BIOGRAPHY

José Van Zandijcke was born in Antwerp, Belgium, on 5 June 1912, to parents Philemon Van Zandijcke (1889–1976) and Marguerite Ide (1890–1983). He had one brother, Jacques (1913–1987). He emigrated to France with his parents in 1914 and became a naturalized French citizen in 1925. In 1935, he qualified for the competition for reserve artillery officer cadets and was appointed as a reserve second lieutenant on 7 April 1936, assigned to Nice.

Van Zandijcke married Nivès Negri (born 1915) on 23 April 1938; he worked as a stevedore while she was a shorthand typist. During World War II, he joined the Resistance and was recognized as a member of the “French Fighting Forces.” The couple had three children, including Pierre, born in 1941, and Georges, born in 1947.

In 1966, he became the operations manager for the company Intramar and lived in Marseille. He became a widower in 2013 at the age of 100, after 75 years of marriage.

José Van Zandijcke passed away in Marseille, on 28 December 2022, at the age of 110 years, 206 days.

RECOGNITION

On 25 July 2021, following the passing of 109-year-old Sylvain Vallée of Houyet, Namur, he became the oldest living Belgian-born man.

At the time of his death, he was the second-oldest known living man in France, after Georges Thomas.

His age has not been validated.

ATTRIBUTION

* Jose Van Zandijcke – Wikipedia

* Cyrille VAN ZANDYCKE – Geneanet

* Journal officiel de la République française. Lois et décrets – 9 February 1925

* Journal officiel de la République française. Lois et décrets – 5 August 1935

* Journal officiel de la République française. Lois et décrets – 8 April 1936

* French Executives View Handling of Materials – Port of Houston Magazine, April 1966 (Page 14)

* Avis de décès Nives VAN ZANDYCKE – Dans Nos Coeurs, 4 February 2013

* Avis de décès José VAN ZANDIJCKE – Dans Nos Coeurs, 5 January 2023

GALLERY