✔ Age Certified by LongeviQuest
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Petronella Maria “Marie” Ribbens-Verstallen was a Dutch supercentenarian who was the longevity recordholder of the Netherlands from 1983 to 1987. Her age has been validated by the Gerontology Research Group (GRG) and the European Supercentenarian Organisation (ESO), and recognised by LongeviQuest.
Ribbens-Verstallen was born in Breda, North Brabant, The Netherlands, on 2 February 1873 as the daughter of baker Jan Verstallen. She married A. J. Ribbens in 1913; he found work as a railwayman and the couple moved to Maastricht, Limburg.
Widowed in 1959, Ribbens-Verstallen had lived independently until then, upon which she lived in several retirement homes.
Ribbens-Verstallen died on 22 July 1983 at the age of 110 years, 170 days. Her niece, Catherina van der Linden (1912 – 2024) emigrated to Australia and became the oldest living person in the country, reaching the age of 111.
On 24 January 1981, following the death of 110-year-old Wilhelmina Cammel, Ribbens-Verstallen became the Netherlands’ oldest resident. Upon the death of the United Kingdom’s Alice Brewster on 9 October 1982, she became the oldest living person in Europe. She was succeeded, after her own death, by Frederika van Asselt-Benkemper (1874 – 1984) and Anna Williams (1873 – 1987) respectively.
In June 1983, Ribbens-Verstallen became the oldest Dutch person ever after surpassing the age of Gerarda Hurenkamp-Bosgoed (1870 – 1980). Her record was equalled by Gré Eijken (1875 – 1986), who reached the same final age; both were surpassed by Christina van Druten-Hoogakker in 1987.
Ribbens-Verstallen’s age was verified by Gert Jan Kuiper and Marco Wikkerink, and was validated by the ESO on 5 June 2020.
Ribbens-Verstallen in an undated photo
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