joined the Lord in heaven on February 20, 2010. She passed away peacefully at home after a brave fight with neuroendocrine carcinoma. She was surrounded by her beloved family and close friends. She was born Maria Evita Luisa Tan Labro in Cebu City, Philippines to Jose and Leonila Labro. She was raised in Catbalogan, Samar, earned a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Far Eastern University in Manila, then was recruited to work for St. Joseph’s Hospital in Phoenix, AZ in 1980. She met her husband-to-be Teodoro Medina “Teddy” Saquilayan while she was a 3rd-year nursing student and married him on June 12, 1984. She gave birth to her daughter Yvette Joanne “Joni” Saquilayan on April 3, 1985 and to her son Theodore Joseph “TJ” Saquilayan on June 12, 1988. She worked as a Registered Nurse for St. Joseph’s Hospital in the Medical Intensive Care Unit for 28 years and the Post-Anesthesia Care Unit for her final 2 years. She was very active in the Phoenix-area Filipino/Asian community, where she served as the 2006-2008 President of the Philippine Nurses Association of Arizona and a Board Member for the Asian-Pacific Community in Action, among several other leadership positions. Some of her more memorable awards include the Outstanding Leadership Award by the Philippine Nurses Association of America, Inc., the Acts of Caring Award by the Global Caring Nurses Foundation, Inc., and the 2008 Nurse of the Year in Community Service Award by the Philippine Nurses Association of Arizona. Above all, she was a selfless woman who always put family, friends, her patients, and even strangers before herself. She was genuine, honest, and full of integrity. She enjoyed the simple pleasures in life, especially just being with her family, whether that be trips to the movies or out of town on family vacations. She is preceded in death by her father, Jose, to whom she was very close to, along with her mother-in-law Eustaquia Saquilayan and father-in-law Jose Saquilayan. She is survived by her husband Teddy, daughter Joni, son TJ, mother Leonila, sisters Marilin Allena (Noli) and Irma Asuncion (Alwyn), brothers Edwin Labro (Lydia) and Joselito Labro, and several loved brothers/sisters-in-law and nephews/nieces. Visitation will be held on Thursday and Friday, February 25 and 26 from 6-9 pm at Whitney & Murphy Funeral Home, 4800 E. Indian School Rd. Phoenix, with a Rosary starting at 7pm. Funeral Mass will be held at St. Gregory Catholic Church at 1:00 pm, Saturday, February 27 at 3424 N. 18th Ave. Phoenix. Interment at St. Francis Catholic Cemetery. Per her request, please wear white to her funeral. All are welcome to come celebrate her life.
Adriana Rivera Perez
God bless you and all of your family.
May Evita rest in peace.
Moniki Pogue
My condolences to the family of Evita. I know you will miss your beloved. She is watching over you and waiting with open loving arms. She is at peace
Sandy Frankie
We were blessed to have you at St. Joe’s. Always smling and cheerful – very caring and passionate. You always put others before yourself and we will miss you.
Mary Jo (Jody) Hartung
My thoughts and prayers are with you at this time. I work in Cardiac ICU and occasionally worked with Evita when she was in MICU and after she moved to PACU. She was a tireless RN dedicated to her profession and caring for her patients and her families. God bless and keep you.
Alma de Garriz
To the Saquilayan Family,
On behalf of the Fil-Am Association of Az (FAAAZ), my family and I would like send our sincerest condolence. Please remember the Lord has plans for everyone and it is comforting to know Evita is now in a much better palce.
Regards,
Jun and Alma de Garriz
(FAAAZ)
Ernie Chu
May the Lord grant Evita eternal rest and peace and strength of faith to all her loved ones.
God bless you, Irma and Edwin, and all your loved ones.
Thelma San Antonio
Deepest sympathy to the loved ones of Evita. I was a classmate in high school and we hardly saw each other after that but she was a good friend and I have not forgotten her….She will be in my prayers…….Thelma (Tan) San Antonio
Dan and Claudia Marum
So sorry to hear of the loss of Evita. Our thoughts and prayers are with you at the difficult time. God has another Angel with him now. Believe me when I say I know what you are going through.
