Obituary for Veronica G. Bayang

Veronica Ag-a Guileten Bayang arrived to her eternal home with the Lord on Good Friday, April 14, 2017.  She was born 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, MA. They raised 5 children in Massachusetts, the Philippines, the Dakotas and New Mexico.

Veronica 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.  She loved Jesus with all of her heart and was a very supportive wife to her husband’s ministry.  Well known for her delicious traditional Filipino feasts and banana bread, she also loved reading cookbooks and trying out new recipes.  She enjoyed travelling, 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 (Kyla: Martin and Victoria) of Tomball, TX; daughter Beverly (Paul Huff: Leah, Emma, and Jacob) of Merritt Island, FL; son Charles of Chapel Hill, NC;  daughter Rebecca of Bailey, CO, and daughter Josephine (Peter Kubista: Elias and Adam) of Westminster, CO; brothers Edward, Alfredo, Pedro Jr and Joseph Guitelen, in the Philippines and sister Elizabeth Arcinue of San Diego, CA, as well as numerous cousins, nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Pedro and Petra Aga Guitelen, son Ben, and brothers Peter and Benedict Guitelen.