Vivian B. Gutierrez

Vivian Bernice (Gafford, Coulter) Gutierrez, 96, of Fair Oaks, California, passed
away peacefully on November 30, 2023.

She was born to the late Willie and Grace (Stevens) Gafford, January 23, 1927, in
Paragould, Arkansas.

She married Elsmere Jewel Coulter in 1945 and Ralph Gutierrez in 1971. Vivian is
survived by three children: Jeannette Darden, of Lubbock, Texas; Dixon Coulter of
Fair Oaks, California; and Eric Coulter, of Groton, Massachusetts. She is also
survived by her sister, Sonja Robinson of Hanford, California; four grandchildren:
Jason Ornellas of Arroyo Grande, California; Nathan Ornellas of Lemoore, California;
Robert Ramsey of Lubbock, Texas and Fred Thompson of Vancouver, Washington;
five great-grandchildren; Devin Ornellas of Hanford, California, Ashley, Sabrina, and
Patrick Ornellas of Arroyo Grande, California, and Tony Ornellas of Lemoore,
California; and one great-great grandchild. Vivian was predeceased by her sister Edna
Gafford in 1938, a baby girl Clarice Coulter in 1949, her mother Grace Gafford of
Hanford, California in 1981, her father Willie Gafford of El Sobrante, California in
1982, her first husband Elsmere Coulter of Momence, Illinois, in 1988, daughter
Patricia Ornellas, of Lemoore, California in 1990, grandson Timothy Ramsey of
Seattle, Washington in 1996, brother William Gafford of Little Rock Arkansas in
2000, brother Robert Gafford of Little Rock, Arkansas in 2017, and her sister Helen
Bunn of Montrose, Michigan in 2022.

Vivian grew up in Tillar, Arkansas. She moved to California in 1951. Vivian worked
at the Sierra Ordinance Depot in Herlong, California reconditioning munitions during
the Korean War. She owned and managed Coulter’s Café with her husband Elsmere
on 7 th Street in downtown Hanford, California from 1962 to 1973. Following the
restaurant, she moved to the bay area where she worked for an agency that provided
in-home senior care and companionship. After living in the bay area, she moved to
Castle, Oklahoma where she was active in her church. In 2018, she moved to Fair
Oaks, California.

Vivian was an avid reader, enjoyed sewing and quilting, and adored her dogs and cats.
Vivian also had an amazing green thumb which she used to grow an abundance of
flowers, fruits, and vegetables. She went on numerous camping, fishing, and hunting trips throughout her life. Vivian loved to travel around the United States and was able
to visit every state except Hawaii. With her second husband Ralph, she camp-hosted
in Northern California and several times in Alaska and she always had stories to tell
about the great people they met.

But most of all, Vivian loved spending time with her family, children, and
grandchildren, whom she loved her whole life.