Elise Tavan

Elise Tavan
Elise Tavan on her 112th birthday in 2021.
Birth:	16 April 1909 Dieulefit, Drome, Auvergne-Rhone-Alpes, France
Death:	7 November 2022 Charols, Drome, Auvergne-Rhone-Alpes, France
Age:	113 years, 205 days
Country:	FRA
Validated

Elise Tavan [French: Élise] (16 April 1909 – 7 November 2022) was a French supercentenarian whose age is validated by the Gerontology Research Group (GRG). At the time of her death, she was the second-oldest known living person in France, behind Lucile Randon.

Biography

Elise Tavan was born in Dieulefit, Drome, Auvergne-Rhone-Alpes, France on 16 April 1909. Her older brother died from an illness in 1912. Between 1911 and 1925, she saw the birth of seven of her younger brothers. One of her brothers, Andre, died from the Spanish Flu in 1918.

After Andre's death in 1918, Tavan took care of her six younger brothers with her parents. Her father, who worked as a valet, was mobilized throughout the First World War in 1914. Her father then became a farmer, and later a trader, running a small grocery store with his wife. There was no shortage of work and Elise worked for many years in the family grocery store, an activity that she took over when her mother was too old. Tavan worked at her family's grocery store until retiring when she was almost 70 years old.

Tavan was very religious. She remained single and didn't have any children, and spent several decades discreetly in Dieulefit, keeping in touch with her living brothers and a few of her nieces and nephews. One of them took her in for a few years, then some health problems led her to move into a retirement home.

In April 2019, Tavan celebrated her 110th birthday and became a supercentenarian.

There was history of longevity in Tavan's family. Three of her younger brothers lived into their 90s.

Tavan became the second-oldest known living person in France, following the death of Valentine Ligny on 4 January 2022.

Elise Tavan died in Charols, Drome, Auvergne-Rhone-Alpes, France on 7 November 2022, at the age of 113 years, 205 days. The existence of her case was revealed posthumously. Her age was verified by Cyril Depoudent and Jean-Pierre Tavan, and validated by the GRG on 30 January 2023.

Gallery

Elise Tavan as a young woman together with her family.

Elise Tavan (on the far left) with her family, at her brother Robert's wedding in 1957.

Elise Tavan (undated).

References

• GRG World Supercentenarian Rankings List Gerontology Research Group
• Recent historical validations by the Gerontology Research Group Gerontology Research Group
• Photo Gallery for Supercentenarians born in the year 1909 Gerontology Research Group
• Lise Tavan est décédée avant d’avoir 114 ans Le Dauphiné Libéré, 11 November 2022
• Hommage à Élise Tavan Les Centenaires Français, 27 November 2022
• Death mention Facebook Post, 30 December 2022