Juan Bautista Quiroz Pití, the oldest known living person (and man) in Panama, turned 111 years old yesterday but celebrated his birthday today in Volcancito, Boquete, Chiriquí, as confirmed by his family.
Juan Bautista Quiroz Pití (sometimes spelled Pittí) was born in the small town of Cochea in Boquete, Chiriquí, Panama, on 29 August 1915 to parents Manuel de Jesús Quiroz and Serafina Pití. As was typical for rural children of his generation, he grew up around a large extended family which included his aunts, uncles, and cousins. At the age of 8, under the advice of his uncle, Santo, he began attending school at a small schoolhouse in their town. However, he would only attend for 3 months before he began working in the fields, growing crops such as corn, yucca, mangoes, and avocados.
At the age of 17, he met Clementina Espinoza Pittí (22 August 1915 – 21 October 2010), who was just one week older than him. She already had a daughter from a previous relationship, whom Quiroz would adopt and raise as his own. The couple would also later adopt a niece a few years later, but would have no biological children together nor got married. At some point, the family moved to Volcancito, a town in Boquete that was to the north of Cochea, making the trip aboard the cheapest available train on the Chiriquí Railway (each ticket reportedly cost just 40 cents). Upon arriving at a train station in Bajo Boquete, the family made the rest of their journey by horseback. With the help of his brother-in-law, Quiroz would build his family’s house, requiring them to carry the building materials for several miles to get to the property.
LongeviQuest extends warm congratulations to Juan Bautista Quiroz Pití on his 111th birthday and thanks his family for providing us for the photographs of his celebration.
