Supercentenarian Profile

Geertje Kuijntjes

Born:

1905-07-19

Gorinchem, South Holland

Netherlands

Died:

2019-12-24

Gorinchem, South Holland

Netherlands

✔ Age Certified by LongeviQuest

Geertje Kuijntjes was a validated Dutch supercentenarian who was the oldest living person in the Netherlands at the time of death.

BIOGRAPHY

Geertje Kuijntjes was born in Gorinchem, South Holland, Netherlands, on 19 July 1905. Her parents were Jan Johannes Kuijntjes (1873–1970) and Jannigje Reijnen (1880–1976). She was one of six siblings, but only two survived infancy. She had an older sister with the same name, who was born and died on 22 May 1903. Another sibling was born and died in May 1904. Her younger twin sisters, Willempje and Geertruida Pieternella, were born in December 1906 but both passed away in March 1907. Her brother, Arie (1910–1976), lived to the age of 66.

She never married or had children. Professionally, she worked as a hairdresser. Her main hobby was knitting, which she continued to enjoy well into her centenarian years.

She traveled abroad on holiday by herself until the age of 100 and completed the International Four Days Marches in Nijmegen forty times. She lived independently until she was 105.

On her 111th birthday, it was reported that she would be a guest at the Four Days Marches parade in Nijmegen. She was said to be in good mental health but preferred to avoid too much attention on her birthday, which is why she chose to celebrate privately. Nevertheless, she treated everyone at the nursing home to ice cream. At the time, she expressed a wish to live to the age of 120.

Geertje Kuijntjes passed away in Gorinchem, on 24 December 2019, at the age of 114 years, 158 days.

RECOGNITION

On 27 August 2015, following the passing of 110-year-old Nelly de Vries-Lammerts, she became the oldest living person in the Netherlands, at the age of 110 years, 39 days.

In July 2017, she celebrated her 112th birthday, becoming the first Dutch person to reach that age since Grietje Jansen-Anker in 2009. The following year, upon turning 113, she became the first to do so in 15 years—since Hendrikje van Andel-Schipper in 2003. She was also the third one in the Netherlands overall who reached this age.

She held the title of the nation’s oldest living resident for over 4 years, until her own passing, when she was succeeded by Anne Brasz-Later.

At the time of her passing, she was the second-oldest Dutch person ever, only after Hendrikje van Andel-Schipper. She was also the third-oldest living person in Europe, after Lucile Randon and Jeanne Bot.

Her age was validated by the European Supercentenarian Organisation (ESO) on 15 January 2020.