BIOGRAPHY

Gabrielle Mélard was born in Saint-Josse-ten-Noode, Brussels, Belgium, on 31 July 1909. She was born to Michel Mélard, an antique dealer from Wonck, then part of Limburg, and Augusta Toussaint, a dressmaker from Brussels. She spent her early years in Ixelles and Schaarbeek. Her father abandoned the family when she was very young, leaving Gabrielle with little memory of him. During the First World War, she relocated to Liège, where she was raised by her uncle and aunt, remaining there even after their deaths.

Mélard never married and continued living in Liège throughout her life. She worked as a clerk and, during the Second World War, trained as a nurse. Later, she became a teacher at the nursing school in Liège, residing in an apartment near the cathedral.

Even into old age, she frequently visited her family in Brussels, traveling by public transport. At the age of 94, she moved to a nursing home in Oudergem to be closer to her family. Having led an independent life, she initially struggled to adjust but occupied herself with reading and watching television. According to the staff, she maintained a strong appetite, especially for desserts, and could eat independently until the age of 109. At 107, she survived a severe case of pneumonia. Over time, she became almost completely blind and deaf, which made communication challenging. Despite these disabilities, she continued to enjoy music and found joy in the company of animals.

Three months after her 110th birthday, the nursing home in Oudergem closed, and she moved to a new facility in Anderlecht. She passed away there on 25 June 2020, at the age of 110 years, 330 days.

RECOGNITION

At the time of her passing, she was the third-oldest living person in Belgium, after Marietta Bouverne and Julia Van Hool.

Mélard’s age was verified by Anthony Croes-Lacroix and validated by the ESO on 15 June 2020.

ATTRIBUTION

* “Il n’y a jamais eu autant de Belges de… 109 ans” – DHnet, 23 August 2018

* Gabrielle Mélard (1909-2020) – 21 November 2018

* “Oudergemse blaast 110 kaarsjes uit” – BRUZZ, 31 July 2019

GALLERY