Murphys, CA…Ernesto P. Gutierrez passed away on July 29, 2017 at UCSF. His wife and children were by his side.
Ernesto was born July 9, 1941 in Mexico City, Mexico. From his youth through the last days of his life he was an energetic and friendly person. As a child he sold light bulbs door to door and later Encyclopedia Britannica. In 1968, he received a degree in mechanical engineering from Politecnico University “ESIME.” His first job as an engineer was with an American company, Fisher and Porter. He traveled the Mexican Republic calibrating and selling pumps and pressure systems in sugar and petroleum refineries.

He met Patricia Dyer (born and raised in Murphys) while she was a student at the University of the Americas in Mexico City. They were married July 12, 1969 and then moved to Phoenix, Arizona to study International Marketing at the Thunderbird Graduate School of International Management.

After finishing school, they returned to Mexico City where he was employed as Commercial Manager for Phillips, Int., a Dutch company, where he was a liaison between Holland and Mexico. While working for Phillips, he engineered and developed a hermetically sealed telephone transmitter case which was used throughout Mexico. Later his transmitter case was chosen by the government to be used as a one-hundred-year time capsule which was buried in the center of Mexico City. It is to be opened in 2077.

After many trips to Murphys to visit his aging in-laws the family decided to move back to the United States. During this time, Ernesto continued to travel throughout Central and South America working for Management Systems International, a management consulting company based in Washington DC. During this phase of his career, Ernesto provided entrepreneurship training to small businesses throughout Latin America.

After years of working internationally Ernesto decided that he wanted to spend more time with his family, so he gave up traveling to apprentice in construction. Since he had never experienced the manual labor involved in building, this was a new challenge. Glenn Schachten, a master carpenter and cabinet maker took him under his wing and taught him his craft. As he became proficient in the trade, Ernesto and Patti began purchasing ‘fixer uppers’ and working together; he hammered and sawed and she stained and painted.

During the next 30 years of his life, Ernesto achieved the honor of becoming a Master Mason and a 32nd Degree Scottish Rite Shriner. In 1992-1993 he served as the Director for the Murphys-Angels Lions Club. During this time he was very proud to become a citizen of his new country. Many of his friends from the Lions Club accompanied him to Sacramento to witness and celebrate his induction. In later years, he joined the Angel’s Gun Club.

Throughout their 49 years of marriage, Ernesto and Patti enjoyed traveling. They especially liked touring ancient sites. These included: Yucatan where they explored abandoned haciendas and Mayan ruins, Machu Picchu, Stonehenge, and the Great Wall of China.

His passing was a shock to many, as he was upbeat, and worked until he was hospitalized. He never mentioned he was ill. He will be missed.

Ernesto is survived by his wife, Patricia; his children Erick, Anna, and John Paul; grandchildren Eleanor and Lucas Ernesto; siblings Sergio, Gerardo, Diana, and Alicia.

A Masonic service will be held on Sunday, September 17th at the Murphys Masonic Lodge at noon. A public Celebration of Life will be at the Murphys Park at 4pm on the 17th of September. Friends and family are invited to remember the good times they shared with Ernesto.