Antonia Gómez Vuelta

BIOGRAPHY

Antonia Gómez Vuelta was born in Columbrianos, Castile and León, Spain, on 28 August 1908. Her parents, Eugenio and Manuela, were farmers. She had three siblings: Rufino, Vicenta, and Julio, who passed away at a young age due to the Spanish flu. As a young girl, she had the opportunity to attend school, but her formal education lasted only two or three years. By the age of nine, she had taken on the responsibility of shepherding. Despite working from such a young age, she remained eager to learn. In the evenings, her uncle Esteban held lessons for her and her cousins, allowing her to develop basic skills in reading, writing, and arithmetic.

Her start as a shepherd wasn’t forced upon her—it was her own initiative. At nine, she overheard some of her father’s friends in the village discussing their plans to sell a small flock of twelve sheep. Inspired, she rushed home and pleaded with her father to buy them. It took several days to convince him, as he was well aware of the sacrifices and challenges that came with such work. Ultimately, with her persistence and her mother’s support, she won him over and got her wish. She worked as a shepherd from the age of 9 to 16, starting with a small flock of twelve sheep and growing it to over one hundred. At 16, following her father’s advice, she decided to leave shepherding behind and pursue a different path.

The money earned from selling sheep during those years allowed her parents to begin building a new house, which would later become the home for Antonia and her own family. From that point on, her time was devoted to housework and the demanding labor of working in the fields. She worked tirelessly from Monday to Saturday, while Sundays were reserved for leisure—taking walks through the village or attending dances occasionally organized by musicians from San Juan. During these Sunday walks, she grew closer to Alejandro Calvo Fernandez, who would later become her husband.

Shortly after Alejandro returned from his military service in Ceuta, the couple married. Their first child, a daughter named Angela, was born soon after. When Alejandro decided to leave the MSP (the company where he worked for a few years), they dedicated themselves fully to working in the countryside. Before long, their family grew with the births of their two sons, Eugenio and Paco. The fields provided the family with essential food, and they also raised chickens and pigs to support their livelihood.

She would travel to every market on a donkey to sell the fruits, potatoes, vegetables, and greens they grew. She balanced her work in the fields with household chores and sewing, out of necessity to ensure the family always had suitable clothing. Meanwhile, Alejandro balanced his work with his passion for carpentry. After retiring, they finally had the chance to travel together. They visited all of Andalusia, Galicia, Palma de Mallorca, and Ceuta, where they went to revisit Alejandro’s memories of his military service.

At the age of 82, her husband fell seriously ill, and she devoted herself entirely to caring for him. He passed away in 1990. Despite her grief, she quickly regained her strength, organized her life, and remained active with her daily chores and her involvement in village life. Until just before turning 103, and always with the support of her family, she remained independent. She was able to prepare her own meals, wash her own dishes, and carry out other tasks without assistance. Throughout all these years, she never missed a daily mass.

Until 2011, her only challenges were deafness and poor eyesight. However, at the age of 103, she suffered a fall and broke her hip, which left her unable to walk. In February 2012, she moved into the El Robledal Residence in Matachana.

Antonia Gómez Vuelta passed away in Ponferrada, Castile and León, on 15 May 2019, at the age of 110 years, 260 days.

RECOGNITION

On 23 June 2018, following the passing of 111-year-old Adelaida González Hernández, she became the oldest living person in the autonomous community of Castile and León, at the age of 109 years, 299 days. She held the title until her own passing in May 2019, when she was succeeded by Vicenta Prieto Santos.

Her age has not been validated.

ATTRIBUTION

* “Los 104 años de Antonia Gómez / La memoria que han rescatado sus nietos” – Bembibre Digital, 27 August 2012

* “Es imposible no quererla” – La Nueva Crónica, 28 August 2016

* “Fallece la mujer ‘más longeva’ del Bierzo a los 110 años” – InfoBierzo, 17 May 2019

GALLERY

[crp limit=’4′ ]