Maria Farrugia, Malta’s oldest person ever, dies at 112

The Gerontology Research Group is saddened to report news that Mrs. Maria Farrugia, the oldest person ever in Malta, passed away in Hamrun, Southern Region, Malta on 23 December 2024 at the age oif 112 years, 291 days.

Maria Farrugia was born as Maria Galea in Mosta, Northern Region, Malta on 7 March 1912. Her mother lived to be 100. She had four siblings. One of her siblings was killed by a bomb during one of Malta’s very first air raids at the age of 37.

She was a first-class seamstress, and she used to do sewing for others in order to supplement the family income.

In 1941, she married Ġorġ Farrugia with whom she had three children: Anġlu, Josephine and Karmena. Her husband was a soldier in the King’s Own Regiment and, later, following an injury, he was as employed with the Air Raids Precautions which would clean up debris and search for casualties following air raids. Her husband died in 1962, just before he turned 50.

On 8 December 2021, at the age of 109 years, 276 days, she surpassed the final age of Connie Galea (1890–2000), becoming the oldest known person ever in Malta. Three months later, on 7 March 2022, she celebrated her 110th birthday, becoming the first supercentenarian ever recorded in Malta. She turned 111 in 2023 and 112 in 2024.

Following her death, the new oldest living person in Malta is 108-year-old Grace Gatt (born 20 January 1916). Mrs. Grace Gatt is the granddaughter of Malta’s first prime minister, Joseph Howard (1862–1925).

Tmut l-ixjaħ mara f’Malta fl-età ta’ 112-il sena (Newsbook Malta, 24 December 2024)