Obituary: Ramiro Ruben Gutierrez

For The Madera Tribune

Ramiro Ruben Gutierrez.

Ramiro Ruben Gutierrez, 91 of Sonora, CA, passed away peacefully at his home with family at his side after a courageous battle with cancer. Born Jan. 1, 1932 to Prudencio and Josefa Gutierrez in Houston, TX. The family moved to Santa Clara, CA in 1947 and Ramiro graduated from Campbell High School in 1950. He joined the Marines in 1951 and fought in the Korean War with the “A” Company 1st Engineer Battalion and 1st Marine Division.

While on leave in 1953, he worked for the Pratt-Low Company and met his soulmate Lizbeth Rose Archibeque. They were married for 64 years and raised 4 children in San Jose.

Most significant about Ramiro was how he devoted his entire life to supporting his community faithfully and unselfishly by volunteering his time and knowledge empowering people and improving lives around him. He and Lizbeth were avid supporters of workers rights, marching with Cesar Chavez to support the United Farm Workers Union in San Jose, Sacramento, Madera and the Central Valley. He was also active in church and many charity organizations including the parish council at Transfiguration Catholic Church, the St Vincent De Paul Society where he served as president, United Way, and on the board of directors for Center for Employment Training (CET).

Ramiro worked at IBM for 30 years and retired as a manager in 1990 then moved to Madera with his wife where they continued their charitable activities, volunteering at Camarena Health Centers (chairman of the board 1996), in addition to working with the Madera Coalition for Community Justice and Latinas Unidas. He served as a grand juror for Madera County. Ramiro and Liz also prepared and served many meals at the Lords Table. He was an Honor Guard Commander for deceased war veterans at National Cemeteries and a member of Veterans of Foreign Wars. In 1998, Ramiro received the Distinguished Individual of Year Award by the Madera Hispanic Chamber of Commerce. In 2015 Ramiro and Lizbeth moved to Sonora to be close to family.

Ramiro was loved and respected by everyone he met and his warmth and charity inspired many. He adored his grandchildren and great-grandchildren and used his carpentry skills to make toys for them and many others.

Ramiro is survived by his children Margie Cooper (Paul); Kathleen Gutierrez (Mark); John Gutierrez, and Tommy Gutierrez (Debbie); four grandchildren, Sofia, Marina, Sean and Cierra and two great-grandchildren, Giovanni and Indy. He is also survived by his sister Hortencia Garcia. He was preceded in death by his wife Lizbeth who passed away in 2018, brother Hector Gutierrez and his son-in-law Ron Johnson.

There will be a memorial mass for Ramiro at noon on Friday, April 14, at St. Patrick’s Catholic Church, 127 W Jackson St., in Sonora, Ca. In lieu of flowers, please donate to CET via the Lizbeth Gutierrez memorial fund.