BIOGRAPHY

Catherina van der Linden was born Catharina Adriana van Meegen in Amersfoort, Utrecht, Netherlands, on 26 August 1912 to Gradus Lambertus Johannes van Meegen (1876–1954) and Cornelia Maria Verstallen (1878–1946). She grew up in Nijmegen, Gelderland. Her aunt, Marie Ribbens-Verstallen (1873-1983), lived to the age of 110, and was the oldest person from the Netherlands at the time of her death.

On 23 August 1940, three days before her 28th birthday, she married Johannes (John) Wouterus van der Linden. She gave birth to four children. During her life, she worked as a grape picker, nursing assistant, typist, and clerical assistant.

In 1955, she and her husband emigrated to Australia. Being shocked by the accommodations in both Victoria and South Australia, Catherina, being homesick took the 4 children back to the Netherlands in 1958, vowing never to return to Australia. However, they eventually did 18 months later, when they permanently settled in Adelaide. Her husband died on 16 February 1980 at the age of 70.

In August 2022, she had 10 grandchildren and 15 great-grandchildren.

Catherina van der Linden passed away on 26 January 2024 in Adelaide, South Australia, Australia.

RECOGNITION

Her age was verified by Stefan Maglov, and validated by LongeviQuest on 1 February 2023. Her age was previously validated by the European Supercentenarian Organisation (ESO).

On 31 March 2023, following the death of 111-year-old Gwen Moore, she became the oldest living person in Australia.

ATTRIBUTION

* “South Australian woman, Catherina van der Linden, now believed to be Australia’s oldest living person” – ABC, 28 April 2023

GALLERY