Alfonso Reinaldo Gutierrez

Alfonso R. Gutierrez of Oceanside, NY, born in Valparaíso, Chile, passed away peacefully at the age of 91 on February 12th, 2025. He joins his wife and parents in heaven and leaves behind his loving children and spouses, his grandchildren, his siblings Carmen, Nena, and Renato, who reside in Chile with their families, and many other beloved family and friends around the globe.

He attended the Universidad Católica de Valparaíso, where he obtained a chemical engineering degree and pursued his professional ambitions with the utmost  dedication, starting in a textile factory in Quillota, Chile. There, he distinguished himself and caught the attention of a U.S.-based engineering firm, which eventually recruited him to contribute to its global textile business expansion efforts.

Alfonso embarked on a global engineering career in the late 1960s when he was hired by Chemtex, Inc., a New York City-based engineering firm. His assignment to build textile factories resulted in his being stationed in many places around the globe for months or even years at a time, starting with a multi-year stint in the former  Yugoslavia. He then moved on to many countries, following an eastward path through long-term assignments in Greece, Turkey, India, South Korea, and Taiwan. In all, he visited well over 40 countries. His assignments took him to these countries multiple times over the decades and he was always willing to share those experiences with  family and friends. Alfonso was quiet in his generosity and shared his knowledge and resources with many who interacted with him. While he had an engineers analytical mind and enjoyed playing chess and dominos, he also had a wonderful sense of humor that he shared with his friends and family. His interests included music and La Liga Spanish football. Above all, he enjoyed being with his grandchildren.

Eventually, he settled his family in Oceanside in 1975 while he continued his global travels. In his retirement years,  while no longer a global traveler, he  unselfishly dedicated himself to taking care of his wife until her passing in early 2022. He was deeply loved and will be greatly missed  by all.