Carolina M. Gutierrez

Carolina Alcanites Manabat was born on October 17, 1933 in Real, Calamba, Laguna. She was the only child born to Marcos Manabat and Carolina Alcanitez. The family settled in the Tondo neighborhood of Manila after her father, a locomotive engineer, was stationed to travel the Southern Luzon and Bicol region.

She went to Rizal Elementary and Torres High School. Carolina loved music in her life and so continued to Santa Ysabel College to pursue a degree of Bachelor of Arts and Music. She performed a ninety minute graduation recital on November 29, 1958 with an original composition titled "Consolation" alongside major pieces from Bach, Haydn, Schumann and Liszt. She was teaching while she was still a student and upon graduation, continued to teach Music Composition and lessons to aspiring children in her neighborhood and around town.

She married Isabelo Gutierrez on March 7, 1964 after being engaged for twelve years. The ceremony took place at Immaculate Concepcion. After he was drafted into the US Army, he worked overseas to save for a house to be built and to settle in Tondo, Manila where they met when they were children.

In 1984, the family immigrated to Chula Vista, California. She worked at Vista Hill Hospital as a dietary worker and retired in 1993. She traveled almost regularly to Manila to visit cousins and remaining family members. She was at first religously involved in the church activites in Espiritista and later in life she found her direction within the Chosen Vessel Christian Family Church in National City, Ca.

Carolina will be remembered dearly by her family and friends as a caring and thoughtful person, someone who managed to find meaning .

She is survived by her husband Isabelo Quismorio Gutierrez, and two children, Belina and Roberto Gutierrez, son-in-law Reny and three grandchildren, Madelynn, Richard and Alexis Hernandez.