Pauline Georgette Jeanmaire (née Vitry) was a French supercentenarian whose age has been validated by the European Supercentenarian Organisation (ESO).
Jeanmaire was born as Pauline Georgette Vitry in Montier-en-Der, Haute-Marne, Grand Est, France, on 13 January 1857. Her parents were Louis Vitry and Pauline Lombardot. She had at least 4 siblings (two brothers and two sisters).
On 23 October 1877, in the village where she was born, she married Arthur Jeanmaire, and had at least 3 children: Cecile, Denise, and Henri.
Her sister Helene Vitry died several months before reaching the age of 101.
Jeanmaire passed away in Enghien-les-Bains, Val-d’Oise, Île-de-France, France, on 6 June 1968.
It’s believed that Jeanmaire became the oldest living person in France following the death of 110-year-old Ferdinise Nébolle from the overseas department of Martinique. However, Nébolle’s age has not been validated.
In January 1967, she celebrated her 110th birthday, becoming the first confirmed supercentenarian in continental France, and second in all departments (since Nébolle of Martinique celebrated her 110th birthday in May 1965).
On 21 March 1968, she became the oldest (known) living person in Europe, following the death of 111-year-old John Mosley Turner of England, UK. She held the title for two months, until her own death in June 1968. She was succeeded by Marie Bernátková of Czechoslovakia (present-day Czech Republic).
At the time of her death, she was the second-oldest (known and validated) living person in the world, behind Narcissus Rickman of the United States.
Her age was verified by Damien Guesney and Guillaume Legris of the Les Grands Centenaires Français, and validated by the ESO on 9 January 2021.
* Personnes françaises les plus âgées de tous les temps – Les Centenaires Français
* Pauline “Georgette” Vitry – Geneanet
