Life and Its Twists and Turns

Roy scheduled this week’s rehearsal for last night, because the gang at work was going to the Giants’ game tonight, and had a ticket for him. While we were waiting in the vestibule for the after-Mass Rosary to be said, Fr Mike asked if one of us could be at the church today to offer assistance with the sound system and setup to the out-of-parish musicians for the scheduled funeral. I raised my hand.

The funeral was scheduled for 2:00p; figuring the musicians could be arriving about 1:00p, I bugged out from home about 12:40p. There was already plenty of bustle about the church when I got there, including a San Jose Fire truck and a paramedic bus; a white Ben Lomond Fire vehicle appeared some time later. When I walked into the church, the front was stuffed with flowers, and more kept coming, both from the funeral directors and a florist.

There was also a portrait of the beloved deceased, who didn’t look that much older (in the portrait, anyway) than Marisa…

He was a local boy, Benjamin Richard Gutierrez, who graduated from SLV High School in 2002; a paramedic, working his way to being a fireman.

The church was jammed with mourners: the pews, SRO, the vestibule, the steps outside the front door, the passage from the church to the parish hall, the two front parking lots…

May he rest in peace, Lord; comfort his family and friends in their hours of need.

Benjamin Richard Gutierrez
Tributes