BIOGRAPHY

Ana Rita Nogueira was born on a farm in Pouso Alto, Minas Gerais, on 21 June 1896, to parents Paulino Vito Nogueira and Mathilde Luiza Gonçalves. She had seven siblings, and her father worked as the director of the local school. When Ana was 13, her mother died, so she took care of her younger siblings. In order to improve their educational opportunities, her father sent her and her siblings to live with a relative in the municipality of Carmo de Minas; Ana would remain there for three years to complete her studies, before returning to her family’s farm.

On 17 January 1917, she married a dentist named Egydio de Luca, and would have 12 children with her husband. The couple would remain together for nearly 60 years before Egydio’s death in 1976.

At the age of 98, she fell and broke her leg, but following surgery and physical therapy, she was able to regain the ability to walk for many years after. By the time she was 111, however, her mobility was much more limited, and she suffered from hearing loss.

Ana Nogueira died of cardiac arrest on 18 November 1910, at the age of 114 years, 150 days. She was survived by five children, 28 grandchildren, 48 great-grandchildren and 1 great-great-grandchild.

RECOGNITION

On 4 November 2010, following the death of 114 year old Eugenie Blanchard, became the oldest (known) living person in the world, although her longevity wouldn’t be officially recognized during her lifetime. Despite this, a few Brazilian newspapers reported on her as being the presumed oldest living person in 2010, until her own death just 2 weeks later. While her reign as the world’s oldest person was short-lived and unrecognized during her lifetime, she nonetheless holds the distinction of being the first Brazilian to hold the title of world’s oldest person. Coincidentally, another Brazilian woman would succeed her as the world’s oldest person; born just 2 weeks later, Maria Gomes Valentim would later be officially recognized by Guinness World Records in 2011.

ATTRIBUTION

* “ANA NOGUEIRA DE LUCA ‘Mulher Destaque 2007’, na Área de Patrimonio Regional” – São Lourenço, 25 March 2007

* “MORRE MULHER MAIS VELHA DA REGIÃO AOS 114 ANOS” – Opopular.net, 20 November 2010

GALLERY