BIOGRAPHY

Silveria Martín Díaz was born on 20 June 1910 in Talavera la Vieja in Cáceres Municipality, Extremadura, Spain. She grew up there and later married José Arroyo. The couple had five children: Paco, Ana Maria, Leo, Maria Andrea, and Anastasio. They lived in Talavera la Vieja until it was flooded in 1963, and when the inhabitants were rehoused in various towns. They spent a year in Rosalejo, the municipality where 80% of Talavera’s residents settled. The family later ended up emigrating to France where they left for work.

At the age of 109, she fell, broke her femur and had to undergo surgery. In September 2019, she had three living children Leo (aged 73), Maria Andrea (aged 86), and Anastasio (aged 81), 18 grandchildren, several great-grandchildren and great-great-grandchildren.

Martín Díaz passed away in Villanueva de la Vera, Extremadura, Spain, on 11 September 2024, aged 114 years, 83 days.

RECOGNITION

On 25 January 2022, following the death of 112-year-old Josefa San Román Mateos, she became the second-oldest living person in Spain (after María Branyas Morera), and the oldest living Spanish-born person (since Branyas Morera was born in the US).

Her age was verified by Daniel German Delgado, and validated by LongeviQuest on 30 March 2023.

On 17 June 2023, on her 113th birthday party and three days before her actual birthday, she was visited by LongeviQuest Spain Researcher, Daniel Germán Delgado, who presented her with a plaque certifying her recognition by LongeviQuest as Extremadura’s oldest living person. He also presented a plaque for her eldest living daughter, not in attendance, recognizing her status as the oldest living child of a living parent in Spain. Germán Delgado visited her once more, on her 114th birthday in June 2024.

On 7 August 2023, at the age of 113 years, 48 days, she surpassed the final age of Francisco Núñez Olivera, becoming the oldest person to live or pass away in the autonomous community of Extremadura. On 5 October, at the age of 113 years, 107 days, she surpassed the final age of Josefa Santos González (1906–2019), becoming the oldest person ever born in Extremadura.

ATTRIBUTION

GALLERY