Josefa Tan, widow of the late Jose Jo Yuchi of Bogo, Cebu, was born in Bantayan Island on February 6, 1893. Her parents were Manuel Tan, a Chinese national and Marcela Menaling Cabucos of Mabolo, Cebu City.

The eldest of fourteen children, having two twin brothers, she was only able to attend primary education. she had to devote most of her time taking care of the younger siblings and helping her father in the family meat business. At a very young age, she had to help her father butcher hogs much larger than herself, working like a man since the family coud not afford to hire help. In the afternoons she had to go around to collect payables from their regular customers. She had also to take care of all the laundry in a nearby well. At the end of the day, she prepared dinner all by herself.

Mother Nature gifted the young Josefa with beauty and hard working hands. She never envied her friends, young ladies of her age, when they went out to parties for which she never had time. With self-determination and self-study, she learned embroidery by hand and machine, cooking, gardening and even light carpentry. It was no wonder she had many suitors and serendaders which was the fad during her time.

One day in 1914 she was invited by a relative in Bogo, the late Mr. and Mrs. Jose Tan, to attend the Bogo Fiesta. With the consent of her parents, that was the first time she had ever been away from home. That was when she met Mr. Jose Jo Yuchi whose store was just beside that of Mr. Tan's. And that was the start of their love story. She was 22 when they got married on January 15, 1915. Shen then moved to Bogo while her parents followed later.

Five years later, in January of 1920, the couple bore their first child, Paciencia, who later married the late Jesus Verallo. In February of the following year, Leonisa was born. She married the late Santiago Tanchan, Sr. Tha last child, Corazon, who married Jesus Go, came in September of 1923.

The couple's business boomed due to Josefa's energetic help and good public relations with customers. "Jose-Pepang", the popular name of their establishment, became a by-word and an institution in pre-World War II Bogo and neighboring towns. It was the store to come to for everything.

A few years after her husband died in 1948, she moved to Cebu City to live with Leonisa where she has been lovingly taken care of till this day. Now, at the age of 105, with God's blessings, she still has complete mental faculties - just somewhat forgetful. She still has her original teeth and enjoys playing "sungka" with her two yayas. On Sundays, when Msgr. John Du comes to give her the sacrament of communion, she says complete prayers.

With the combined attention, resources and prayers of her three loving daughters, 20 grandchildren, 73 great-grandchildren, 5 great-great-grandchildren and the blessings of the Almighty, she continues to amaze everyone with the seemingly never-ending saga of her life.