BIOGRAPHY

Raymonde Robert was born in the commune of Le Petit-Quevilly in the Seine-Maritime department, Normandy, France on 14 February 1912, as the second of six children. While her father worked as a clog maker, she helped her mother care for her younger siblings. Starting at the age of 13, she worked as a saleswoman in a large tableware store in Rouen, continuing until her marriage.

In 1934, she married photographer Marcel Robert, and together they operated a photography shop in Falaise, where they raised two children, Marcel and Claudine. During World War II, the couple’s home and shop were destroyed in the 1944 bombings of Falaise, forcing them to flee to Rouen. For several years, she worked as a cleaner in the café owned by her brother-in-law, who had taken them in. After the war, they rebuilt their business in 1950. Her husband Marcel passed away in 1979, at the age of 65. With the help of her son, she ran her business for a year, before deciding to sell the shop.

At the age of 102, she moved to the Pierre-Noal nursing home in Putanges-le-Lac, where she remained active, alert, and independent for many years, even into her 110s. By the age of 103, she had three grandchildren and five great-grandchildren. At that time, she was living in a nursing home, where her children had moved her for safety reasons. For her 103rd birthday, a musical afternoon was arranged, with several songs performed by the nursing home host in her honor. On her 105th birthday in 2017, she was reported to be very alert. She was able to dress herself, eat, wash, and make her bed independently, using only a cane for walking. However, she did have some difficulty hearing.

When asked about her secret to longevity, she replied, “I don’t have one, but I’ve always worked a lot…”

Raymonde Robert passed away in Putanges-le-Lac, Orne, Normandy, France, on 30 December 2022, at the age of 110 years, 319 days.

RECOGNITION

Her age has not been validated.

ATTRIBUTION

* “Raymonde Robert a fêté ses 103 ans à la résidence” – Ouest France, 2 March 2015

* “À 105 ans, Raymonde est toujours alerte !” – Ouest France, 27 February 2017

* “Raymonde Robert, 105 ans, a apprécié le goûter” – Ouest France, 19 October 2017

* “Ancienne commerçante à Falaise, une résidente de l’Ehpad de Putanges-le-Lac souffle ses 110 bougies” – Ouest France, 15 February 2022

* “À la résidence Pierre-Noal de Putanges, Raymonde Robert célèbre ses 110 ans” – Actu, 16 February 2022

GALLERY