Vincent Gutierrez

Vincent Lee Gutierrez, born Nov. 11, 1957, in Rock Springs, Wyoming, passed away on Feb. 11, 2026. Known to many as “Vinni,” he was a musician, an entrepreneur, a father and a man whose life was deeply shaped by creativity, resilience, and connection.

Vince developed an interest in music at the age of 5 and received his first guitar at the age of 9. He lived and breathed rock 'n' roll, and his life was laced with late nights, loud amps, and songs that never really ended. Entirely self-taught, he went on to play bass, drums, piano, and guitar, becoming known for both his musical talent and unmistakable voice. Over the years he performed as lead vocalist and guitarist in several bands, most notably The Staves during the 1980s. Vince was a natural frontman and an equally talented songwriter. Music was not just something he did; it was part of who he was, shaping friendships, memories, and the rhythm of his life.

An entrepreneur at heart, Vince turned his passion for music into business during the 1980s when he launched his own guitar string company, producing two lines of strings: Skull Rockers Guitar Strings and Kentucky Blue Grass Blends, along with a successful product called “The Guitar Kit.” During that same era, he worked at one of his favorite jobs, Parker Music, a music store located in Memorial City Mall in Houston. Known for its tight-knit crew of musicians, misfits, and rock 'n' rollers, it became a place filled with laughter, creativity, and more than a few after-hours band practices.

In the 1990s, Vince began a new chapter in the mortgage industry, eventually founding Vince Gutierrez Mortgage in 2001. He owned and operated the company for more than two decades, helping countless families, friends, and colleagues navigate the path to homeownership. While he assisted clients at every stage of life, he was especially proud of helping first-time buyers achieve the dream of owning a home.

Vince spent his earliest years in Reliance, Wyoming, but as the son of a Shell Oil executive, he moved around a lot, living in places as varied as Ohio, outdoorsy Anchorage, Alaska, and San Jose, California, a hippie stronghold. In 1972, the family settled in the Klein area of Greater Houston, where Vince made lasting connections that would carry him through the years.

Vince spent many of his adult years in Spring Branch, where he raised his two daughters as a single father. He was deeply passionate about music of all genres and the art of songwriting and storytelling. For many who knew him, certain songs will forever be tied to memories of Vince. The music he loved often told stories of love, love lost, perseverance, and starting over, reflecting a man who continued to find his way forward through life’s hardest seasons.

That love of storytelling extended to cinema. Vince was a devoted movie enthusiast, and even when money was tight, he made sure weekends included trips to the $1 theater, where he and his daughters would movie-hop together. He was drawn to the rogue, the rebel, the complex character, and the underdog. Trading movie quotes became a lasting love language between Vince and his daughters.

Vince was also passionate about food. From scouting the best taquerias in town to cooking hearty meals and exploring new recipes, food became another love language he inherited from his mother and passed down to his family.

After his daughters were grown, Vince moved to Tennessee for many years, where he developed a deep love for gardening. When he embraced a hobby, he pursued it fully, growing just about everything he could and becoming remarkably knowledgeable in the craft. During a visit to Houston, he built a boxed-bed vegetable garden for his grandson Max, creating a space where Max could learn to grow and enjoy his own harvest.

Vince was rarely without a stack of books nearby. He gravitated toward history, spirituality, and gothic and supernatural fiction, including authors like Anne Rice, reflecting his curiosity and thoughtful nature. In the last few years of his life, Vince often reflected on returning to the quiet serenity and familiarity of Rock Springs, Wyoming, and found comfort in hearing stories about the small town where generations of the Gutierrez family first put down roots.

Though his journey was not always easy, Vince kept moving forward, guided by music, creativity, and a stubborn belief that every new chapter held the possibility of redemption and connection.

He is survived by his two daughters, Amy Gutierrez and her partner Danenon Hawkins, and Heather Gutierrez and her husband, Robert Ehlinger, Jr.; his younger brother Curt Gutierrez and Curt’s wife Chris Gutierrez; and his grandson, Max.

Celebration of Life

Sun., Mar. 1, 2026 at 2:00 PM

Memorial Oaks Funeral Home

13001 Katy Freeway

Houston, Texas 77079

In Lieu of Flowers

Donations may be made in Vince’s honor to:

• The Council on Recovery – https://www.councilonrecovery.org/donate/

• El Sistema Texas – https://elsistematexas.org/