BIOGRAPHY

Maes was born in the village of Ettelgem in West Flanders, Belgium, on 24 July 1910. She had five siblings.

On 8 September 1928, aged 18, she joined the convent of the Sisters of the Immaculate Conception. There, she took her vows on on 10 April 1931 and chose the name Sister Genoveva, but later she was affectionately called Veva by her fellow sisters. She began her teaching career in 1938 at a nursery school in Bruges Sint-Pieters. Afterward, she taught in Oostduinkerke and Veldegem. However, due to progressive loss of her voice, she could no longer perform her duties from 1959 onwards. She then undertook various tasks within the convent order.

During the Second World War, she survived a bombing of her convent in Oostduinkerke. Alongside local residents and other sisters, she was trapped in the cellar for days.

When she was in her 80s, she reportedly narrowly avoided death when she was found unconscious with no pulse. The doctor had already been called to confirm her death. However, miraculously, when she was moved to the couch, she suddenly opened her eyes again. She drove a car for most of her life, until her later years. In 1998, she settled permanently in Knokke-Heist and moved into a nursing home in 2009.

Maes passed away in Knokke-Heist, West Flanders, Belgium, on 25 March 2021, at the age of 110 years, 244 days.

RECOGNITION

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

Her age has not been validated.

ATTRIBUTION

* “Zuster Genoveva is 100” – Het Nieuwsblad, 28 July 2010

* “Zuster Genoveva blaast 106 kaarsjes uit” – Het Laatste Nieuws, 26 July 2016

* “Lazarie viert 107de verjaardag en is al meer dan haar halve leven met pensioen” – Het Nieuwsblad, 26 July 2017

* “Oudste inwoner van Knokke-Heist blaast 109 kaarsjes uit” – Het Laatste Nieuws, 19 July 2019

* “Oudste inwoner van West-Vlaanderen (110) overleden” – Het Laatste Nieuws, 26 March 2021

GALLERY