WHO

One of Juan Manuel Cedeño's in Manuel Noriega's collections [Photo by Don Goode in The Enemy Within: Casting out Panama's Demons, Focus Publications, S.A., 1990]

WHO's Side Note -- LOOKING BACK

Like all his brothers and sisters, Juan Manuel believed the Cedeños were immortal, that they had found the fountain of youth. Often he could be seen driving his brothers Celio and Camilo around Panama City in his Chevrolet convertible -- all with their straw hats and shades -- an image leading WHO's son Brian to dub them the chicos del verano (the boys of summer). Surely, Juan Manuel's legacy of being one of Panama's foremost artists will ensure him immortality.

Juan Manuel Cedeño with WHO (right) and Jack Shea (left), WHO's son-in-law 1990.

Juan Manuel Cedeño (left) with sisters and brothers (from left): Carmen, Camilo, Luisa, and Nemesio in the mid-1990s. Not shown brother Celio.

On May 17, 2005, Juan Manuel's brother Camilo (center in above photo) celebrated his 100th birthday (he died at 101 years old -- days after his birthday in May 2006) , the first Cedeño to reach that milestone, but a number of his siblings were not too far behind him in that respect. Brothers Nemesio (right in above photo) in the late 1990s missed reaching the 100 year milestone by six days; Pedro died at 95 years, Virgilio at 92, Julio at 90, and their father at 93. And brother Celio, WHO's father-in-law, was 93 as of May 2005. Perhaps there is something to their belief of having cornered the fountain of youth.

Camilo at 100 (left), with brother Celio and sisters Carmen and Luisa. Photo by Yoella Cedeño 17 May 05

Another member of that rather unique "100 club" was WHO's maternal grandmother who died at 101 and his paternal grandfather died in 1968 at 95 years old.

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William H. Ormsbee. Jr. 2005