SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 815

WHEREAS, Sister Norma Gutierrez is being recognized posthumously as an Unsung Hero by the Westside Development Corporation at its 2015 Westside Honors Exitos en Nuestro Barrio Gala, taking place in San Antonio on May 21; and

WHEREAS, Born in Mercedes in 1955, Sister Gutierrez was a student at The University of Texas--Pan American when she heard Mother Teresa speak during a trip to the Alamo City; she was moved to devote herself to the religious life, and in 1979, she took her vows in San Antonio as a sister of the Missionary Catechists of Divine Providence; later, she completed her master's degree in theology with a minor in philosophy at Our Lady of the Lake University, the institution founded by her order; and

WHEREAS, Sister Gutierrez served as director of a youth ministry in Fresno, California, before returning to San Antonio to work at Saint Peter-Saint Joseph Children's Home; subsequently, she directed a youth ministry in Austin and served in a youth ministry in Washington, D.C.; and

WHEREAS, In the early 1990s, Sister Gutierrez took a sabbatical in New Hampshire to reflect on her spiritual path; she had the opportunity to learn from noted psychiatrist Elisabeth Kübler-Ross, the author of On Death and Dying, and the experience inspired her to become a hospital chaplain in order to help people at the end of their lives or in medical crisis; after serving in California, Maryland, and New Mexico, she returned to Texas and counseled patients in the Houston area, most recently at St. Luke's The Woodlands Hospital; and

WHEREAS, Sister Gutierrez had been successfully treated for renal cancer in 1997, but in October 2014, the disease was found to have recurred and metastasized; rather than undergo chemotherapy, she chose to dedicate her remaining time to her important work; she had such great concern for others that when nurses stopped in to care for her, she urged them to move on to those who might need them more; she passed away in San Antonio on December 23, 2014, at the age of 59; and

WHEREAS, A woman of deep altruism, Sister Norma Gutierrez expressed her faith by offering solace and hope, bringing light to people in their darkest hours, and her selflessness is an enduring source of inspiration to all; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED, That the Senate of the State of Texas, 84th Legislature, hereby pay tribute to the life of Sister Norma Gutierrez on the occasion of her posthumous recognition as an Unsung Hero by the Westside Development Corporation; and, be it further

RESOLVED, That an official copy of this Resolution be prepared for the family of Sister Gutierrez as an expression of high regard from the Texas Senate.

Menéndez

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President of the Senate

I hereby certify that the above Resolution was adopted by the Senate on May 14, 2015.

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Secretary of the Senate

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Member, Texas Senate