María Capovilla
Encyclopedia
María Esther Heredia de Capovilla (née Lecaro; known internationally as María Capovilla; 14 September 1889 – 27 August 2006) was an Ecuadorian supercentenarian
, and, at the time of her death at age 116 years 347 days, was recognized by Guinness World Records
as the world's oldest living person
. She was the last remaining person born in the 1880s. Capovilla is the oldest person ever of South America
as well as of the southern hemisphere
, and is one of only seven people who have lived to age 116 without question. Furthermore, she was the first 116-year-old to live in three different centuries, the oldest person born in the 19th century to have lived into the 21st century, and historically the oldest person ever to have lived in three different centuries. She was the oldest person that died in the 2000 decade, and of this century so far. Capovilla is also the oldest person from a developing country
.
, she was the daughter of a colonel, and lived a life among the upper-class elite, attending social functions and art classes. She never smoked or drank hard liquor. In 1917, she married a military officer, Antonio Capovilla, who died in 1949. Antonio, an ethnic Italian, was born in Pola, Austria-Hungary
(now Pula
, Croatia), in 1864. He moved to Chile
in 1894 and then to Ecuador in 1910. After his first wife died, he married María. They had five children, three of whom were living at María's death: Hilda (81), Irma (80) and son Anibal (78). She also had twelve grandchildren, twenty great-grandchildren and two great-great-grandchildren.
At age 100, Maria nearly died and was given last rites
, but had been free of health problems since then. In December 2005, at the age of 116, Maria was in good health for someone of her age and watched TV, read the paper and walked without the aid of a stick (though she was helped by an aide). Unfortunately, Maria was not able to leave her home in the two years before her death and she shared her home with her eldest daughter Hilda, and her son-in-law. In a media interview Maria stated her dislike of the fact that women nowadays are permitted to court men, rather than the reverse.
By March 2006, however, Capovilla's health had declined, and she was not able to read the newspaper any more. Maria had nearly stopped talking and no longer walked except when helped by two people. Still, Capovilla was able to sit in her chair and fan herself, and had been doing fine until she succumbed to a bout of pneumonia
in the last week of August 2006, just 18 days before she would have celebrated her 117th birthday.
of the Netherlands (thought to be the world's oldest person from 29 May 2004 to 30 August 2005), when she died, and Elizabeth Bolden
of the United States (thought to be the world's oldest person from 30 August 2005 to 9 December 2005).
Guinness noted that "María Esther de Capovilla has beaten the odds – not only to live past 116, but to have the records to prove it." Their spokesman, Sam Knights, added in a telephone interview from London that "while a lot of the time it's difficult for people to prove their age, there was no problem with any of the documents we were shown in Mrs Capovilla's case". Capovilla was finally added to the Guinness website on 12 April 2006.
On 10 February 2004, Capovilla surpassed Australian Christina Cock
to become the oldest person ever from the Southern Hemisphere (since Guayaquil
lies below the Equator).
At the time of her death at age 116 years 347 days, she was and still is the fifth-oldest fully documented and officially validated person to have ever lived.
Following her death on 27 August 2006, her successor as oldest person was Elizabeth Bolden, the previous "titleholder". Bolden became only the second person to regain the title after losing it (Frenchwoman and all-time world recordholder Jeanne Calment
was the first). On August 15, 2006 When Elizabeth Bolden
turned 116 there were two people living above the age of 115 until 12 days later when Capovilla died. Elizabeth Bolden
died 104 days later and since then nobody verified has reached the age of 116.
Capovilla was the last remaining person born in 1889 and the 1880s.
Supercentenarian
A supercentenarian is someone who has reached the age of 110 years. This age is achieved by about one in a thousand centenarians....
, and, at the time of her death at age 116 years 347 days, was recognized by Guinness World Records
Guinness World Records
Guinness World Records, known until 2000 as The Guinness Book of Records , is a reference book published annually, containing a collection of world records, both human achievements and the extremes of the natural world...
as the world's oldest living person
Oldest people
This is a list of tables of the verified oldest people in the world in ordinal rank, such as oldest person or oldest man. In these tables, a supercentenarian is considered 'verified' if his or her claim has been validated by an international body that specifically deals in longevity research, such...
