Alma Isabel Aguilar Gutierrez, 67, of Seatac, Wash., and formerly of Clarkston, passed away peacefully on Wednesday, Jan. 6, 2021, after her long battle with cancer.
She was born Jan. 3, 1954, in Yakima Valley, Wash., to Maria Fuentes and Fernando Aguilar. She grew up with her six siblings in Clarkston.
Alma spent her high school years living with her Uncle Octavio and Aunt Josephine Rodriguez, graduating from Grandview High School in 1972.
She attended the University of Washington in Seattle, finishing with a degree in social work. Alma worked for King County Youth Source in Seattle for more than 30 years, serving underprivileged youth.
She was a fierce advocate for young people. Her commitment to social justice was rewarded when she and her colleagues received an award from the Obama administration’s Department of Labor for the most effective one-stop service provider for youth in the nation.
Alma retired in January 2014, leaving behind a legacy of positive accomplishment in the lives of the youth she helped.
She married the love of her life, Alfredo de Luna Gutierrez, on Nov. 26, 2019, after sharing com-panionship together for the past 20 years.
She is survived by Alfredo of Seattle and his children and grandchildren of Mexico; mother, Maria Maguire of Spokane; sisters, Marie Eggart of Spokane, Alvie (Larry) Beitlich of Colbert, Wash., and Angela Aguilar of Lewiston; brothers, Fernando Aguilar of Kennewick, Ernie (Kathy) Aguilar of Clarkston, Scott Crowder from Poulsbo, Wash., Prior (Marge) Quigley of St. George, Utah; and numerous aunts, uncles, cousins, nieces and nephews who held a special place in Alma’s heart.
She was preceded in death by a stepdaughter, Sandra Isabel de Luna Martinez; her father, Fernando Aguilar; her stepfather, John Maguire; a sister, Linda Aguilar; a stepsister, Anne Daniel; and brothers-in-law, William Eggart and Lynn Acheson.
Alma was a gentle, loving soul, showing compassion and empathy for others. She was fun and full of passion for life. She proudly celebrated her Mexican heritage. She was an excellent cook of Mexican cuisine and loved sharing family recipes and teaching many nieces and nephews so they could carry on the tradition. Alma was a living miracle and constant source of inspiration. With each diagnosis, she defied the medical norms and lived magnificently without complaint or self-pity. She went home with the same joyful dignity in which she lived her life.
Alma will be laid to rest in Clarkston. Memorial services will be held at 11 a.m., March 19, at the Holy Family Catholic Church, 1109 Chestnut St. Burial services will begin at 12:30 p.m. at Vineland Cemetery, with a luncheon to follow at Holy Family. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests memorial donations be made to King County Youth Source, Dept. of Community and Human Services, 401 Fifth Avenue, Suite 500, Seattle, WA, 98104.
