Fikrije Loki, North Macedonia’s oldest person ever, dies at 110
The Gerontology Research Group (GRG) is saddened to announce that Mrs. Fikrije Loki, the oldest person ever in North Macedonia, died in Tetovo, North Macedonia on 13 September 2024 at the age of 110 years, 247 days.
Fikrije Loki was born in the village of Bicec, municipality of Kacanik, Kingdom of Serbia (present-day Kosovo) on 10 January 1914 as the penultimate child in an Albanian ethnic family to father Zylbehar Bunjaku and mother Nurije Bunjaku. She had three brothers and seven sisters. She got married to Nesim Loki from the village of Kotline, Kaçanik, Kosovo where was born her first two children befoere 1955. In 1955, together with family, she moved to the city of Tetovo, Macedonia where was born her youngest son Raim, however only three months after Raim’s birth in 1963, her husband Nesim Loki died. After the death of her husband, she took over all the care of the family and children.
On 10 January 2014, she celebrated her 100th birthday and became a centenarian. From three children she had a total of twelve grandchildren as of November 2021.
On 20 August 2023, she surpassed the final age of Zaide Sali (1902–2011) of 109 years, 221 days, becoming the oldest known person to ever live in North Macedonia.
On 4 January 2024, following the death death 109-year-old Kallistheni Meleonitou of Greece, she became the oldest known living woman in the Balkans.
On 10 January 2024, she celebrated her 110th birthday and became the first known supercentenarian from North Macedonia.
On 1 July 2024, following the death of 110-year-old Fana Naci of Albania, she became the oldest living ethnic Albanian in the world.
On 17 August 2024, folowing the death of 110-year-old Ajka Lokmić of Bosnia and Herzegovina, she became the last known surviving Balkan person born in 1914.
At the time of her death, she was the second-oldest known living person in the Balkans, behind 111-year-old World War II veteran Ilie Ciocan of Romania. Following her death, the new oldest living person in North Macedonia is 106-year-old Ibush Ademi (born 16 April 1918) of Serova, Çair, North Macedonia, and the new oldest living woman in the Balkans is 109-year-old Milka Bauković (born 5 February 1915) of Serbia.
