BIOGRAPHY

Vellard was born in Rozières-en-Beauce, Loiret, France on 18 March 1875. She married Paul Vellard in the late 1890s, and moved to Saint-Sigismond in 1898 before the birth of their daughter, Marguerite, in 1900. Aside from a trip to Paris in the 1930s, she lived a quiet, simple life in Saint-Sigismond, and spent much of her time sewing. Her husband died at the age of 87, following many decades of marriage.

On her 110th birthday in 1985, Vellard was reported to be in relatively good health for her age. However, by the time of her 112th birthday in 1987, her overall health had reportedly deteriorated, and was said to be blind, mostly mute, and completely dependent on her daughter for care, who was 86 at the time.

Vellard died in Saint-Sigismond, Loiret, France on 17 September 1989, at the age of 114 years, 183 days. Born just a few weeks after Jeanne Calment, she never held the title of France’s oldest person.

RECOGNITION

Vellard’s age was validated by the Gerontology Research Group several years after her death, as she received minimal reporting outside of her native France. However, local newspapers in Saint-Sigismond would report on her birthdays in her later years.

ATTRIBUTION

GALLERY