Pedro "Retired" Angel Gutierrez M/Sgt US Army

GUTIERREZ, PEDRO ANGEL M/SGT USA, (RETIRED), 91 ,OF ST. PETERSBURG, FLORIDA PASSED AWAY ON 07-16-2013 AT THE CARRINGTON OF ST. PETE, NURSING HOME. DON PEDRO WAS BORN IN A SMALL NEIGHBORHOOD NAMED SUSUA, WHICH IS IN THE VICINITY OF YAUCO, PUERTO RICO. HIS PARENTS WERE DON FRANCISCO GUTIERREZ AND DONA CARMEN GUTIERREZ. HIS PARENTS WERE HARD WORKING FARMERS, HIS FATHER WAS ALSO THE LOCAL COMMISSARY OF SUSUA. PEDRO'S FIRST TASTE OF THE MILITARY WAS FROM 1941 TO 1945. DURING HIS FIRST ARMY TOUR HE MET THE LOVE OF HIS LIFE LUISA SILVA OF VEGA ALTA, PUERTO RICO, WHO HE MARRIED IN NOV OF 1945. TO THIS UNION TWO CHILDREN WERE BORN; PEDRO (PAPIN) AND CARLOS (TITO). HOWEVER, AFTER HE LEFT THE MILITARY HE FOUND CIVILIAN LIFE IN THE FARM NOT TO HIS LIKING AND WITH HIS NEW RESPONSABILITIES AS A FAMILY MAN WITH TWO CHILDREN RETURNED TO THE MILITARY, WHERE HE OBTAINED HIS HIGH SCHOOL EDUCATION AND THROUGH HARD WORK AND PERSEVERANCE OBTAINED THE RANK OF M/SGT. WHILE IN THE MILITARY HE TRAVELLED THROUGHOUT EUROPE, ASIA AND THE UNITED STATES. HE SERVED THROUGH WWII, KOREA AND VIETNAM RETIRING IN 1971. AFTER HIS RETIREMENT HE SETTLED DOWN IN LEVITTOWN, PUERTO RICO AND BEGAN ANOTHER CARREER WORKING FOR WOMETCO AS THEATER MANAGER. AS A RESULT OF HIS MILITARY SERVICE AND EXPOSURE TO AGENT ORANGE IN VIETNAM HE DEVELOPED ISCHEMIC HEART DISEASE, DIABETES AND VASCULAR DEMENTIA. HE MOVED TO ST. PETERSBURG, FLORIDA IN 2013 TO BE CLOSER TO HIS FAMILY. HOWEVER, WITH TIME HIS CONDITIONS INCREASE IN SEVERITY AND LED TO HIS EVENTUAL DEMISE. HE WAS A LIFETIME MEMBER OF THE AMERICAN LEGION AND WAS ALWAYS PROUD OF HIS MILITARY SERVICE AND HIS LOVE FOR THE COUNTRY WHICH GAVE HIM BIRTH, PUERTO RICO AND THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA FOR WHICH HE SERVED. HE WAS A GOOD SON, GOOD BROTHER, GREAT FATHER, GREAT HUSBAND AND OUTSTANDING GRANDFATHER. WE, WHO KNEW HIM ARE GRATEFUL TO GOD FOR HAVING HIM AS OUR HUSBAND, FATHER, GRANDFATHER AND FRIEND. MAY HE REST IN PEACE WITH OUR HEAVENLY FATHER. HE IS SURVIVED BY HIS WIFE OF 68 YEARS, LUISA; HIS TWO SONS; PEDRO GUTIERREZ JR AND HIS WIFE SHEILA, OF OKAY, OKLAHOMA; CARLOS GUTIERREZ OF ST. PETERSBURG, FLORIDA AND HIS SISTER EDELMIRA (DELMA) MUNOZ AND HER HUSBAND BASILISO (BASI) OF WEST PALM BEACH, FLORIDA. HE HAS TW0 GRANDDAUGHTERS: BANASSA GUTIERREZ OF MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA AND BETTINA GUTIERREZ-DAVIS AND HER HUSBAND JOSEPH DAVIS OF BROKEN ARROW, OKLAHOMA. HE ALSO HAS THREE NIECES AND ONE NEPHEW.