| Marie-Virginie Duhem | |
 Marie-Virginie Duhem on 21 January 1977, aged 110. | |
| Birth: | 2 August 1866 Seclin, Nord, Hauts-de-France, France |
| Death: | 25 April 1978 Wattignies, Nord, Hauts-de-France, France |
| Age: | 111 years, 266 days |
| Country: |  FRA
|
| Validated | |
Marie-Virginie Duhem (née Mollet; 2 August 1866 – 25 April 1978) was a French supercentenarian whose age is validated by the Gerontology Research Group (GRG). At the time of her death, she was the third-oldest living person in the world, after Alice Coles and Eliza Underwood.
Biography[]
Early Life[]
Marie-Virginie Duhem was born on 2 August 1866 in Seclin, Nord, Hauts-de-France, France. Her parents were Charles Mollet (1827-1899) and Virginie Serrurier (1826-1907). She could remember the 1870 Franco-Prussian war: "I was very young, but I can remember well that at school, we made some lint for soldiers." She sometimes visited Paris in her youth.
In 1885, Duhem met Jules Verne (a famous French science-fiction writer) in Lille's station. "It's my younger brother Victor who shew me Jules Verne sitting on a bench while reading newspapers. We came next him and I began the conversation. Really, he was charming." She tells about the Belle Epoque: "It was beautiful because it was simple... Nothing was as difficult as today."
She married Hippolyte Duhem (1862–1939) on 24 June 1893 in Seclin; he was a chemical engineer. They had eight children, who gave them fifteen grandchildren. One of her daughters, Agnes Costemend [French: Agnès], was born on 1 December 1907 and died at age 105 on 4 June 2013.
Later Life[]
In 1972 (aged 106), Duhem fell in the stairs, and was hospitalised during three weeks, but managed to recover. In August 1976, she celebrated her 110th birthday with 200 members of her family, what made her very happy. There was a mass in her honour. At that time, she had 542 descendants, including great-great-grandchildren.
On 21 January 1977 (aged 110), Duhem received the Légion d'Honneur's cross from Maurice Schumann. Because she was almost blind, she listened to radio instead of watching television. When asked if she prefered Belle Epoque or that time, she replied: "There's a bit more liberty for children... Finally, it's good." When asked for the secret of her longevity, she was surprised, because she thought there isn't any secret. After her 111th birthday, Duhem began to weaken.
Marie-Virginie Duhem died in Wattignies, Nord, Hauts-de-France, France on 25 April 1978, at the age of 111 years, 266 days.
Longevity records[]
Following the death of 109-year-old Marie-Ernestine Compain on 4 September 1975, Duhem became the oldest known living person in France. On 26 November 1977, she surpassed the age of Georgette Jeanmaire and became the oldest French person ever. Her record was later surpassed by Augustine Tessier in 1980.
Following the death of 111-year-old Rose Heeley on 24 December 1975, Duhem became the oldest living person in Europe.
Gallery[]
References[]
- Marie Virginie Duhem doyenne des Français fête ses 110 ans à Wattignies INA, 2 August 1976
- Décorée à 110 ans près de Lille Le Parisien Libéré, 24 January 1977 (Archived)
- La Légion d'honneur à cent dix ans Le Monde, 24 January 1977
- Mort à 112 ans de la doyenne des Français Marie Virginie Duhem INA, 26 April 1978
- Marie Virginie Mollet Geneanet
- Agnès Duhem est la nouvelle doyenne de la ville La Voix du Nord, 8 December 2012
- Avis de décès, À la mémoire de Mme Alfred COSTEMEND Mémoire - La Voix du Nord, 5 June 2013
- Centième anniversaire de Marie-Virginie Duhem-Mollet (2 August 1966) Youtube (Frederic Delahaye), 15 November 2020
- Marie-Virginie Duhem-Mollet, une doyenne de l’humanité repose à Wattignies La Voix du Nord, 7 December 2023
| France's Oldest Living Person Titleholders (V • T • E) |
|
Melanie Lehmann • Marie-Francoise Bastien • Pauline Antoine • Marie Forestier • Jean Baechler • Seraphin Pruvot • Marie Langlois • Marie-Therese Mulle • Auguste Decate • Desiree Delory • Felicie Carrier • Ferdinise Nebolle • Georgette Jeanmaire • Marie Lefranc • Marie Rey • Eugenie Marchand • Eugenie Proux • Emilie Coqueran • Laurence Entiope • Marie-Ernestine Compain • Marie-Virginie Duhem • Frederique Noel • Augustine Tessier • Elisa Esnault • Elvire Mendiboure • Eugenie Roux • Jeanne Calment • Marie-Helene Chanteperdrix • Jeanne Dumaine • Marie Bremont • Germaine Haye • Anne Primout • Camille Loiseau • Marie-Simone Capony • Clementine Solignac • Eugenie Blanchard • Maria Diaz • Marcelle Narbonne • Marie-Therese Bardet • Paule Bronzini • Irenise Moulonguet • Suzanne Burrier • Marie Liguinen • Olympe Amaury • Eudoxie Baboul • Elisabeth Collot • Honorine Rondello • Lucile Randon • Marie-Rose Tessier |