Eugénie Blanchard

Eugénie Blanchard
Born Anne Eugénie Blanchard
16 February 1896
Saint Barthélemy
Died 4 November 2010
(aged 114 years, 261 days)
Saint Barthélemy
Title Oldest verified living person in France (25 May 2008 – 4 November 2010)
Oldest verified person in the world (2 May 2010 – 4 November 2010)

Anne Eugénie Blanchard (16 February 1896 – 4 November 2010) was a French-Saint Barthélemy supercentenarian, who at the age of 114 years, 261 days was the oldest living person at the time of her death. She became the recognised title-holder upon the death of Japanese supercentenarian Kama Chinen on 2 May 2010. At the time of her death, Blanchard was the 33rd oldest person ever verified, the 3rd oldest verified French person ever and the oldest verified person ever from the island of Saint Barthélemy (administratively and legally a part of Guadeloupe from 1878 until 2007), which is an overseas collectivity of France.

Biography

Blanchard was born in the Merlet neighborhood of St. Barths on 16 February 1896.[1] She was born only 18 years after the former Swedish island of St. Barths was sold back to France. Blanchard was the last survivor of thirteen brothers and sisters.[1]

Blanchard moved to Curaçao in May 1923, where she became a Catholic nun of the Congregation of Franciscan Sisters of Roosendaal on the island.[2] She adopted the name Sister Cyria during her years with the order, but earned the nickname "Sweets" due to her treatment of others, according to Victorin Lurel, the President of the Regional Council of neighboring Guadeloupe.[1] Other reports have indicated that Curaçaoan children called her "Douchy," which is derived from "Dushi" meaning "sweets" or "candy" in Papiamento, the creole language of Curaçao, because she worked as a sweet seller.[2]

Blanchard remained with the Congregation of Franciscan Sisters of Roosendaal on Curaçao until August 1955, when she returned to Saint Barthélemy at the age of 60.[1][2] She resided alone with her cat until she moved to a hospital nursing home in 1980 at the age of 84 due to declining health.[1][2]

Blanchard was described as generally in good health during her later years, despite the loss of her eyesight and her inability to speak.[1][2] She died in Saint Barth's on 4 November 2010, at the age of 114.

See also

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 "Eugenie Blanchard dies at 114; nun was considered the world's oldest person". Los Angeles Times. 2010-11-05. Retrieved 2010-11-14.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 "Eugénie Blanchard, 112 ans, doyenne des Français". Le Post (in French). 27 May 2008. Retrieved 8 January 2009.

External links

Preceded by
Clémentine Solignac		 Doyenne de France
25 May 2008 – 4 November 2010 		Succeeded by
Mathilde Aussant
Preceded by
Kama Chinen		 Oldest recognized living person
2 May 2010 – 4 November 2010 		Succeeded by
Maria Gomes Valentim