Elisa DeLeon Gutierrez

Elisa was preceded in death by her husband, Emilio F. Gutierrez, parents Juventino DeLeon and Felipa S. DeLeon, granddaughter Camille N. Gutierrez, brothers Juventino DeLeon, Alfredo DeLeon, and Heriberto DeLeon.

She is survived by her son Richard F. Gutierrez (wife Lisa) of Del Rio, daughter Laura Elisa Gutierrez Sandoval of Austin, sons Carlos E. Gutierrez of Austin, Daniel J. Gutierrez of Austin, Dr. Emilio F. Gutierrez, Jr. (wife Serpil) of Austin, and daughter Martha Hartmann (husband Chris) of Katy.

Her nine grandchildren include Jessica Gutierrez Barrera (husband Diego), Selina Gutierrez, Richard Gabriel Gutierrez, Matthew J. Gutierrez, Elisa Sandoval Boese (husband Seth), Sasha Sandoval, Desiree Elisa Gutierrez, Jordan Hartmann, Joshua Hartmann. Great grandchildren include Ethan Daniel Barrera and Elijah Nathaniel Barrera.

Elisa was born in Mercedes, Texas, graduated as Valedictorian from Mercedes High School in 1948, and received a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Texas at Austin in 1952. She was certified as a Medical Technologist by the American Society of Clinical Pathologists in 1954 and set up a medical laboratory in Rio Grande City. She taught biology at Rio Grande City High School, and later earned a Master's Degree in Education Administration from the University of Texas in 1972, and a PhD. focusing on Organizational Theory from the University of Texas in 1985.

While working at the Texas Education Agency, Elisa became Director of Bilingual Education for the State of Texas, initiated international relationships with the ministries of education of Mexican border states and the Federal Secretaria de Educacion Publica, and through the Spanish Embassy in Washington, negotiated and supervised a teacher exchange program at the University of Madrid (Complutense). She was a frequent speaker and lecturer at universities, including Cornell, Claremont, Michigan, Arizona, and Harvard.

Visitation will be held from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. on Friday, November 10th at Weed-Corley-Fish Funeral Home, 3125 N Lamar with Recitation of the Rosary at 7:00 p.m. Funeral Mass will be at 10:00 a.m. on Saturday, November 11, 2017 at St. Louis King of France Catholic Church, 7601 Burnet Rd. Interment will follow at Austin Memorial Park.