Supercentenarian Profile

Philippe Vocanson

Born:

1904-10-20

Saint-Jeures, Haute-Loire, Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes

France

Died:

2015-01-17

Saint-Étienne, Loire, Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes

France

✔ Age Certified by LongeviQuest

Philippe Vocanson was a French supercentenarian who was the oldest living man in Europe at the time of his passing.

BIOGRAPHY

Philippe Vocanson was born in the commune of Saint-Jeures in the Haute-Loire department in south-central France, on 20 October 1904. His parents were Jean Claude Vocanson (born 1864) and Marie Peyrachon (born 1874). He was born into a farming family and had three brothers and four sisters. His eldest sister, Louise Vocanson (29 August 1901 – 11 August 2010), passed away just weeks before her 109th birthday.

After working on the family farm, Philippe left his home region for Lyon, where he learned the trade of shoemaking. He practiced this profession for over forty years in the Jacquard district of Saint-Étienne, where he ran a small shop. He joined the army at the age of 35 during World War II and was captured by the Germans in northern France. According to his family, he later managed to escape.

In 1985, following the death of his wife— with whom he had two children—he moved into a retirement home in Saint-Étienne. He had six grandchildren and four great-grandchildren. He claimed to have never smoked and to have consumed little alcohol, though he had a fondness for cheese and chocolate.

Philippe Vocanson passed away in the city of Saint-Étienne in the Loire departement, in eastern-central France, on 17 January 2015, at the age of 110 years, 89 days.

RECOGNITION

Following the passing of Émile Turlant (1 April 1904 – 15 September 2013), he became the oldest living man in France. Upon his own passing, he was succeeded by Roger Gouzy.

Following the passing of Hungarian Rezső Gallai on 25 September 2014, he became the oldest known living man in Europe. Upon his own passing, he was succeeded by Harold Bracher.

His age was verified by the Les Grands Centenaires Français, and validated by the European Supercentenarian Organisation (ESO) on 8 March 2020.