María Esther de Capovilla

• Full name: María Esther de Capovilla
• Lifespan: (14.09.1889 – 27.08.2006)
• Age: 116 years, 347 days
• Birthplace: Ecuador
• Last residence: Ecuador
• Application date: N/A
• Validation date: 12.12.2005
• Validation source: Guinness World Records/Robert Young

Biography

Maria Esther Heredia Lecaro was born on September 14 1889 in Guayaquil, Ecuador.

She married Antonio Capovilla in 1917. They went on to have five children together. Antonio sadly passed away in 1949, after which Maria didn’t remarry.

At the age of 100, Maria nearly died, even given the last rites by the local priest. She recovered and remained free of health problems from then on.

In September 1999, Maria turned 110, becoming a supercentenarian. She was the first documented person to reach 110 in the history of Ecuador.

On May 29 2004, she became the oldest known living person in the world, following the death of Ramona Trinidad Iglesias Jordan of Puerto Rico. Maria also at this time became the last known person born in the 1880’s.

At the end of her life she caught pneumonia and passed away on August 27 2006, aged 116 years, 347 days, in Guayaquil.

Sources

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/5293436.stm

https://www.theage.com.au/world/the-word-from-the-worlds-oldest-person-20051211-ge1eno.html

Validation

Her age was verified by Guinness World Records and Robert Young, then validated by the Gerontology Research Group (GRG) on December 12 2005.