Maria Theresa “Tess” Pido, of Lansing, Michigan, passed away on March 13, 2026. Born on May 12, 1935, in Palanguia, Pototan, Iloilo Province on Panay Island, Philippines, to Dominadora Zaldivar and Frank T. Gradoville, she was lovingly raised by her grandmother Cleofas Puig Zaldivar and her uncle Jose Puig Zaldivar.
Tess’s life was shaped by faith, resilience, and a profound commitment to caring for others. As a young girl in the Philippines during World War II, she and her family survived by hiding in caves to escape the violence of occupying soldiers. Those early experiences forged the strength and compassion that defined her character. She graduated from St. Paul School of Nursing in Ilocos, Philippines, in 1958. After moving to the United States, she worked as a surgical nurse and later in home health care, devoting many years to helping the sick, the injured, and those nearing the end of life. Her Catholic faith remained the guiding force in her daily life and her service to others.
Tess found joy in gardening and crocheting, nurturing plants and flowers and creating blankets and gifts treasured by her family. She became a beloved figure in both her family and the Lansing community, remembered for her kindness, strength, and generosity. She shared a deep and devoted marriage with her husband, Deedy, for nearly fifty years until his passing.
Tess was preceded in death by her husband, Deedy; her children, Joseph, Pablo, Tony Jr., Tesa, and JJ; her parents; her siblings, Dolores, Daniel, Rebecca, Eddie, Maja, Estela, and Rhodora; and her great-grandson, Max. She is survived by her son, Ignatius Denis Pido; her brother, Romy; seventeen grandchildren; twenty-seven great-grandchildren; four great-great-grandchildren expected soon; and a loving extended and chosen family in the United States and the Philippines.
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