. She was the last remaining person born in the 1880s. Capovilla is the oldest person ever of South America
South America
South America is a continent situated in the Western Hemisphere, mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a relatively small portion in the Northern Hemisphere. The continent is also considered a subcontinent of the Americas. It is bordered on the west by the Pacific Ocean and on the north and east...
as well as of the southern hemisphere
Southern Hemisphere
The Southern Hemisphere is the part of Earth that lies south of the equator. The word hemisphere literally means 'half ball' or "half sphere"...
, and is one of only seven people who have lived to age 116 without question. Furthermore, she was the first 116-year-old to live in three different centuries, the oldest person born in the 19th century to have lived into the 21st century, and historically the oldest person ever to have lived in three different centuries. She was the oldest person that died in the 2000 decade, and of this century so far. Capovilla is also the oldest person from a developing country
Developing country
A developing country, also known as a less-developed country, is a nation with a low level of material well-being. Since no single definition of the term developing country is recognized internationally, the levels of development may vary widely within so-called developing countries...
.
Biography
Born as María Esther Heredia Lecaro in GuayaquilGuayaquil
Guayaquil , officially Santiago de Guayaquil , is the largest and the most populous city in Ecuador,with about 2.3 million inhabitants in the city and nearly 3.1 million in the metropolitan area, as well as that nation's main port...
, she was the daughter of a colonel, and lived a life among the upper-class elite, attending social functions and art classes. She never smoked or drank hard liquor. In 1917, she married a military officer, Antonio Capovilla, who died in 1949. Antonio, an ethnic Italian, was born in Pola, Austria-Hungary
Austria-Hungary
Austria-Hungary , more formally known as the Kingdoms and Lands Represented in the Imperial Council and the Lands of the Holy Hungarian Crown of Saint Stephen, was a constitutional monarchic union between the crowns of the Austrian Empire and the Kingdom of Hungary in...
(now Pula
Pula
Pula is the largest city in Istria County, Croatia, situated at the southern tip of the Istria peninsula, with a population of 62,080 .Like the rest of the region, it is known for its mild climate, smooth sea, and unspoiled nature. The city has a long tradition of winemaking, fishing,...
, Croatia), in 1864. He moved to Chile
Chile
Chile ,officially the Republic of Chile , is a country in South America occupying a long, narrow coastal strip between the Andes mountains to the east and the Pacific Ocean to the west. It borders Peru to the north, Bolivia to the northeast, Argentina to the east, and the Drake Passage in the far...
in 1894 and then to Ecuador in 1910. After his first wife died, he married María. They had five children, three of whom were living at María's death: Hilda (81), Irma (80) and son Anibal (78). She also had twelve grandchildren, twenty great-grandchildren and two great-great-grandchildren.
At age 100, Maria nearly died and was given last rites
Anointing of the Sick
Anointing of the Sick, known also by other names, is distinguished from other forms of religious anointing or "unction" in that it is intended, as its name indicates, for the benefit of a sick person...
, but had been free of health problems since then. In December 2005, at the age of 116, Maria was in good health for someone of her age and watched TV, read the paper and walked without the aid of a stick (though she was helped by an aide). Unfortunately, Maria was not able to leave her home in the two years before her death and she shared her home with her eldest daughter Hilda, and her son-in-law. In a media interview Maria stated her dislike of the fact that women nowadays are permitted to court men, rather than the reverse.
By March 2006, however, Capovilla's health had declined, and she was not able to read the newspaper any more. Maria had nearly stopped talking and no longer walked except when helped by two people. Still, Capovilla was able to sit in her chair and fan herself, and had been doing fine until she succumbed to a bout of pneumonia
Pneumonia
Pneumonia is an inflammatory condition of the lung—especially affecting the microscopic air sacs —associated with fever, chest symptoms, and a lack of air space on a chest X-ray. Pneumonia is typically caused by an infection but there are a number of other causes...
in the last week of August 2006, just 18 days before she would have celebrated her 117th birthday.
