1914 Archives

LongeviQuest is pleased to announce the age validation of Jens Peter Westergaard of Denmark at age 109. He was born in Odense, Southern Denmark, Denmark on 26 April 1914. Westergaard is currently the oldest living man in the country. Westergaard is also currently the third-oldest living person in Denmark, behind Karen Rigmor Moritz and Kirsten Schwalbe. He was a brother, a husband, and a father.

As a child (left), with his two younger siblings.
(Photo credit: Kristian Isaksen/Fyens Stiftstidende)

Westergaard started his career in the accounting department of Politiken in Copenhagen. He later became the public transportation manager in his city and oversaw the switch from trams to buses in Odense. He played a key role in the decision to stop tram service in the city. Westergaard was featured in local newspapers on July 1, 1952, the day the tram service ended. He had planned to retire at 67, but he stayed on until he was 70 because there was no one to replace him.

In 2020, he moved from Odense to Fredericia.

For more information, please view Westergaard’s Directory Profile here.

It is with great delight for LongeviQuest to share that the oldest person in Croatia turned 109 years old. Grandmother Mara Gabelica is a Croatian centenarian known as the current oldest living person in the country.

Mara Gabelica was born on 8 September 1914 in the village of Ivangegovina, Split-Dalmatia County, Austria-Hungary (which is known as Croatia in the present day.)

Grandmother Mara Gabelica

She married her first and only love, Anta Gabelica, in 1932 in the village of Podbablje. Mara was only 17 years old at the time of the wedding while her husband was 12 years older than her. The couple had two daughters and two sons. In 1953, they moved to Zmijavci, Split-Dalmatia County, Croatia. Two years later, her husband passed away in 1955 so Mara was left a widow.

On 8 May 2022, Mara became the oldest living person in the country after 108-year-old Andjela Sostaric died.

Mara Bagelica currently resides in the village of Zmijavci, municipality of Zmijavci, Split-Dalmatia, Croatia.

LongeviQuest sends our warmest greetings to Grandmother Mara Gabelica, and to her family and friends, for this milestone of her life.

LongeviQuest is saddened to report the death of Máirín Hughes. She was born in Belfast, Down County, Northern Ireland, United Kingdom on 22 May 1914 and passed away in Chapelizod, Dublin, Ireland on 5 September 2023. At the time of her death, Máirín Hughes was the oldest living person in Ireland.

Mairin Hughes on her 109th birthday
(Source: www.independent.ie)

Máirín Hughes had two older and one sister. They grew up in Rathmore, County Kerry, Ireland. In 1924, she moved to Cork where she went on to graduate from University College Cork and work in pathology. Hughes earned a degree in science and a diploma in education at University College Cork and worked in the pathology lab in UCC’s Department of Medicine for 14 years. Hughes was honored with a UCC Alumni Achievement Award in 2018.

She became the oldest known living woman in Ireland, following the death of 107-year-old Nancy Stewart on 10 September 2021.

She became the oldest known living person in Ireland, following the death of 108-year-old Mathew Crowley on 26 August 2022.

LongeviQuest is extending our deepest condolences to the bereaved family and friends of Mrs. Máirín Hughes.