BIOGRAPHY

Boonstra-van der Bijl was born in Herwijnen, Gelderland, Netherlands on 6 October 1910 to Arie van der Bijl (1873–1963) and Dirkje (Ditta) van der Bijl-Exalto (1880–1976). Her father was a baker and her mother sold bread and groceries. She had nine siblings (seven brothers and two sisters).

On 25 January 1940, she married Hendrik Boonstra (1906–1963) in Herwijnen. Her husband was a pharmacist, and in April of that year, he established the ‘Casimir Pharmacy.’ While he managed the pharmacy, she took care of the household chores and looked after the family. The couple had six children – three sons and three daughters. Upon her husband’s passing, she sold the pharmacy.

Boonstra-van der Bijl lived independently until the age of 100, when she moved into a retirement home in Arnhem. Despite her eyesight and memory deteriorating, she was still able to walk at the time of her 109th birthday. On her 110th birthday, it was reported that she suffered from dementia.

Boonstra-van der Bijl passed away in Arnhem, Gelderland, on 15 May 2021, at the age of 110 years, 221 days.

RECOGNITION

Boonstra-van der Bijl became the oldest living person in the province of Gelderland after the death of Johanna Besseling-Levers on 14 September 2019.

On 2 September 2020, she became the oldest resident of the European Netherlands following the death of 114-year-old Anne Brasz-Later. She was not the oldest person in the Kingdom of the Netherlands, however, as Maria Luisa Benjamin lived on the island of Aruba (her age has not been validated).

Boonstra-van der Bijl’s age was verified by Marco Wikkerink and validated by the ESO on 14 October 2020.

Following the 29 April 2021 death of Belgium’s Julia Van Hool, Boonstra-van der Bijl became the oldest living person in the Benelux. After her death, the titles of oldest in the European Netherlands and the Benelux passed to Ebeltje Boekema-Hut and Marcelle Lévaz respectively

ATTRIBUTION

* Cornelia van der bijl – geneanet

* FESTINA LENTE, nr.55 (page 12) – vanderbijlen.nl, March 2016

* Marcouch eert Cornelia Boonstra (109), de oudste inwoner van Gelderland: ‘Waarom gebeurt dit allemaal?’ – de Gelderlander, 6 October 2019

* Dubbel hoera! Arnhemse Cornelia is 110 geworden en daarmee de oudste van het land – de Gelderlander, 6 October 2020

* De oudste inwoner van Nederland – Angerenstein Arnhem, 30 August 2021

GALLERY