Age records
Capovilla was named the World's Oldest Person by Guinness World Records on 9 December 2005, thus superseding both Hendrikje van Andel-SchipperHendrikje van Andel-Schipper
Hendrikje "Henny" van Andel-Schipper was the oldest person ever in the history of the Netherlands , and from 29 May 2004 was thought to be the oldest recognized person in the world until her death Hendrikje "Henny" van Andel-Schipper (née Schipper) (29 June 1890 – 30 August 2005) was the...
of the Netherlands (thought to be the world's oldest person from 29 May 2004 to 30 August 2005), when she died, and Elizabeth Bolden
Elizabeth Bolden
Elizabeth "Lizzie" Bolden was an American supercentenarian woman who, at the time of her death at age 116 years and 118 days, was recognized by Guinness World Records as the then world's oldest living person. She was the last remaining documented person born in 1890. Bolden was the seventh...
of the United States (thought to be the world's oldest person from 30 August 2005 to 9 December 2005).
Guinness noted that "María Esther de Capovilla has beaten the odds – not only to live past 116, but to have the records to prove it." Their spokesman, Sam Knights, added in a telephone interview from London that "while a lot of the time it's difficult for people to prove their age, there was no problem with any of the documents we were shown in Mrs Capovilla's case". Capovilla was finally added to the Guinness website on 12 April 2006.
On 10 February 2004, Capovilla surpassed Australian Christina Cock
Christina Cock
Christina Cock is recorded as the oldest verified supercentenarian in Australian history, aged when she died. She is one of the 60 oldest verified people of all time. For over a year, Cock was the oldest person ever of the Southern Hemisphere, until being surpassed by María Capovilla of Ecuador...
to become the oldest person ever from the Southern Hemisphere (since Guayaquil
Guayaquil
Guayaquil , officially Santiago de Guayaquil , is the largest and the most populous city in Ecuador,with about 2.3 million inhabitants in the city and nearly 3.1 million in the metropolitan area, as well as that nation's main port...
lies below the Equator).
At the time of her death at age 116 years 347 days, she was and still is the fifth-oldest fully documented and officially validated person to have ever lived.
Following her death on 27 August 2006, her successor as oldest person was Elizabeth Bolden, the previous "titleholder". Bolden became only the second person to regain the title after losing it (Frenchwoman and all-time world recordholder Jeanne Calment
Jeanne Calment
Jeanne Louise Calment was a French supercentenarian who had the longest confirmed human life span in history, living to the age of . She lived in Arles, France, for her entire life, and outlived both her daughter and grandson. She became especially well known from the age of 113, when the...
was the first). On August 15, 2006 When Elizabeth Bolden
Elizabeth Bolden
Elizabeth "Lizzie" Bolden was an American supercentenarian woman who, at the time of her death at age 116 years and 118 days, was recognized by Guinness World Records as the then world's oldest living person. She was the last remaining documented person born in 1890. Bolden was the seventh...
turned 116 there were two people living above the age of 115 until 12 days later when Capovilla died. Elizabeth Bolden
Elizabeth Bolden
Elizabeth "Lizzie" Bolden was an American supercentenarian woman who, at the time of her death at age 116 years and 118 days, was recognized by Guinness World Records as the then world's oldest living person. She was the last remaining documented person born in 1890. Bolden was the seventh...
died 104 days later and since then nobody verified has reached the age of 116.
Capovilla was the last remaining person born in 1889 and the 1880s.
See also
- List of the verified oldest women
- List of the verified oldest people
- National longevity recordholdersNational longevity recordholdersThis is a list of oldest people by nation. It includes the individual, for each given country, who are reported to have had the longest lifespan. Such records can only be determined to the extent that the given country's records are reliable. Comprehensive birth registration largely came into being...
- Oldest peopleOldest peopleThis is a list of tables of the verified oldest people in the world in ordinal rank, such as oldest person or oldest man. In these tables, a supercentenarian is considered 'verified' if his or her claim has been validated by an international body that specifically deals in longevity research, such...
- SupercentenarianSupercentenarianA supercentenarian is someone who has reached the age of 110 years. This age is achieved by about one in a thousand centenarians....
External links
- guinnessworldrecords.com
- The word from the world's oldest person (with photo)
- 116-Year-Old Ecuadorean Woman is Oldest Living Person
- World's Oldest Woman dies at 116
- Ecuadoran woman who once drank donkey milk is now world's oldest (with family photo)
- Ecuadorean woman, 116, is world's oldest (story notes Mrs Capovilla walks with assistance, not unaided)