Francisca Celsa dos Santos
- Full name: Francisca Celsa dos Santos
- Lifespan: 21.10.1904
- Death date: 5.10.2021
- Age: 116 years, 349 days
- Birthplace: Cascavel, Ceara, Brazil
- Last residence: Fortaleza, Ceara, Brazil
- Application date: 30.11.2019
- Validation date: 09.07.2020
- Validation source: Tiago Jose Soares Silva/Fernanda Aliny B. Celso/Maria Vilani B. Celso/et al.
Biography
Early Life
Francisca Celsa dos Santos was born to Raimundo Gertrudes dos Santos and Maria Antonia do Espirito Santo in Cascavel, Ceara, Brazil. She claimed to have been born on 22 October 1904, but research suggests she was actually born one day earlier.
Celsa dos Santos worked in household chores, and later as a merchant selling lace cloths. At some point before 1935, she married Raimundo Celso (1905–1979). They had six children, three of whom were still living as of 2020. Before the birth of their last child, the couple went to the civil registry office in Pacajus, Ceara to get officially married.
Later Life
Shortly after her husband’s death on 4 September 1979, Celsa dos Santos moved to live with her daughter in Messejana, a neighbourhood in Fortaleza, Ceara, Brazil. At the age of 85, Celsa dos Santos was diagnosed with a malignant tumor. According to her daughter, the doctors did not expect her to survive, so the family took her out of hospital and decided to treat her with home remedies. Despite the odds, she successfully recovered.
Since 2012, Celsa dos Santos had been unable to walk. As of November 2019, she was cared for by one of her three daughters, Nazete Monteiro (then aged 73), and her granddaughter, Fransilvia. She reportedly did not take any medication and rarely got sick, but was not very lucid. Her health was monitored by her grandson, Dr. Luziney Monteiro.
Francisca Celsa dos Santos died from pneumonia on 5 October 2021 in Fortaleza, Ceara, Brazil at the age of 116 years, 349 days (claimed 116 years, 348 days).
Following Celsa dos Santos’ death, Antonia da Santa Cruz became the oldest validated living person in Brazil, as well as the third-oldest living validated person in the world.
Celsa dos Santos was the last known validated person from the Americas who was born in 1904, and was also the second to last surviving validated person born in 1904. After her death, Lucile Randon became the last surviving validated person born in 1904.
Longevity titles
Doyenne of Brazil (16.10.2017-5.10.2021)
Validation
Francisco Celsa age was verified by Tiago Jose Soares Silva, Fernanda Aliny B. Celso, Maria Vilani B. Celso et al, and validated by the GRG on 09.07.2020.
Francisca Celsa dos Santos (date unknown)
Miss Francisca at the age of 72
