Supercentenarian Profile

Natividad Ramos Fernández

Born:

1903-12-25

Private

Argentina

Died:

2014-02-21

Zurgena, Andalusia

Spain

Natividad Ramos Fernández was an Argentine-born Spanish supercentenarian.

BIOGRAPHY

Natividad Ramos Fernández was born in Argentina on 24 December 1903. Her parents were from Lubrín, Andalusia, and had been forced to emigrate. When she was ten, they returned to the village. Natividad, the fourth of the couple’s seven daughters, was full of hope upon their return to Spain.

She attended school there, often studying at home by candlelight since there was no electricity, and later traveled to Almería to take her exams. In the village, she married Pepe Muñoz Urrea, also on 25 December. He had initially wanted to study Pharmacy in Granada but switched to Teaching when she chose that career. After they both graduated, they prepared for competitive exams and accepted teaching positions in Galicia. Years later, they returned to Almería, where they were assigned to Viator. She remained there for many years.

She had six children: María Dolores, Natividad, Miguel, Agustín, José, and Plácido. When her husband died at the age of 74, she fell seriously ill and was even hospitalized. In 1981, she decided to move to Zurgena to live with her daughter. She remained there for the rest of her life.

When asked about her mother’s longevity, her daughter admitted she did not know the secret. She explained that her mother had always eaten a varied diet—meat, vegetables, chickpeas—and had never smoked.

Natividad Ramos Fernández passed away in Zurgena, Andalusia, on 21 February 2014, at the age of 110 years, 58 days.