Prudencio Gutierrez

In loving memory of Prudencio Gutierrez, 85, born on May 27, 1939, in Barugo of Leyte, Philippines, who passed away peacefully on June 16, 2024, at Orange Coast Memorial Hospital near Santa Ana, California where he resided. At the time of his passing, he was surrounded by his loving family, and he died from illness due to pancreatic cancer. His life will be remembered for his hard work, ingenuity, humor, strength and unwavering love for his family. 

Affectionately known as Den or “Denny”, Prudencio was born to Jose and Matilde Gutierrez in 1939. He was the third child in a family of eight (Tito, Pacita, Den, Linda, Tono, Filo, Manuel, Iday) and grew up in the small town of Barugo in the province of Leyte in the Philippines. His father worked as a schoolteacher, and his mother as a homemaker. It was not until his teen years that his family relocated from Leyte to Manila in Luzon (his father was offered a municipal teaching job). It was there in Manila where Den briefly attended Arellano University but found his street smarts were more useful in navigating real life in the streets of Manila. This same resilience and willingness to tackle new challenges, traits that would define his character throughout his life, would serve him well in his next chapter. 

In 1968, Den emigrated to the U.S. with the aim of building a new life for himself. He arrived first at San Francisco in California where his uncle and cousins were already living at the time. In search of a job on the west coast, Den started by working at the fishing canneries in Alaska. He spent several months during a harvest season at the Pan Alaska Cannery in Kodiak, Alaska. Canneries offered work for many newly arriving men from the Philippines during this time in U.S. Following this brief period, he soon relocated back to California but this time more south of the Bay Area and came to the City of Los Angeles. Working as a door-to-door salesman, he would go on to knock on the door and meet his future wife, Edna nee Rivera, who had also emigrated from the Philippines to the U.S. by way of Canada as a professional nurse. With an expat community of friends who had formed a tight-knit community in Glendale and the surrounding areas, they began a courtship that soon resulted in their marriage in 1970. They were wed at Holy Family Catholic Church on Valentine’s Day, February 14, 1970, and would go on to form a family and have three children (daughters Reena and Joy and son Dennis). 

 It was also during this time that Den embarked on a remarkable career that spanned over three decades in the airlines industry. He began as a member of the grounds crew and cargo handling at LAX and then Burbank Airport with PSA (Pacific Southwest Airlines) before being promoted as an airline ticket agent. Eventually PSA was acquired by US Airways and Den transferred back to Los Angeles International Airport (LAX). He retired from USAir in 2002. For many years, Den’s work ethic was steadfast, rising early every morning to be at the airport by 5am and home by 2pm. But it was not only in terms of his career that he worked hard and maintained his perseverance in all he did. 

Among Den's proudest accomplishments was the construction of two houses from scratch after acquiring a 1-acre lot in Eagle Rock, California with his wife Edna in 1979. Nestled on the hillside of what many fondly remember as “Mont Eagle”, the main house was a testament to Den’s skillful craftsmanship and determination. He and his wife would spend roughly a year to oversee the construction of the six-bedroom house for their children, family and the many relatives who would visit over the years. 

Unbeknownst to many, Den and his wife Edna also opened and operated some of their own businesses over the years. In the early 1990s, they opened a flower shop, Florist Express and travel agency, Den’s Travel, in Eagle Rock where they lived. In addition to these enterprises, he took on the endeavor of volunteering his building skills and time to construction projects in his hometown of Barugo, Philippines in 2014. This was following Hurricane Yolanda which had caused great damage in Leyte. During this 6-month period, he and his team of volunteers were able to construct 18 houses, a small convent and repaired the bell tower at Saint Joseph Church in the main plaza of Barugo. 

Beyond these achievements, Den found great joy in his other pursuits and pastimes. He took up fishing and would go on local fishing trips with family and friends in his boat, “NautiBob”. An avid golfer for many years, he also played with keen skill in many tournaments here and in the Philippines and found great camaraderie with his many golfing buddies. Den's passion for these activities was evident and felt by all.

Den will be deeply missed by his surviving family and friends: his beloved wife Edna Gutierrez; daughters Reena Burt and Joy Gutierrez; son Dennis Gutierrez; grandchildren Arden, Corbin, Pierson, Tristan, Naomi, and Ember; son-in-law John Burt; daughters-in-law Daniela Cocco and Kim Camacho Gutierrez; sister Linda Gutierrez; brother Tony Gutierrez; sister Filo Cuenza; brother Manuel Gutierrez; sister Iday Gutierrez; along with numerous other family members and friends who will cherish his memory always.

Services to honor and celebrate Den's life will be held at Forest Lawn Glendale in California. A Visitation Event will take place on the 19th of July from 10:00 AM to 8:00 PM followed the next day with the Funeral Service at Forest Lawn Glendale - Church of the Recessional on the 20th of July from 2:30 PM to 3:30 PM. Reception following the Funeral will be held at Adult Recreation Center in Glendale, from 4pm-8pm. The Interment of the ashes will be held back at Sunset Grove in Forest Lawn Glendale on the 23rd of July from 12:00 PM to 1:00 PM.

May Den rest in eternal peace. 

Beloved husband, father and grandfather.