Andrée Bertoletto, the second-oldest person in France, died yesterday at the age of 114. She was the 7th oldest French person ever.
Biography
Madame Bertoletto was born in La Chapelle-Anthenaise, Mayenne Department, Pays de la Loire Region, France, on 1 January 1911. She had one sister, Marie, and two brothers, Robert and Ernest. The family moved to Montsûrs, Mayenne, Pays de la Loire, in 1913.
On 25 May 1935, she married an Italian immigrant, Désiré Alphonse Désiderio Alfonso Bertoletto in Montsûrs. Her husband was the proprietor of a construction company. She was widowed in 1978. The couple had no children.
Bertoletto lived in her own house until she was 105 years old, when she spent an entire night struggling to mop up water after a flood. Following this incident, she moved into the nursing home in Montsûrs. At the age of 112, she spent most of her time in her bedroom chair, engaging in activities such as reading and watching television, particularly programs focused on nature. She was reported to be experiencing deafness, making communication challenging, but her mind remained sharp.
When asked about the secret of her longevity, she and her family attributed it to various factors. One of these was chocolate. The second was maintaining a careful appetite and diet, focusing on low-meat foods, drinking a glass of water every morning, and regularly consuming tea and coffee. Additionally, engaging in physical activity, often through domestic tasks like cleaning or gardening, played a role. Her nephew added that he wasn’t sure if these practices constituted a longevity secret, but they were simply how she had always lived.
Longevity Recognition
On 17 January 2021, following the passing of Marie-Louise Berthelot, she became the oldest known living person in Mayenne Departement.
She was the second-oldest known living person in France, after Marie-Rose Tessier.
Her age was verified by the Les Centenaires Français, and validated by the European Supercentenarian Organisation on 5 April 2023, research partners of LongeviQuest.
LongeviQuest extends our deepest condolences to the family and loved ones of Madame Bertoletto.