Veronica Ag-a Guitelen Bayang arrived to her eternal home with the Lord on Good Friday, April 14, 2017. She began her life on January 3, 1938 in Sagada, Mountain Province, Philippines, the second of eight children.
Veronica obtained her RN degree at St. Luke's School of Nursing in Quezon City, Philippines in 1961, and her BSN degree at the University of New Mexico.
Veronica’s career in nursing spanned over forty-four years. Her first eight years were spent at St. Luke's Hospital in Quezon City, Philippines, Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN, Children's Hospital in Philadelphia, PA, French Hospital in New York City, NY and Beth Israel Hospital in Boston, MA. The next thirty-one years she worked as a federal employee with the U.S. Public Health Service in the Dakotas, Boston, and Gallup, NM. Twenty-six years of her federal employment were at the Gallup Indian Medical Center. Here, she was promoted to Operating Room Supervisor, then Infection Control Practitioner. Veronica earned many awards, being widely recognized for both her clinical and managerial skills, and for setting high standards in patient care and infection control. After retiring from federal service, she worked another five years at the Rehoboth McKinley Christian Hospital in Gallup.
On June 10, 1965, Veronica married Martin Eugenio Bayang in Topsfield, Massachusetts, and together they loved and raised 5 children.
Veronica worked hard, by diligently serving her Lord through All Saints' Episcopal Church, by being a great mother to the children and by working to help support their family.
She was known throughout her life for her kind and caring nature, her eager smile and her love of laughter. She was a lifelong member of the Episcopal Church and loved Jesus with all of her heart and her life.
She was well known for preparing amazing traditional Filipino feasts and baking her delicious banana bread. She loved reading cookbooks and trying out new recipes.
She enjoyed traveling, quilting, crocheting, knitting and most of all, spending time with her children and grandchildren.
Veronica is survived by her husband Martin of 52 years; son Martin Knox and daughter-in-law Kyla Michelle and their children (Martin Kyle and Victoria Lynn) of Tomball, Texas; daughter Beverly Jean and son-in-law Paul Bert Huff and their children (Leah Elizabeth, Emma Maree, and Jacob Paul) of Merritt Island, Florida; son Charles Kim of Carrboro, North Carolina; daughter Rebecca Lynn of Bailey, Colorado, and daughter Josephine Faith and son-in-law Peter Elias Kubista and their children (Elias Alexander and Adam James) of Westminster, Colorado; four brothers, Edward, Alfredo, Pedro Jr and Joseph Guitelen, in the Philippines; and sister Elizabeth Arcinue of San Diego, California, as well as numerous nieces and nephews.
She was preceded in death by her parents, Pedro and Petra Aga Guitelen, son Ben, and two brothers, Peter and Benedict Guitelen.
A memorial service will be held at St. David's by The Sea Episcopal Church, 600 4th Street South, Cocoa Beach, Florida, on Saturday, June 3rd at 3:00pm.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to All Saints' Episcopal Church, P.0. Box 157, Grants, New Mexico 87020.
We love you Mom.
