| Marie Labonne | |
 Marie Labonne on her 108th birthday in 2024 | |
| Birth: | 7 January 1916 Saint Pierre, Moka, Mauritius |
| Death: | 31 January 2026 Plaines Wilhelms, Mauritius |
| Age: | 110 years, 24 days |
| Country: |  MRI
|
| Unvalidated | |
Marie Olivette Labonne (7 January 1916 – 31 January 2026) was a Mauritian supercentenarian who was the oldest known living person in Mauritius at the time of her death. Her age is currently unvalidated by the Gerontology Research Group (GRG) and LongeviQuest (LQ).
Biography
Marie Labonne was born in Saint Pierre, Moka, Mauritius, on 7 January 1916 to Évariste Labonne. She was the youngest of four children. Her youth primarily involved in trading and different activities near the church and cemetery. Multiple of her family members were renowned people. Her father, Évariste Labonne, was an influential citizen of the community; on the foot of the Sir William Newton memorial is his name, engraved. Her siblings were also notable as her sister, Sister Marie Francis, founded a school in La Ferme, Rodrigues, as well as starting other convents, her brother, Pierre Labonne, was crowned as the national cycling champion in the 1930s and 40s.
Labonne was an achiever in her school. She became a seamstress, dedicating her passion to the occupation. She married Hermann Leste who was 20 years older than her and divorced. His expertise was writing, as he was a great enthusiast of literature. The couple's relation was deeply opposed by the society, but they still had four children. The couple moved to Ward IV, Port Louis, where they would raise their children . The strict implementation of discipline, made their children succeed, as their eldest child became a nurse in the United States; their youngest son became a language and drama teacher in London where he stayed for thirty-five years, moreover, he encompassed five different continents; their third child became a bilingual secretary. Their fourth child became a sailor who sailed the seas as chief steward aboard Dutch cargo ships. After she was widowed, she lived in Abidjan, London, and other European places for twenty years.
She returned to Mauritius, where she would be the caregiver for her granddaughter.
Labonne enjoyed the company of young people, giving them advice and nourishing meals. She was a social woman who was good at making friends of all ages. She enjoyed herbal teas and concealing her home with plant life like ferns.
On 6 August 2024, following the death of 110-year-old Irlande Richard, she became the oldest known living person in Mauritius.
In January 2026, she celebrated her 110th birthday, becoming a supercentenarian. Vice-President of Mauritius, Robert Hungary (b. 1957) attended the celebration and greeted her.
Marie Labonne died in Plaines Wilhelms, Mauritius, on 31 January 2026, at the age of 110 years, 24 days.
Gallery
References
- Olivette, la doyenne* lexpress.mu, 1 September 2024
- 🎉𝐎𝐥𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐭𝐭𝐞 𝐋𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐧𝐧𝐞, 𝐥𝐚 𝐝𝐨𝐲𝐞𝐧𝐧𝐞 𝐝𝐞 𝐌𝐚𝐮𝐫𝐢𝐜𝐞, 𝐟ê𝐭𝐞 𝐬𝐞𝐬 𝟏𝟏𝟎 𝐚𝐧𝐬🎉 J.Y. Robert Hungley, GOSK, Vice-President of the Republic of Mauritius on Facebook, 13 January 2026
- Décès d’Olivette Labonne, la doyenne de Maurice, à l’âge de 110 ans Defimedia.info on Facebook, 3 February 2026
| Mauritius' Oldest Living Person Titleholders (V • E) |
|
Marie-Edith Andre • Bibi Hamida Dookhy • Marie Emilie Louise • Alice Magon • Olga Yvonne Agar • Kewal Parsad Bisnauthsing • Mathilde Rousseau • Irene Ramsamy • Irlande Richard • Marie Labonne • Noelie Ami |