Maria Gutierrez, age 78, of Derby, passed away peacefully at her home on Sunday, October 18, 2026. Maria was born in Ponce, Puerto Rico, on May 1, 1948, the cherished daughter of the late Efrain and Luz (Martinez) Ramiréz. She lived most of her life in the Bronx, spent a decade in Stamford, and found a welcoming home in Derby, where she lived for the past two years.
Maria brought a gentle warmth and an unfailing positive light to everyone around her. Purely selfless in both her words and her actions, her greatest joy was her family. She lived for her children and grandchildren, surrounding them with endless love and devotion and putting their needs before her own. She will be so deeply missed by all those who knew and loved her, leaving behind a legacy of tenderness that will live in our hearts forever.
She is the beloved mother of Carlos Gutierrez (Juan Carlos) and Javiel Gutierrez (Stephanie), and the deeply cherished grandmother of Alexis, Javiel, Nicholas, Cole, and Elaina. She is also survived by her siblings: Jose Luis Ramiréz, Luz Ramiréz, Pablo Ramiréz, Jose Ramiréz, Marina Ramiréz, Evelyn Ramiréz, and Pedro Ramiréz, along with many nieces and nephews. She was reunited in peace with her late siblings: Lilianna Ramiréz, Luz Neida Ramirez, Efrain Ramiréz, Evangelista Ramiréz, and Geraldo Ramiréz.
Friends and family are warmly invited to gather and remember Maria at the Edward F. Adzima Funeral Home, 253 Elizabeth Street, Derby, on Wednesday from 5 to 7 PM. On Thursday, her procession will leave the parlor at 10:30 AM for a Mass of Christian Burial at 11 AM at St. Mary’s Church in Derby. Burial will follow at Mt. St. Peter’s Cemetery in Derby.