commotion in the world from his great grand kids with a huge smile.

All these traits were not lost on his timely sense of humor. Many were the times when he would entertain us with a story of his or his friends' youthful escapades or with his famous "chistes." In his prime, he was truly the life of the party and was no stranger to fending for himself (he always said he was the black sheep of his family) but he got closer to God in his later years, and together with our mother and Mario, they religiously attended Mass on Sunday at our Lady of Guadalupe Church, in the neighborhood where he was born, lived, and died. After mass, they would go to their favorite restaurant for breakfast, where they would greet and meet old and new friends. This is how most people will always remember them, and this is how we will, too. Our three Angels, side by side -- love, family, and unity. Only, now, Dad has left to lead and pave the way again, for all of us to follow. "Que Dios te bendiga, he always said as we were about to leave. "Que Dios te bendiga, Dad." We love you.

Our Dad was preceded in death by his parents, Adolfo and Josefa de los Angeles Gutierrez; his brothers, Fito Gutierrez, Hugo (Ofelia) Gutierrez, Pepe (Belia) Gutierrez, Arnoldo (Graciela) Gutierrez, and Oscar Gutierrez; his sisters, Manuela (Pablo) Serna, Esperanza (Hector) Pena, and Emma Gutierrez; sister-in-law, Amparo Gutierrez; and in-laws, Zeferino and Josefina Ledesma.

He is survived by his beloved wife, Marta Gutierrez; his children Sylvia (John) Quinn, Hector (Olga) Gutierrez, Adolfo (Sylvia) Gutierrez, and Mario Gutierrez; grandchildren, Hector (Farah) Gutierrez, Jessica (Orlando) Mondragon, and 5 great-grandchildren. He is also survived by his brother, Feliciano Gutierrez, sister Rosa Maria Smith, and other loving relatives and friends.

Visitation will be held Friday, August 4, 2017, from 5 to 9 in the evening at Joe Jackson Heights Funeral Chapels, 719 Loring at Cortez. A Rosary will be held at 7 in the evening.

Funeral services will be held Saturday, August 5, 2017, departing the funeral home at 7:30 a.m. to Our Lady of Guadalupe Catholic Church for a Mass at 8:00 a.m.

Military Honors will be rendered after the Mass at the church. A private cremation will be held at a later date.

You may express your condolences to the family online at: www.joejacksonfuneralchapels.com

Arrangements are under the direction of the funeral service professionals at Joe Jackson Heights Funeral & Cremation Services, 719 Loring at Cortez, Laredo, TX 78041, 956-722-0001