Epifania “Epi” Catalina (Bustamante) Gutierrez May 7, 1932 ~ March 29, 2025 (age 92)

The Rosary for Epifania Gutierrez, 92, of Portales will be recited at 9:00 AM, Wed., April 2, 2025 at St. Helen Catholic Church.  The Mass of the Resurrection will be celebrated at 10:00 AM by Fr. Francisco Carbajal.  Burial will follow in the Portales Cemetery with Andrew Gutierrez, Brandon Gutierrez, Raymond “Lindo” Mirabal III, Lucario Mirabal, Lorenzo Gutierrez-Garcia, Gabriel Gutierrez, Jacob Romero, Carlos Gutierrez, Gilbert Baca, Dwayne Garcia, Kaine Gutierrez and Abiel Gutierrez serving as pallbearers.  Eli Gutierrez, Juan Gutierrez and Paul Bustamante, all of her other grandchildren, great-grandchildren and great-great-grandchildren as well as her nieces and nephews will serve as honorary pallbearers.

Epifania Catalina Gutierrez was born May 7, 1932 at Gonzalez Ranch, New Mexico to the home of Isadora “Lola” (Urioste) and Epifanio Bustamante, and died Mar. 29, 2025 in Amarillo, TX.   At the age of 10 she moved to Villanueva.  Epi took care of her mother until 1970 when she and Pablo Guitierrez were married in Las Vegas, NM.  Following their marriage, they lived in Mexico for a year before coming to the Portales area to make their home.

All of her life she was a homemaker and care giver to her beloved family.  In addition to her own four children, she raised her grandchildren, Rachel, Andrew, Brandon, Eli, Naomi, Gabriel, Juanito, Fabiola, Carlos, Jacob and Yliana.  Mrs. Gutierrez grew a large garden and raised chickens,and also enjoyed sewing and crocheting.  Her home was always filled with the aromas of her homemade tortillas, and other delicious foods. Epi was gifted with “healing hands,” and helped many people throughout her lifetime.

She is survived by two daughters and a son-in-law, Liz and Raymond Mirabal of Clovis and Yolanda Bustamante of Salt Lake City, UT; two sons and a daughter-in-law, Paul and Teresa Gutierrez of Portales and Julian Gutierrez of the home who was Mrs. Gutierrez’s caregiver for the past several years; 13 grandchildren and their respective spouses; 39 great-grandchildren with 1 on the way and 5 great-great-grandchildren; and two sisters-in-law, Palmira Bustamante of Bernal, NM and Linda Bustamante of Villanueva, NM.  She was preceded in death by her parents, three brothers, Pascual, Juan and Placido Bustamante and a sister, Emma Baca, as well as by her husband, Pablo Gutierrez who died Sept. 23, 2011.

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Epifania “Epi” Catalina (Bustamante) Gutierrez, please visit our floral store.