José Melesio Gutiérrez Padilla

José Melesio Gutiérrez Padilla, 36, an architect from Cincinnati, OH, was murdered in the state of Zacatecas, Mexico, while visiting his fiancée in the state of Jalisco, Mexico. He will forever be remembered for his great charisma and a smile that lit up the whole room. José always put his family first, never met a stranger and left an eternal light in each and every soul he met.

For his first 12 years, he lived with his grandparents in León, Mexico, before moving north to Hamilton, Ohio to live with his parents. He is the oldest of 7 siblings. After graduating high school, he worked in construction for a couple years. While working in construction, he set high standards to pursue a career. He then attended Miami University. There, he found his passion for art and construction. After his school trip to Ghana, he felt very lucky to be living in a country with more opportunities. José always wanted to make his parents and grandparents proud and wanted to set an example for his younger siblings. José was a first-generation college graduate in his family, earning his Master’s Degree in Architecture. It was a great accomplishment for him. He left his hometown of Hamilton to pursue his career in Boston, Massachusetts for a company named Shepley Bulfinch. He lived there for 4 years but was very family orientated and missed his family back home. José received a great opportunity at Champlin Architecture in Cincinnati, Ohio. José was a talented designer and coordinator who made an impact on his community through his many projects. Champlin Architecture will be honoring José by creating a scholarship in his name at Miami University.

He is survived by his parents, Blanca Padilla Torres, and Enrique Gutiérrez. Brothers; Luis Gutiérrez, Cristian Gutiérrez, Miguel Gutiérrez, Noe Gutierrez and Sisters; Griselda Gutiérrez and Brandie Gutiérrez.

Visitation will be held on Thursday, February 9th, 2023 from 5:00 PM to 8:00 PM at Brown Dawson Flick Funeral Home, 1350 Millville Avenue, Hamilton, Ohio 45013. Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Friday, February 10th, 2023 at 10:00 AM at St. Julie Billiart Catholic Church, 224 Dayton Street, Hamilton, Ohio 45011. Burial to follow at Rose Hill Burial Park.