BIOGRAPHY

Adelfio was born in Palermo, Sicily, Italy on 4 March 1879. She married Giacomo Scataro on 19 November 1904 and had four children.

On 17 August 1986, aged 107, Adelfio became Italy’s oldest resident following the death of 108-year-old Luigina Pepe. She became a supercentenarian in 1989, becoming the fourth known person in Italy’s history to achieve such a milestone. On her 110th birthday, it was reported that she was in excellent health and could recollect numerous historical events.

Adelfio died on 4 November 1989 at the age of 110 years, 245 days in the same town she was born in. After her death, then-109-year-old Domenico Minervino became the oldest living person in Italy. Adelfio was never the oldest Italian-born person, as New York resident Amarillide Bufalini (1876 – 1990) was older and outlived her.

RECOGNITION

Adelfio’s 110th birthday celebration was attended by Palermo’s mayor Leoluca Orlando, and a short article was published in the newspaper La Provincia the following day.

Adelfio’s age was verified by Iacopo Sbrolli and Paolo Scarabaggio, and validated by the ESO on 23 June 2021.

ATTRIBUTION

GALLERY