Cherilou Tadeo Wilder

Lucy Peros | Photos courtesy Wilder ‘Ohana

This month’s featured Sakada Offspring, Cherilou Tadeo Wilder was raised in a fun-loving family. She was born in 1964 on Maui, Hawai‘i. She attended St. Joseph School in Makawao from Kindergarten through grade 8. She participated in basketball, softball, cheerleading, and she was a Junior Police Officer (JPO). She attended Maui High School for four years. There she joined the DECA Club and the bowling team.

During her last semester in high school, she was able to attend Maui Community College (now called University of Hawai‘i Maui College), where she studied Social Services. Then she went into Early Childhood Education and graduated with a Certificate of Education.

According to Cherilou, she had the opportunity to work in many different jobs. The summer before her Senior year, she worked for Maui Pine in Hāli‘imaile. She picked pineapples and pulled weeds under the merciless hot sun together with her friends, whom she says made her job a more fun experience. Then she went to work for Goble Farms picking and planting carnation flowers in Kula. Her next job was at Stephanie’s Restaurant at the Maui Mall. While at college, she worked as a waitress for Ma Chan’s Restaurant at Queen Ka‘ahumanu Center and at Sizzler’s Restaurant at the Maui Mall.

During her last year of college, she did her work practicum at ‘Īao Preschool in Wailuku where she was hired as a preschool teacher and taught there for seven years until she joined the hospitality industry 35 years ago.

Cherilou is married to her wonderful husband, Michael Wilder. He works at the State of Hawai‘i, DAGS Department. They have been married for 36 years now. They are blessed with three precious children, Nicole, Michael Jr,. and Ashley. They have one grandchild.

Cherilou’s siblings are Arnold Tadeo, Ricardo “Ricky” Tadeo, Jr. (deceased) and Wilson Tadeo.

Cherilou reigned as Miss Barrio Fiesta for two years. She was a Tennis Champ for several years with her teammates in the hospitality industry and became Employee of the Year in 2012. She enjoyed playing women softball. She played for two teams, Da Plungers and 444Hair. Several hobbies Cherilou enjoys are swimming, walking, sewing and listening to various types of music like classical, instrumental, Hawaiian, reggae, hip hop and rock. She is the lone caregiver to her mom who has very limited mobility. She takes her to her doctor appointments and shopping.

Cherilou’s late Dad, Ricardo “Cardo” Bayogo Tadeo was born in Bangued, Abra, Philippines on March 4, 1912. He was one of the adventurous young Filipinos who wanted to travel to Hawai‘i in the 1930s to find a better life for himself and his family.

In those days, to be eligible to come, they had to be 18 years old or older. He was only 16 years old but he was able to change his birth date to March 4, 1910, making him 18 years old and eligible. He left the Philippines on board the S.S. President Wilson from Port Salomague, Cabugao, Ilocos Sur, Philippines. He landed on Hawai‘i island and worked at the sugar plantation there for two years before moving to Maui. In 1932, Ricardo decided to join his sister and brother-in-law, Macario Versola. He lived in Hāmākua Poko from 1932 through 1960. He even had his own Barber Shop there. Until today, Cherilou still has his cutting shears and it is sharp as ever. She now uses it to trim her family’s hair. Ricardo later moved to Pā‘ia near the Holy Rosary Church along Baldwin Avenue in the neighborhood of Nashiwa Bakery and Araki Store.

Ricardo worked at HC&S, first as a water boy, earning $1 per day, then as an irrigation man earning $3 per hour. He retired in 1975.

In March 1961, Ricardo decided to take a vacation to the Philippines to find a wife, together with his relatives, the late Silvestre and Lucy Novida of Hāli‘imaile, Maui. While in the Philippines, Ricardo and his brother went to Narvacan, Ilocos Sur to shop for a bed. There at the furniture store, they were helped by an attractive young salesgirl by the name of Tomasita “Masing” Roldan. Ricardo’s brother was related to Tomasita by marriage. So he invited her to go to Abra so he could formally introduce her to Ricardo, the Hawaiiano. In May 1961, Tomasita took a trip to Abra. That first meeting was so special it also became a day of marriage proposal. As Ricardo shook hands with Tomasita, literally, he proposed to her, and would not let go of her hands until she said yes. He promised her if she agreed to marry him, he would pay for all the wedding expenses even including her wedding dress, shoes, reception, hairdo, etc. He did as he promised!

On July 1, 1961, Ricardo and Tomasita were married at St. Lucy’s Church in Narvacan, Ilocos Sur, Philippines. A grand reception was held in Lungog, Narvacan.

Ricardo came back to Hawai‘i to work on August 4, 1961. Tomasita followed him on January 20, 1964. They lived in Pā‘ia for two years before moving to Hāli‘imaile in 1967. Tomasita remembered she and Ricardo watching movies at the old Pā‘ia Theater on Baldwin Avenue. She also remembered shopping at Bersamin’s Fish Market, Pā‘ia Mercantile, Ikeda’s Store, Horiuchi Meat Market, Economy Store, Nagata Superette, and at the Domingo Store.

Ricardo enjoyed going to the biagan (cockfights) by the Pu‘unēnē Mill. Many vendors sold their goods, kankanen (Filipino desserts,) and vegetables—just like a mini swap meet.

Tomasita and Ricardo both agreed that taking care of their young children was very important. Therefore, Tomasita stayed home for 15 years, as a housewife, until their youngest child attended school. She then joined the workforce at the former Wailuku Kentucky Fried Chicken (located where Stillwell’s is today, by the Wailuku Bridge), then at the Kahului KFC Branch.

Ricardo and Tomasita were blessed with four children, Cherilou Wilder, Arnold Tadeo, Ricardo “Ricky” Tadeo, and Wilson Tadeo.

Cherilou and Wilson collaboratively said these very heartwarming words about their Dad Ricardo: Dad was a very hardworking man to provide for our family’s needs. He made time every weekend to take us holo-holo to the beach for fishing, swimming and picnicking. He took us fishing for tilapia with throw nets, and night fishing for eels. He often took us to his vegetable garden in the middle of the cane fields. He taught us how to save money. We were influenced by him how to be good parents to our children and to be good partners to our spouses. Dad was an excellent cook and even helped cooked for parties at the Hāli‘imaile Clubhouse. We missed his delicious cooking, our favorite dishes at home. He was a quiet disciplinarian, but with a little raised voice, we knew he meant business. He was a fun person to have at parties. He loved to dance. He knew how to have a good time after a hard day’s work. Our children remember him as a fun grandpa playing sangdo sangdo (rubbing foreheads together with theirs). We truly miss him. Unfortunately, Dad passed away on June 20, 1995.

Lucy Peros is a retired schoolteacher, having taught at St. Anthony Grade School and Waihe‘e Elementary School. Her late parents, Elpidio Cachero Cabalo (a 1946 Sakada) and Alejandra Cabudoy Cabalo both worked for Maui Land and Pine Company. Lucy enjoys being with other retirees in the Enhance Fitness Program under the Department of Aging three times a week. Whenever she can, she joins other Waihe‘e School retirees when help is needed at the school. Lucy also devotes some of her time as Lector and choir member at both Christ The King Catholic Church in Kahului and St. Ann Catholic Church in Waihe‘e. She enjoys being with her granddaughters after school. She also enjoys writing, reading, and gardening in her spare time.