Maria Cueto

Tributes

Rebecca Chai-Peka

I am so sorry to hear of Maria passing. My deepest condolences to you and your family. Wishing you strength and comfort through this difficult time. Rest in peace,Maria 💕

Prue and Roe Baluyut

I’ll always remember you welcoming Roe and I as if you’ve known us for a long time in 2015 and then my family when we visited Nelson and had our Xmas eve with you in 2016. You also never forgot about us even when we moved out of Welly.
Thank you for all warm hugs. Thank you for being our Tita M.
Sending our love to Tito Ronald, Rael and Ryan and the rest of the family.

Cathy Burt

I worked with Maria at HP. People also called her Gidget. She is a bubble person. She loves her family. We knew each other more because of lunch time catch-ups when we were at HP. She also became the BA lead. Outside of work, our sons also got to know each other. They introduced Nate to basketball, and I think Ryan each gave his basketball to Nate. About 3-4 weeks ago I bumped to her and Ronald. As always we would greet each other with warmth, asked about the kids etc.
She is a loved mum, sister, daughter and friend, and will certainly be missed. 🙁

Ray and Hydee Salasiban

We met Tita Gidget and her family through our dear friend, Dex and Malou. They became neighbors way back. And because of basketball, Estor family, Manalili family, and Gempesaw family came to join. Tita Gidget was our organizer. Inventor of parlor games. She would suggest that we go to this place, do this and do that. One sample was during covid lockdown. She organized for the group to play bingo live online. That was fun. A caring wife to her husband and a living mum to her sons. We will miss you and your stories. Every Dad’s jokes will be incomplete now without your laughter. It will never be the same again. As you enter another door, may you find peace and happiness. God bless you always.

Annie Javier

I’m so sorry to hear of Ate Gidget’s passing and my deepest condolences and sympathies to the Cueto family. Rest in light and peace, Ate Gidget. My prayers are with you and your family.

Janice Morton

Dearest Maria
I am sitting in a hotel room in Manila, a place I would never have come to if not for you.
This world has lost a wonderful, smart, funny and most of all a kind woman.
A wife, mother, sister, daughter who showed your love and beautiful nature to whomever you met.
Rest in peace my friend.

Cherry Scarth

We will remember Maria as a kind hearted person.
He rangatira pai ia. He tamāhine pai ia. He tuākana pai ia. He māmā pai ia. He hoa pai ia.

Tiro tiro ki tāku tāu.
Kei hea rā kei hea.
Kei runga kē. kei raro kē.
kei roto i tāku mōemōeia.

Pia Canlas

Im so sorry to hear about Tita Gidget’s passing. Im sending all our love and prayers to Tito Ronald, Raph and Ryan. Tita Gidget has been one of the kindest and nicest person I know. She has not only helped me get into Testing back in 2015 but has been a family friend for a long time. I will miss all our chats, your infamous baking and your hearty laughs. Im so blessed to have met someone like you. Love you tita ❤️
– Pia, Aj and Amelie

Tim Guthrie

I met Maria through work. One day when we completed a difficult project she bought in a home baked cake to celebrate. The team and I had never tried a Purple yam cake before, and all agreed it was the best cake ever. Purple cakes to celebrate success became a work tradition from that point forward.
Maria and I bonded over our mutual love of food and cooking. I didn’t know much about Filipino food, but I would try and cook it and come back to her for advice. She would always give me great tips and explain what to change in my cookbooks and would bring me examples to try. Every time I traveled to Asia I would come back and talk to her about all the amazing crab I ate. We both bemoaned how small NZ crabs were, but agreed small crab was better then no crab. Every time I eat Filipino food I will think of Maria.
Maria was such a caring, happy and generous women. She was always a pleasure to work with, I feel very lucky to know her. My deepest condolences and sympathies to the Cueto family.
Rests in piece Maria.

Ryan Day

I had the joy of working with Maria at MBIE – she was the heart of our team and would constantly talk about her boys, their sneakers and their basketball. She would feed the team – her Purple Cake was legendary and when I asked her for the Recipe, she provided it complete with ingredients that are hard for us Europeans to find. One day she even turned up with freshly caught crabs that she gave me to take home. She will be missed by many in the Wellington IT community. Thank you Maria, rest well.

Nina Chew

I will always remember Gidget as a true fashionista. She had an incredible sense of style and always dressed to impress. At work, Gidget carried herself with such calmness and grace, and when she spoke, everyone listened. Outside of work, she was the life of the social scene and a familiar face at basketball events. Gidget, you will truly be missed, but your spirit and the beautiful memories you’ve given us will live on forever.

Gina Reid Reid

I was deeply saddened when I heard about Gidget’s passing. To the Cueto family, deep condolences, so very sorry for your loss.
I have known Gidget when she was a member of the NZ Filifest Cultural Group. She even took her two sons to learn Philippine culture through music, songs and dances and was heavily involved in our performances all over the North Island but especially here in Wellington. She always had a lovely smile even when not performing and was always kind everyone in the group.
To Gidget, you may no longer with us in person, but your spirit will remain in our hearts. Thank you for the great memories you have left behind with us. Rest in peace, you are deeply loved and will never be forgotten.

Jun & Helen Reyes

My dear Gidget,
The news of your passing is uncomprehensible .My sister from different mother.
No more giggling about things ( chismis ) , food for take away whenever we drop by at your place before heading home to Ohakune , Christmas present ( pinapa courier mo pa) .
As soon as Jun and I comeback to New Zealand we are going to visit the boys.
And daya mo tinakasan mo kami. I love you sister.

Mel McKeown

You were such joy and light to everyone around you. Your happiness and laughter were infectious. I feel blessed to have worked with and been mentored by you. I wouldn’t be in this career without all your care and guidance. You had so much love for your family and the Filipino community – all my love and prayers to them.
I will miss you friend xoxo

Jun & Helen Reyes

My dear Gidget,
The news of your passing is uncomprehensible .My sister from different mother.
No more giggling about things ( chismis ) , food for take away whenever we drop by at your place before heading home to Ohakune , Christmas present ( pinapa courier mo pa) .
As soon as Jun and I comeback to New Zealand we are going to visit the boys.
And daya mo tinakasan mo kami. I love you sister.

Cristine Cueto Chan

Thank you ate gidget for all the love, care, support and understanding you have given our family. Especially the love and patience you have given my brother.. You will be in our hearts forever.. We will miss our get together whenever we visit PH. We love you ate gidget and We will. always pray for you.

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