BIOGRAPHY

Marcil-Pigeon was born as Émilienne Marcil in Saint-Urbain-Premier, Quebec, Canada, on 29 March 1911. She was the youngest of five children born to Joseph Marcil and Rosalinda Grégoire. She had three older brothers and one older sister. She grew up on a farm, and later started working for her uncle, who was a fur merchant.

In 1931, Marcil-Pigeon met her future husband, Alfred Pigeon, whom she would marry on 12 June 1937. The couple had no children. Her husband died in 1981.

At the age of 98, Marcil-Pigeon moved in with her great-niece, with whom she still lived as of her 110th birthday. As a centenarian, she was still frequently riding an exercise bike, doing household chores such as ironing, and solving crossword puzzles.

Marcil-Pigeon died in Gatineau, Quebec, Canada on 19 October 2022, at the age of 111 years, 204 days.

RECOGNITION

On 7 April 2022, at the age of 111, following the death of 112-year-old Yvonne Delorme-Martel, she became the oldest (known) living person in the Canadian province of Quebec. At the time of death, she was believed to be the third-oldest living person in Canada, following Shige Mineshiba (1909–2023; age not validated) and the anonymous woman born in July 1910.

Her age was validated by LongeviQuest on 2 March 2023.

ATTRIBUTION

GALLERY