DANIEL QUENGA CEPEDA

Daniel Quenga Cepeda, passed away Sunday, August 26, 2018, at age 82. Dan was born January 3, 1936, in Guam. Dan was known for his toughness. He was tested early, when his family became imprisoned as a result of the Japanese occupation immediately following Pearl Harbor. He endured the harsh conditions of the concentration camps while losing his father to the devastating acts of war. In 1949, the family relocated to San Diego where he attended Lincoln High School and played varsity football. While working with the City of San Diego, he established the Cepeda Brothers Martial Arts studio with his brother, Fred and friend, Bayani Abueg, which became a San Diego fixture until his retirement in 1995. He was known citywide as Sifu Dan, Master Black Belt in Kenpo Karate and Babao Style Arnis. In 2014, he was inducted into the Martial Arts Masters Hall of Fame in Long Beach, California. In retirement, he and Arlene moved to northwest Las Vegas. He loved his dogs and could be seen daily walking them at Mountain Crest Park where he also assisted Tai Chi classes on the lawn. He is survived by his wife, of 53 years, Arlene Cepeda; his son, Daniel Castor Cepeda; sister, Josefina Griffin; brothers, Fred Cepeda and Jesse Cabrera. Dan will be fondly remembered by family and friends as a kind, generous, and protective man who gave back to his community time and again. He persevered under extreme adversity and tragedy living a full and productive well-lived life. For information on The Celebration of the Life of Dan Cepeda, email sifudan82@gmail.com.