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Ana Vela-Rubio
Ana Vela-Rubio
Vela-Rubio becoming the oldest living person in Europe.
Birth: 29 October 1901
Puente Genil, Cordoba, Spain
Death: 15 December 2017
Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain
Age: 116 years, 47 days
Country: SpainESP
Validated

Ana Vela-Rubio (29 October 1901 – 15 December 2017) was a Spanish supercentenarian who was the oldest validated person ever to have resided in Spain, until American-born Maria Branyas Morera surpassed her age on 21 April 2023. She still holds the record for being the oldest validated person ever born in Spain.

At the time of her death, Vela-Rubio was the oldest living person in Europe, and was also the third-oldest person in the world whose age has been validated by the Gerontology Research Group (GRG), after Nabi Tajima and Chiyo Miyako of Japan.

Biography

Vela-Rubio was born in Puente Genil, Cordoba, Spain on 29 October 1901. She was orphaned as a child. As a young woman, she worked in a food store in Malaga, Spain. In 1950, she moved to Barcelona with her partner. She never married her partner because her parents didn't approve of their relationship. They had four children: Carmelita (who died aged 10), Antonio, Ana, and Juan.

In 2005, Vela-Rubio moved into a nursing home in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain. She suffered from dementia in her later life. She died on 15 December 2017 at the age of 116 years, 47 days.

Age Records

Vela-Rubio became the oldest living person in Spain following the death of Francisca Garcia Torres on 25 February 2014. She later also became the oldest living person in Europe following the death of Emma Morano on 15 April 2017.

On 6 June 2016, Vela-Rubio became the oldest validated person in the history of Spain, surpassing the previous record of 114 years, 221 days set by Maria Antonia Castro. She held this record until her age was surpassed by American-born Maria Branyas Morera on 21 April 2023, though she still holds the record for being the oldest person ever born in Spain.

On 29 October 2017, Vela-Rubio celebrated her 116th birthday, becoming one of only nine people in the history of Europe to have reached this age.

Gallery

References


Europe's Oldest Living Person Titleholders (VE)

Willem van Renterghem • Marie d'Evergroote • Lavina Hansdatter • Kirsti Skagen • Geert Adriaans Boomgaard • Margaret Ann Neve • Karen BrodbaekSophia Wijnberg • Agnete Olsdatter • Honor Coleman • Sophie Lacomte • Maria Vleminckx • Johanna Berns • Matthias Dodenhoff • Sarah Gardiner • Elisabeth Jensen • Britta Njeldsdatter • Frederick Stabbins • Jane Lister • Martha Truelove • Ann Sharp • Gertrud Kubbeler • Marie Delfairiere • Frances Smith • Katherine Plunket • Eliza Roff • Maria Montemurro • Ellen Palmer • Rachel MacArthur • Anne Marie SkauRachel Swain • Wilhelmine Olschewski • Mary Davey • Francesco Cubadda • Thomas Pope • John Francklow • Rebecca Lees • Sarah Fitt • Johanna Johansson • Elizabeth Sellwood • Petronella Braams • Matilda Coppins • Elizabeth Whitehead • Karl Glockner • Sarah Humphrey • Maria Johansson • Michelina Macchia • Caroline Beale • Josephine Marchal • Luise Rissmann • Christina Karnebeek-Backs • Marie Olsen • Willem Kostering • Ella Ille Rentel • Lovisa Svensson • Ellen Dart • Elizabeth Kensley • Auguste Pahl • Hannah Smith • John Mosley Turner • Marie Bernatkova • Ada Roe • Josefa Salas Mateo • Alice Stevenson • Frederick Butterfield • Rose Heeley • Marie-Virginie Duhem • Josefa Llovet • Florence PannellAugustine Tessier • Jeanetta Thomas • Alice Brewster • Petronella Ribbens-Verstallen • Anna Eliza Williams • Jeanne Calment • Lucy Askew • Annie Jennings • Eva Morris • Marie Bremont • Amy Hulmes • Germaine Haye • Teresa Fumarola • Joan Riudavets Moll • Hendrikje van Andel-Schipper • Virginia Dighero-Zolezzi • Camille Loiseau • Maria de Jesus • Manuela Fernandez-Fojaco • Lucia Lauria • Florrie Baldwin • Venere Pizzinato-Papo • Marcelle Narbonne • Marie-Therese Bardet • Maria Redaelli • Emma Morano • Ana Vela Rubio • Giuseppina Projetto • Maria Giuseppa Robucci • Lucile RandonMaria Branyas MoreraEthel Caterham


Spain's Oldest Living Person Titleholders (VE)

Josefa Salas Mateo • Policarpa Perez Exposito • Josefa Llovet Llovet • Ramona Agudin-Fernandez • Antonia Diaz Garcia • Soledad Munoz • Salustiano Alvarez • Isabel Guijarro • Telesfora de la Torre-Mendizabal • Paulina Garcia-Lozano • Maria Villar TrespalaciosAurelio Diaz • A. L. M. • Galo Leoz Ortin • Maria Antonia Castro • Maria del Carmen Lopez • Gregorio Merino Calvo • Gabriela Izquierdo • F. M. M. • Antonio Urrea Hernandez • Maria Esperanza Onieva • Joan Riudavets Moll • Jorja Hernando • Victoriana Vazquez Barrero • Lucia Madaria-Vesga • Manuela Fernandez-Fojaco • Teresa Dosaigues • Andresa Guerrero-Ortiz • Felipa Gutierrez • Rosa Martinez • Francisco Fernandez • Francisca Garcia-Torres • Ana Vela-Rubio • Magdalena Oliver Gabarro • Josefa Santos Gonzalez • Maria Branyas MoreraSilveria Martin DiazPiedad Loriente Perez

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