BIOGRAPHY

Marie-Florentine Jousseaume was born in the commune of Saint-Hilaire-le-Vouhis in the Vendée department in the Pays de la Loire region in western France, on 17 June 1907. She was born into a family of four children, being the youngest. Her father, a miller, was requisitioned to serve in World War I for four years, taking his horse with him. After school, she helped care for the sheep on the farm.

On 16 October 1928, at 21, she married Arsene Stanislas Armand Jousseaume (1904–1990) in the commune of Saint-Vincent-Sterlanges. She and her husband had two children: Arsène, born in 1930, and Yvonne, born in 1932. The couple settled as farmers in Frileau, still within Saint-Hilaire-le-Vouhis. She made butter, which she sold, and experienced life without running water, having to fetch water from the well. In 1963, they moved to Chantonnay.

After her husband’s death in 1990, she chose to move into the Croisettes residence in 1992, initially residing in the annex for twelve years before relocating to the main house.

At the age of 108, she spent her time knitting, especially crocheting. By that time, she had five grandchildren, ten great-grandchildren, and thirteen great-great-grandchildren, one of whom was born just a few days before her 108th birthday.

Marie-Florentine Jousseaume passed away in the commune of Chantonnay in the Vendée department in the Pays de la Loire region in western France, on 20 December 2020, at the age of 113 years, 186 days.

RECOGNITION

Jousseaume’s age was verified by Cyril Depoudent (Les Grands Centenaires Français), and was validated by the European Supercentenarian Organisation (ESO) on 4 April 2020.

ATTRIBUTION

* Florentine Xavérine Marie Marthe LAMOTHE – geneanet

* “La doyenne des Vendéens est Chantonnaisienne” – Ouest-France, 7 August 2015

* “Chantonnay. Marie, 110 ans, est la doyenne de la Vendée” – Ouest-France, 20 June 2017

* “Vendée : un apéritif et des fleurs pour les 113 ans de Marie Jousseaume, doyenne des Pays de la Loire” – France 3 Pays de la Loire, 17 June 2020

GALLERY