Robert Alan Gutierrez of Valdez, Alaska, 80, passed away peacefully surrounded by love with his daughter Michelle by his side in the early morning hours on Thursday, June 2, 2022 of natural causes in Valdez, Alaska.

A Memorial Service will be held on Tuesday, August 9th, 2022 at the Valdez Cemetery Columbarium at 1PM with a Celebration of Life/Potluck to follow.

Robert was born on October 26, 1941 in Hollywood, California to Anton Gutierrez and Elizabeth Garcia Hensley. He received his education in Los Angeles, graduating from Belmont High School in 1959. He married Dinah J. Chavez in 1961 and together they had 2 children, Michelle and Robert. He worked many jobs throughout his early life, delivering newspapers for the Herald Examiner, long-shoring, setting up conventions among many other things. He was a mechanic by trade, a profession he loved and was very good at and worked at several auto shops around Los Angeles before getting a call to come to Alaska in 1975 to work on the Trans-Alaska Pipeline System. He was a member of the International Union of Operating Engineers, Local 302 as a heavy duty mechanic and operator and worked all over Alaska from the Panhandle to the Valdez Marine Terminal (VMT) to the oil fields on the North Slope and everywhere else in between, he retired in 1996. He also owned Port City Services for many years. He then started plowing snow in the winter and kept the streets of Robe River cleared for 20+ years. He continued working in his shop repairing vehicles and equipment for others. You could always go to him for a part or advice.

Robert enjoyed walking every day, neighborhood bon-fires with his friends and neighbors and was never seen without his 3 dogs, Dash, Lovey and Lucy by his side. He also loved to travel, often taking road trips in state and out and he enjoyed his annual trips to Hawaii with his daughter and son in law. He also enjoyed riding his Harley in the summer and his snow machine in the winter and loved the view from atop of Hogback, a feat he was proud to have accomplished. He was often referred to as The Mayor of East Robe River by his neighbors.

Robert knew no stranger and loved talking story and telling anyone that would listen about his love for his Greatland and when he first stepped into Alaska he knew he was home. His family was very important to him and he wanted nothing more than for them to have wonderful lives. He always spoke his mind and you always knew where you stood with him, he was definitely one of a kind, and his wisdom, knowledge and humor will be dearly missed.

Robert is lovingly survived by his daughter Michelle, her husband Scott of Desert Aire, WA, grand-daughters, Carson, of Valdez, AK and Miranda, of Richland, WA and Great Grandsons Jacob of Desert Aire, WA and Jackson of Bremerton, WA, his son Robbie of Anchorage, AK and grandchildren Nicole, Chantee, Anthony, Mitchell and Olive, greatgrandchildren Remy, Arya, and Emma, all of AK. His brother in law Jimmy, his wife Emily of Valdez, AK, their children and grandchildren, Kawehi of Wasilla, AK, Christopher of Wasilla, AK, Brooke of Portland, OR and Jimmy of Valdez, AK, Emmitt and Aiden of Wasilla, AK, his former wife Dinah of Bullhead City, AZ, a sister, cousins, nieces and nephews, and many dear close friends that he loved and loved him. He will be missed dearly. Robert was preceded in death by his parents, many aunts, uncles and his beloved Granddaughter Amber.

“Say not in grief ‘he is no more’ but in thankfulness that he was.”

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