Family Honors Paul Gutierrez's Service Posthumously

Coltonite Paul Gutierrez was posthumously honored with a military banner on Wednesday, Dec. 17, for his service in the Army. Gutierrez passed away after suffering an aneurism almost six years ago; though he was unable to see his banner raised, most of his family members attended to support, honor and remember their loved one. Gutierrez was drafted in the Army in July 1970, right out of high school, and served over a year as he was discharged in October 1971. According to Gutierrez’s older sister Margaret Hernandez, he was discharged a few months early since he served in Vietnam. Gutierrez was stationed in the war zone where he served as a cook, Hernandez said. “Even though he never really said much about it, if he disliked it or not, you can tell just by looking at the pictures while he was in the Army, that he enjoyed it,” she shared. “He enjoyed cooking for them.” Gutierrez would reach out to his loved ones back home in a rather unique way. He would record messages on a cassette and would mail them home for his family to hear, instead of writing letters. “I still have some of those cassettes,” Hernandez added. Even after his service in the Army, Hernandez said Gutierrez would come home and bake cakes like the way he learned in the Army. “Oh yeah, they were good,” she reminisced, happily. Although Gutierrez and the majority of his family are proud Coltonites, his family moved to Pala due to his father’s job situation and Gutierrez spent his entire high school career at Fallbrook High. “He moved back to Colton shortly after getting back from the Army,” Hernandez said. Growing up, Gutierrez found himself very interested in different types of cars. “He also loved animals and even people in general. There was never a mean streak in him,” she added. When Gutierrez wasn’t cleaning his car to perfection, he would ride around in his Dodge with the convertible top down to the San Manuel Casino. “That’s actually where he got sick. He had a headache while he was at the casino and he went to the hospital,” Hernandez explained. Although, Gutierrez also had colon cancer, he died that day of an aneurism. “His last week, he was so happy. Everything was going his way; he even won money at the casino,” Hernandez said, chuckling. “That’s what counts: he was happy.” The day of his military banner installation ceremony was a very happy one for his family; Hernandez explained that her younger brother, Gregory Gutierrez, was able to attend, as well as their mom. Fortunately, when Hernandez initially set this up for her brother, she was able to install it right across from their uncle’s banner. Gutierrez’s banner is located on the corner of Fifth and N streets. Hernandez said the family is able to say hi to her uncle and brother when they pass by.