Love,
Claudia and Dan Marum
Chito M. Marasigan
My prayer goes to Evita and her family. I have known her family for a long time. Her mother Mrs. Leonila Labro was a teacher in Catbalogan 1 Elementary School and her sister Irma was my high school classmate in Sacred Heart College. i have not meet Evita’s husband and children and I just hope the best for them.
Cathy & Nick Ortiz
To Mr. Teddy Saquilayan,
I am the sister-in-law of Cecile Saquilayan-Vinzon. Even though we’ve never met your family only through pictures and stories told by Nanay Naty and Ate Cecile, my husband and I are deeply saddened by your loss. Please accept our deepest sympathy. Although no words can really help to ease the loss you bear, may the peace which comes from the memories of love shared, comfort you now and in the days ahead.
Sincerely,
Cathy & Nick Ortiz
Chula Vista, CA
Stephanie Seyer
I enjoyed knowing Evita through my work at St. Joseph’s Hospital. You all have my prayers with you as you remember her in the coming days, months, and years. Stephanie
Sydney Pettygrove
Joni, I am so sorry to hear of your loss. My thoughts are with you.
– Sydney
Rosemarie Cabangangan Yunzal
To the family of the late Evita Labro Saquilayan, condolences from your former classmate and family. Edgar, Xavier and Steffi Yunzal and Cabangangan Family.
Fil Matienzo
Boss Ted, Joni and TJ, your friends here are always with you specially these days. When I heard about it, I remember our (Ate Vits and I) frequent phone conversations and how she would thank me for listening to her… She’s a very sweet Ate… Be strong for her… Our prayers are with her.
Linda Browning, RN
Teddy, Joni, and TJ:
My thoughts and prayers are with you. I was so blessed to be one of the nurses who worked with Evita in the MICU. We shared patients, marriages, pregnancies, births, and life’s simple pleasures. I loved your mom dearly as a friend and was so impressed by her intelligence and work ethic. She was a special person to so many and will be greatly missed by many of us. She was a great wife and mother, was very wise and had a great sense of humor. I am so sorry for your loss. She was such a joy.
Linda Browning, RN
Kara Horrocks
My prayers are with your family. I always looked up to Evita as a nurse in MICU. She will be greatly missed.
mrs.irene roxas-cepnio
dear Ted,Joni,TJ and Labro-Saquilayan Family,
although we did not spend much time together after college life,evita (whom i fondly called “vits”) and i had been very closed during our nursing years.we were roommates and seatmates for 4 years.we treat each other like sisters with respect,loyalty,trust and integrity.we shared the ups and downs of being a student nurse and faced the challenges of youth and maturity with success.she had been my “super ego” everytime i wanted to go out of the norm.she’s always honest and trustworthy as a friend.she kept me straight always-reminding me to keep my head on studying and forget about boys. we’ve shared so much laughter and joy that after graduation it hurts to separate our ways but because we have to go on to our life and continue what we’ve started we separate our ways knowing we have each other deeply in our heart.i love her so much…like all of you i feel the pain and sorrow of losing her as a friend and sister…i will always keep her in my heart…along with my husband will and my children we will always keep all of you in our prayers and thoughts. i have offered 2 masses for her and your family -june 15 and october 10 (for her birthday) in my church here in madison,tn-St.Joseph Church.may the good lord bless you with peace and understanding o f her early passing….love always…irene and will cepnio of madison,tn
Arthur Saquilayan
May her soul rest in the eternal life with our Lord. Condolence from Saquilayan Family in Pateros, M.Mnl., Philippines.
Manny Cerojano
Hindi ko alam na may karamdaman ang Misis mo, Condolence sa maaga niyang pagpanaw.
Ver & Paz Velarde
We are very sorry for your loss, Pareng Ted. We did not learn of Evita’s passing until yesterday. Our thoughts and prayers are with you and your children.