Elin Karlsson
- Full name: Elin Karlsson
- Lifespan: (21.04.1900 – 27.09.2010)
- Age: 110 years, 159 days
- Birthplace: Lyse, Lysekil kommun, Västra Götalands län, Sweden
- Last residence: Borås, Borås kommun, Västra Götalands län, Sweden
- Application date: 22.04.2010
- Validation date: 23.07.2010
- Validation source: Marten Andersson
Biography
Elin Dorotea Karlsson was born in Lyse, Bohuslän (now Västra Götaland), Sweden on 21 April 1900 as the daughter of August and Anna Maria Johansson Karlsson. Elin Karlsson never married and primarily worked as a nanny until her retirement.
Despite her age, Elin Karlsson had largely taken care of herself up until a week prior to her death. On her 110th birthday, she prepared her own breakfast and heated her ready-made frozen dinner. What she couldn’t manage was taken care of by home care services and her two nieces who regularly checked on her in her apartment at Blombacka.
Elin Karlsson did not like the public spotlight. If she had her way, her 110th birthday would have passed quietly. However, she agreed to appear in her congregation’s (Jehovah’s Witnesses) magazine, which is distributed worldwide.
But because she was one of the two oldest people in the country at the time of her birthday, she reluctantly participated in newspaper and TV interviews, which sought her out.
“I am obliged and forced to do this,” she remarked.
During her working life, Elin Karlsson worked as a nanny, a job she enjoyed very much. She also ran a handicraft shop in Borås, named Elko, for a decade, which was located opposite the old post office in the center.
Her greatest wish was to participate in the inauguration of the newly built Kingdom Hall at Tullen, but the construction was not completed in time.
Due to the unusual occurrence of there being two living supercentenarians in Sweden at the time, Elin Karlsson never became the oldest living person in Sweden, this title was instead held by Maria Eriksson (27 March 1900-10 January 2011) who was less than one month older than Elin.
Elin Karlsson passed away in Borås, Västra Götaland, Sweden on 27 September 2010 at the age of 110 years, 159 days. Elin Karlsson is primarily mourned by her nieces and nephews, relatives, a large circle of friends, and her congregation where she was active until the very end.
Longevity titles
- The 2nd oldest living person in Sweden
Validation
Elin Karlsson’s age was verified by Marten Andersson, GRG Correspondent for Sweden, and validated by the GRG on July 23, 2010.
Elin Karlsson at age 110.
Photo courtesy of Borås Tidning.
