Gustavo Gutierrez

“…Well done, good and faithful servant!”

I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. 2 Timothy 4:7

Jose Gustavo Gutierrez, age 91, went to be with the Lord on ­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­Wednesday, January 24, 2024, after a brief illness.  He passed away at Comfort House in McAllen, Texas.   Gustavo was the youngest of seven children and was born a twin to Maria Gloria, who died in infancy. He is preceded in death by his loving parents: Eusebio and Virginia Martinez Gutierrez; his beloved wife Margarita Alonzo Gutierrez; two precious daughters: one-year-old Blanca Estela and infant Margarita Dadiva; loving siblings Emilia (†Bonifacio Sr.) Moron, Ramiro Esteban (†Elida G.), Julia (†Tomas) Treviño, Jose Romeo (†Elena B.), Antonio Amadeo (†Aurelia R.), and Lucio Remigio (killed in Korea in 1951).

Left to cherish his memory are his beloved sons: Gustavo G. (Esmelda), their children Gabriel (Angela) and LeAnna Gutierrez; Ismael (Aminta), their children Richard, PharmD (Tessa) and Dr. Michelle, DDS (Dr. Ryan, DDS) Chenausky; Daniel (Irma), their children: Amanda and Erica Gutierrez, and Veronica (Joseph) Garcia; daughter Belinda (Baldemar) Garza, their children Cristina (Frank) Giuoco and Carina (William, PhD.) Stout; 11 great-grandchildren; brother-in-law Juan Carmona (Teri Carlos); and numerous nieces and nephews. 

Gustavo, a faithful follower and servant of Jesus Christ, was born in 1932 on La Loma Ranch in Hebbronville, Texas, and grew up with his maternal aunts and uncles.  They subsequently moved to Santa Rosa, Texas, and eventually his family settled in Edinburg, Texas, where he remained the rest of his life.  In Edinburg, he worked as a debt collector for his mentor Mr. Erwin Thomas at Bell Loan Company, then at International Paper Company, until he retired to work full-time as a Pastor.  Gustavo and his siblings were a close-knit and loving family and made sure to stay connected throughout their lives.

Dad met his beloved wife Margarita Alonzo in La Villa, Texas, and they married June 7, 1953, following a courtship carried out primarily through letters.  They accepted the Lord as their personal Savior in 1955 and faithfully served at Iglesia Buenas Nuevas Pentecostés church in Pharr, Texas, from the church's inception in 1959.   While there, Dad served as long-term active member, Secretary-Treasurer, Assistant Pastor, and was installed as Pastor in 1989 when his brother and previous Pastor Antonio Amadeo Gutierrez went to be with the Lord.  In June 2021, Pastor Gustavo was honored to transfer the church to his nephew Pastor Josue A. (Josh) Gutierrez and his wife Angie, of Faith Family Church, where he remained a faithful member until his passing.

Dad was faithfully obedient to the Lord and a vigilant prayer warrior.  He was happiest around his family and church with a constant cheerful song of thanks in his heart.  He had a strong work ethic and an impressive affinity for numbers--qualities he passed down to his family.  With an impeccable memory, he loved to connect with other people and determine their ancestry just by learning their last name.  Dad was fiercely independent, driving until his very last days; and he was frugal, but always gave generously, even to peddlers selling trinkets to make ends meet.  He enjoyed his daily breakfast Whataburger visits where he maintained friendships with other retirees. Throughout his Christian walk, he strongly believed in faithfully tithing to the church, and taught his children to do the same—believing that we honor the Lord by doing so.  Dad was disciplined, but still relished his little daily desserts—mini danishes, empanadas, and banana pudding.  He had a quick wit and a quirky sense of humor, but had an intense reverence and sense of decorum when it came to matters of the Lord.  He read the newspaper daily paying special attention to the obituary pages to see whether he knew the deceased, and was informed of local and national current events, but the foundation and resource for his life was found in his Bible, which he carried everywhere with him.  He never shied away from professing his Faith.

With all the challenges he faced throughout his life, the last nine years were the most difficult--first, watching Mom going through dialysis treatments, and then missing her so much after she passed—posting pictures of her throughout the house.  He also taped a picture of her inside the front cover of his Bible, which he carried to church weekly.  His heart can now be at rest with the Lord.

We love you and miss you so much Dad, Suegro, Grandpa, Welo, Grandpa Joe, Tio!

Honored to serve as pallbearers are: Grandsons Gabriel and Richard Gutierrez; Grandsons-in-law: Frank Giuoco, William R. Stout, Joseph Garcia, and Ryan Chenausky.  Honorary pallbearer: Oldest great-grandson Caleb Giuoco.

Visitation will be held on Thursday, February 1, 2024, from 5:00 to 6:00 p.m. at Memorial Funeral Home, 208 E. Canton Rd., Edinburg, Texas, with a 6:00 p.m. chapel prayer service. The funeral service will also take place at Memorial Funeral Home on Friday, February 2, 2024, from 10:00 to 10:30 a.m., at which time the procession will depart to Valley Memorial Gardens, 3611 N. Taylor Road in Mission, TX, with Interment to take place at 11 a.m.