BIOGRAPHY

Marguerite Lecourt was born in Flers, Orne, Normandy, France, on 16 July 1914. During the Second World War, she and her husband, Jean Lecourt, who worked for the railways, lived between Serquigny (Eure) and Flers, which they traveled to by bicycle. Their first daughter, Monique, born in 1941, lived with Marguerite’s parents. Marguerite vividly remembered the bombings of June 1944 in the capital of Bocage. Despite the destruction, the couple did not hesitate to return to Flers after the war. Between 1946 and 1955, they welcomed four more children: Jean, Michel (who died at 18 months), Pierre, and Jocelyne.

While her children were young, she devoted herself to raising them. At the age of forty, she began working as a cleaner and cook at the youth center (now known as the youth workers’ center) in Flers, where she went every day. Her husband, Jean, who worked at Ferrodo after the war, passed away from cancer at the age of 57.

On her 110th birthday, she received a visit from Bruno Asselot, the deputy mayor of Flers. He presented her with a bouquet of flowers and a box of chocolates. At the time, when asked about the secret to her longevity, she replied, “Try to live quietly, avoid being mean, and don’t create trouble. I don’t like to see people cry.” At the time, she had 10 grandchildren, 10 great-grandchildren, and two great-great-grandchildren.

RECOGNITION

Her age has not been validated.

ATTRIBUTION

* “La doyenne de Flers a célébré ses 106 ans !” – Actu, 21 July 2020

* “À 110 ans, cette Normande vit encore chez elle et multiplie les blagues et les éclats de rire” – Ouest France, 17 July 2024

* “Marguerite Lecourt, la doyenne de Flers, a fêté ses 110 ans” – Flers Agglo, 19 July 2024

GALLERY