BIOGRAPHY

Rosa Inés Veloz Ortiz claimed to have been born on 11 February 1909. She had six children. Johana, her granddaughter, described her as a fighter who took on the roles of both father and mother when her husband left her. Born into a poor family, she managed to save $15 to repair her Singer sewing machine, which became her main tool for making clothes to sell, both in town and in rural areas. According to her family, she gained local recognition for her sewing, which helped her raise her children. She outlived four of them and was survived by two: Esmeraldas, 77, and Humberto, 80.

For the last 50 years of her life, she resided in the city of Pedro Carbo. Despite the hardship of her husband’s departure, she reportedly never became a bitter woman. Instead, joy remained her defining characteristic. She loved it when her granddaughter played tropical or traditional music, though she preferred the volume to be kept low out of consideration for her neighbors. Besides sewing, she also crafted straw hats with remarkable skill.

Even at 109 years old, she continued to cook, with her favorite dish being vegetables with peanuts. However, a fall around that time caused a fracture that limited her mobility. When the governor of Guayas, Pedro Pablo Duart, asked her the secret to her longevity, she didn’t reveal it. Instead, she laughed and jokingly replied, “I’m not going to tell you that, Mr. Governor.”

Rosa Inés Veloz Ortiz passed away in Pedro Carbo, Guayas Province, on 12 February 2020, a day following her 111th birthday. At the time of her passing, she had 25 grandchildren, 12 great-grandchildren, and 10 great-great-grandchildren.

RECOGNITION

Her age has not been validated.

ATTRIBUTION

* “La señora Inés Veloz festejó sus 111 años y el gobernador Pedro Pablo Duart…” – Facebook, 11 February 2020

* “Inesita cumplió 111 años” – X.com, 11 February 2020

* “La costurera que tejió 111 años de vida” – Diario Expreso, 16 February 2020

GALLERY