| Maria Peitz | |
 Peitz on her 108th birthday in 2021 | |
| Birth: | 25 February 1913 Neuenkirchen, Rietberg, Gutersloh, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany |
| Death: | 22 August 2023 Neuenkirchen, Rietberg, Gutersloh, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany |
| Age: | 110 years, 178 days |
| Country: |  GER
|
| Validated | |
Maria Elisabeth "Mia" Peitz (née Specht; 25 February 1913 – 22 August 2023) was a German supercentenarian whose age was validated by the Gerontology Research Group (GRG) in 2024. After the death of Hildegard Mengering in 2023, she became the oldest known living resident of North Rhine-Westphalia.
Biography[]
Peitz was born as Maria Elisabeth Specht on 25 February 1913 in her parents’ home in the small town of Neuenkirchen, Rietberg, Gutersloh, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. She was the youngest of four children. Aged 10, she transferred to a girls’ school in Wiedenbruck and then attended a commercial school in Gutersloh for one year.
Peitz worked in a delicatessen in Duisburg, and in 1940, took over her parents’ grocery store, which sold, among other things, toys, wicker products, and prams. She married farmer Peter Peitz, who died in 1975. The couple had no children.
The following year, Peitz retired from running the business, but volunteered frequently in various groups, and partook in several activities in the community. Up until the age of 88, Peitz regularly performed on stage for KFD Neuenkirchen Theatre, a group which she co-founded over half a century earlier.
In 2015, Peitz moved in to a Neuenkirchen retirement home after her home was burgled. On her 109th birthday, she claimed the secret to her longevity was “being good and hardworking, and also sleeping a lot.” She never smoked and drank little alcohol. Two of her sisters lived to be nonagenarians (90s).
In February 2023, Peitz celebrated her 110th birthday and became a supercentenarian.
Maria Peitz died in Neuenkirchen, Rietberg, Gutersloh, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany on 22 August 2023 at the age of 110 years, 178 days.
Recognition[]
Peitz was first noted for her longevity in an article published on her 102nd birthday. Every birthday since her 106th had been reported by a variety of news outlets; she was also congratulated by local dignitaries.
Gallery[]
References[]
- 110th birthday, 26 February 2023
- Obituary