Astrid Qvist

	Finland's Oldest Living Person Titleholders (V • E)
	Eva Enström • Isak Smedberg • Hedvig Sateri • Anders Lindholm • Maria Holmberg • Maria Ahonen • Leena Lindqvist • Kajsa Fellman • Sofie Törnudd • Maria Koskinen • Fredrika Männistö • Erkki Helminen • Heikki Kämäräinen • Alexander von Stahl • Olivia Rosvall • Greta Helin • Kajsa Stina Forsström • Eva Blomqvist • Maria Pekuri • Emma Heikkilä • Ines Achren • Olga Toivonen • Elina Peurala • Aleksandra Lindroos • Elisabeth Rantamaki • Liisa Strellman • Amalia Wallenius • Ida Saarinen • Maria Valimaki • Maria Kumlander • Amanda Riihela • Mathilda Honka • Fanny Nystrom • Ida Virenius • Klaara Tyyniaho • Amanda Moksi • Kalle Nestor Launisto • Maria Rothovius • Daisy Göhle • Sigrid Viik • Hilda Hakkinen • Anna Hagman • Elsa Tilkanen • Aarne Arvonen • Viljo Kekola • Jussi Leskinen • Aino Yrttimaa • Selma Tuominen • Helvi Karki • Helfrid Eriksson • Saara Ahonen • Helvi Harma • Astrid Qvist • Sirkka Nieminen • Helvi Kissala • Gunnel Stenback • Arvi Hämäläinen

	Astrid Qvist
	; Qvist at the age of 107.
Birth:	6 March 1912; Ostrobothnia, Russian Empire (now Finland)
Death:	18 July 2022; Narpes, Ostrobothnia, Finland
Age:	110 years, 134 days
Country:	FIN
	Validated

Astrid Qvist (née Martens; 6 March 1912 – 18 July 2022) was a Finnish supercentenarian who was one of the oldest victims of the COVID-19 pandemic. At the time of her death, she was the oldest known living person in Finland and in the Nordic countries. Her age is validated by the Gerontology Research Group (GRG).

Biography[]

Early Life and Family[]

Astrid Qvist was born as Astrid Martens in village of Tojby, Ostrobothnia, Finland on 6 March 1912. She had two older sisters. Elvida and Ester, who lived to be 104 and 102 years old, respectively.

She remembered when Finland was a part of the Russian Empire and two Russian soldiers stayed for a night and demanded to be allowed to put their belongings in the family’s wardrobe. But later, the family and the soldiers became friends. She attended school for four years, but later needed to work at home.

She married Einar Qvist in 1931. They had two children: Harry Qvist (1931–1975) and Viva Melander (born 1933). In the late 1950s, she traveled with her daughter to the United States for nine days. Harry died of a heart attack in a sauna and, shortly after, Einar died. Later, her daughter Viva moved back to Finland to help Astrid on the farm.

Later Life[]

When asked what her secret to longevity was, she claimed she never did anything in particular, but cited a good diet and to work as hard as possible explained why she lived so long.

Qvist became the oldest known living person in Finland, following the death of Helvi Harma on 24 December 2020. In March 2022, she celebrated her 110th birthday. She became the oldest known living person in the Nordic countries, following the death of Flarid Lagerlund of Sweden on 9 April 2022.

Astrid Qvist lived at the same retirement home as her daughter, in Narpes, Ostrobothnia, Finland. She died on 18 July 2022, a few days after testing positive for COVID-19, at the age of 110 years, 134 days. After her death, Gunborg Hancock became the oldest known living Finnish-born person, and Sirkka Nieminen became the oldest known living person in Finland.

Gallery[]

References[]

2023 validations, Gerontology Research Group
Närpes äldsta invånare fyller 105 år Syd-Österbotten, 3 March 2017
News report footage, begins at 10:20 När TV, 4 March 2020
Astrid, 108, är mer än nöjd med nya Efraim: "Rummet är så vackert som det bara kan vara" Syd-Österbotten, 3 July 2020
Astrid 109 år När TV, 8 March 2021
Astrid Qvist on Suomen vanhin ihminen – Sunnuntaina 110 vuotta täyttävän naisen teoria pitkän iän salaisuudesta saa terveysintoilijat hätkähtämään Helsingin Sanomat, 6 March 2022
Finlands äldsta, Närpesbon Astrid Qvist dog i måndags – 110-årsdagen firades i mars Syd-Österbotten, 20 July 2022
Syd-Österbotten: Nordens äldsta person har dött – Närpesbon Astrid Qvist blev 110 år gammal Hufvudstadsbladet, 20 July 2022