| Matena Zokova | |
 Zokova on her 107th birthday in 2017. | |
| Birth: | 13 January 1910 Mega Dereio, Greece (then Kingdom of Bulgaria) |
| Death: | 4 July 2018 Ivaylovgrad, Bulgaria |
| Age: | 108 years, 172 days |
| Country: |  GRE BUL
|
| Centenarian | |
Matena Zokova Zlatilova (Bulgarian: Матена Зокова Златилова; 13 January 1910 – 4 July 2018) was a Bulgarian centenarian who was the oldest known living person in Bulgaria since death of Pavel Vasilev Hristov on 30 April 2017 until her death.
Biography
Early life
Matena Zokova was born on 13 January 1910 in Mega Dereio (Bulgarian: Голям Дервент), Eastern Macedonia and Thrace, Greece (then Kingdom of Bulgaria). Her grandfather, her uncle and her father built a large house with the intention of living in it with the whole family. In 1913, the Ottomans burned their house down and killed Matena's uncle and grandfather.
During the Second Balkan War, her family became part of the Thracian Bulgarians (refugees). In escaping, seeing the Ottomans catch up with them, Matena's mother, running away with her eldest son, and then 3-year-old Matena, caught her with her hands and tried to run away, but Matena managed to hide and she stayed hidden from Ottomans for 3 days, until her family found her. They managed to escape and reach the Lambuh village.
Later life
Matena married Atanas Zlatilov and had two sons with him, Ivan and Kolyo. Her husband died between 1992 and 1993. Ivan died in 1993 in Sofia and Kolyo died in around 2016.
On her 105th birthday, she was visited by Mayor of Ivailovgrad municipality, Diana Ovcharova. Since 2014, she lived in nursing home in Ivaylovgrad. Even as a centenarian, she was able to toll the church bell in Lambuh. She had a grandson who lives in Sofia, Bulgaria, and a granddaughter who lives in the Czech Republic. In 2017, she also had two great-grandchildren.
She became the oldest living person in Bulgaria, following the death of 107-year-old Pavel Vasilev Hristov on 30 April 2017. In April 2018, she was admitted to the hospital due to abdominal pain.
Matena died in Ivaylovgrad, Bulgaria on 4 July 2018 at the age of 108 years, 172 days. Following the her death, then 106-year-old Nedelcho Boikov became the oldest known living person in Bulgaria.
Gallery
References
- Баба Матена от Ламбух стана на 103 години Ivaylovgrad.bg, 13 January 2013
- 105 години за баба Матена от Ивайловград Haskovo.net, 14 January 2015
- 106 години празнува баба Матена от Ламбух Marica, 13 January 2016
- Баба Матена от Ламбух стана на 107 години, тя е най-възрастната жена в България Rodopi24, 15 January 2017
- Баба Матена от родопското село Ламбух и нейната невероятна 107-годишна история Desant.net, 16 January 2017
- Най-възрастната българка онемя BG Dnes, 24 September 2017
- Най-възрастната жена в България се лекува в свиленградската болница E-Svilengrad, 19 April 2018
- На 108 години почина баба Матена от Ивайловград Sakar News, 5 July 2018
| Bulgaria's Oldest Living Person Titleholders (V • E) |
|
Velika Sabeva • Karamfila Stoyanova • Gyulbie Yumer • Maria Muhova • Pavel Vasilev Hristov • Matena Zokova • Nedelcho Boikov • Nurie Dermendzieva • Esme Mustafa |