Manuel Angel Chinea

Manuel Angel Chinea-Quiñones (September 11, 1939 – December 30, 2021)

Manuel Angel Chinea-Quiñones (aka: Manny) left his mortal body to become one
with God’s perpetual light and perfect Love on December 30, 2021, after a
very long battle with cancer.  While he suffered much in life, he was able
to experience its fullness through the years, and a measure of comfort in
the end.  He leaves a vast hole in the hearts of many people; especially his
devoted wife of 30 years, Janet Marie (Rebilas-Hair) veuda de Chinea; five
children [Leslie Chinea, Michelle Modica (Bill), Krista DeSantis (Paul),
Michael Chinea (Magda), and Matthew Chinea (Julianna)]; and eight
grandchildren [Danielle Modica, Jason-Paul DeSantis, Ryan Chinea-Dunning,
Ethan Chinea, Marisa Chinea, Elle Chinea, Nathan & Nolan Chinea], who were
his delight; two sisters [Fran Benedetto, and Iby Chinea]; numerous in-laws,
cousins, nieces and nephews; and many very close and dear friends.

Manny lived a full life.  Born in San Juan, Puerto Rico, the eleventh of
thirteen children, and raised in New York and New Jersey, he was an athlete,
excelling in soccer (fútbol), fencing, competitive rifle, and tennis.  He
had an extremely broad and eclectic interest in music, and devoured
information about the world.  He was a veritable encyclopedia of geography,
history and anthropology.

Out of high school he enlisted in the US Navy and served in various ranks
and capacities between 1957 and 1963, traveling the East Coast of the United
States and the Mediterranean.  His experience and training on the ships
sparked an interest in amateur photography, film media and computers.  In
fact, computers became his avocation, which led to a long career in IT.

For years he navigated the challenges of being a single parent while holding
down two jobs. But on a ten-day sail in the US Virgin Islands in 1990, he
met Janet.  She became his partner in adventure, and in life.  They married
in 1992, and enjoyed sailing, skiing, camping, canoeing, hiking, biking,
world travel, music, genealogy research, old movie collecting, archaeology,
anthropology, history and life.

In 2010 Manny was diagnosed with cancer, and underwent an experimental
surgery, chemo therapy and radiation, which left him damaged, but
cancer-free for five years.  In 2016 the cancer returned.  He was in
continuous treatment from then on.  And on December 30, 2021, he succumbed
to an encephalopathy likely caused by years of toxic therapies.  Manny
always said that he had lived a full life and was not afraid to die – he was
afraid to suffer.  It was a struggle, but in the end he did not suffer.

Manny had a compelling and engaging personality, the loss of which will be
sorely felt by everyone who knew him.  He will be interred in Salisbury
National Cemetery in Salisbury, North Carolina on January 11, 2022.
Donations to the Mesothelioma Applied Research Foundation (M.A.R.F.) are
encouraged in lieu of flowers.  A celebration of Manny’s life will be
arranged later in the year.

“Grant him, O Lord, eternal rest, wrap him in your perfect Love, and let
perpetual light shine upon him.  Amen”