Mr. Alfonso "Al" Murillo Gutierrez

Alfonso Al Murillo Gutierrez, 92, passed away in Whittier on Friday, October 24th, 2014. Born on July 29th, 1922 in El Paso, Texas, Al was born to Jose & Dolores (Murillo) Gutierrez. He was a loving husband and a nurturing father, and he will be missed by all who knew him.



Growing up in Texas, Al attended Bowie High School in El Paso where he was an active member of the ROTC. On January 5th, 1943 he joined the U.S. Army in the midst of World War II and was stationed in England until his discharge in 1945. Following his service in the military, Al continued his education and received a degree in engineering. It was during this period of his life that he decided to relocate to Los Angeles, California, and in June 1950 he was married to Rebecca Alvarado. In 1955, Al and Rebecca moved to Pico Rivera where their family was very active in church and community activities. Then in 1965 Al moved his family to Whittier where he would reside the rest of his life.



Als training as an engineer proved quite helpful in providing for his family as he was employed by companies such as OKeefe & Merritt, The Coleman Company, and The Superior Fireplace Company. Starting as a sheet-metal worker, Al eventually moved into research & development where he engineered many products that contributed to the success of his employers.



In 1978, Al lost his son, Alfonso J. Gutierrez, and in 1995 he faced the loss of his wife, Rebecca. However, after his wifes passing, he was again joined in marriage to Celia Herrera in 1997.



Al had many interests throughout his life. He enjoyed fishing, football, baseball, camping, travelling with his family on vacations, playing bingo, and gardening where he loved propagating his famous Elkhorn Cacti. He was also a coin collector and an avid reader. Throughout the course of his life he never stopped solving problems; if the problem required him to invent a solution, then he was the man for the task.



His accomplishments were quite extensive; however, none were as important as the role that he played in serving others. He was active in many different religious, veteran and professional associations, including: St. Gregory the Great Catholic Church, St. Gregorys Senior Club, the San Gabriel Social Club, the Happy Wanderers Social Club, the VFW, the American Legion, the Sheet Metal Workers International Association, and the International Association of Machinists. His family members describe him as an honest and moral man who was always dedicated to his family. And he never ceased from being a responsible role-model to others. Al Gutierrez was truly a great man from the Greatest Generation.



Al is survived by his wife, Celia Gutierrez; his daughter, Gloria A. Gutierrez; his granddaughter, Tina H. Reiley; his great granddaughter, Julia M. Bedker; his step-children, Pete (Jean) Vargas, Diana (Steve) Hueftle, and Christina (Walter) Ouellet; and 10 step grandchildren.



A Funeral Mass will be held on Monday, November 3rd, 2014 at 10:30AM at St. Gregory the Great Catholic Church, 13935 Telegraph Rd., Whittier. A Viewing will be held immediately prior to the Mass at 10:00AM at the church. Interment will be held at Queen of Heaven Catholic Cemetery in Rowland Heights. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to be made payable to: PIH Health Foundation, 12401 Washington Blvd., Whittier, CA 90602-1006, MEMO: Hospice Al Gutierrez.