Lucile Randon

Randon on her 117th birthday.

**Lucile Randon** (11 February 1904 - 17 January 2023), also known as **Sister André**, was a French supercentenarian and nun who was the world's oldest verified living person since the death of Kane Tanaka until her own death. Her age was validated by Gerontology Research Group (GRG), by the European Supercentenarian Organisation (ESO) and by LongeviQuest (LQ).

## Biography

Randon was born on 11 February 1904 in Alès, Occitanie, France to Paul Randon and Alphonsine Delphine Yéta Soutoul. Her siblings included two older brothers, and a twin sister named Lydie who died a year after Lucile was born. While Randon grew up in a nonreligious Protestant family, her grandfather was a pastor. She later became a governess when she was 12 years old in 1916 to three children in Marseille. Her position was later upgraded when she was hired as both a governess and teacher to a prominent family at Versailles in 1922. Randon grew close to one of her older brothers while living there as he had been appointed justice of the peace at nearby Houdan. She converted to Catholicism the following year at the age of 19 after completing her catechumenate at the Cénacle in Paris. Meanwhile, her work as a governess and teacher at Versailles lasted until 1936. Randon joined the Catholic charitable order 'Daughters of Charity' eight years later, and took the name Sister André in honour of her deceased brother.

After World War II ended, Randon went on a mission to a hospital in Vichy, where she served forty orphans and the elderly. Her mission lasted for twenty-eight years until she was sent to another hospital at La Baume-d'Hostun, Drôme for night duty in 1973. Randon retired in 1979 at the age of 75, and entered the EHPAD in the Marches at Savoie where she resided for the next 30 years. She was later moved to a retirement home in Toulon on October 25, 2009. Randon developed a visual impairment sometime in the 2010s which was sufficient enough for her to be considered blind. When she turned 115, Pope Francis sent her a personal letter and a blessed rosary. Randon continued to reside in the nursing home at Toulon until her death.

## Longevity records

Following the death of Honorine Rondello on 19 October 2017, Randon became the oldest living person in France until her death.

On 26 March 2019, she surpassed the age of Marie Bremont, becoming the second-oldest validated person from France, behind Jeanne Calment. Later, on 11 February of 2021 and 2022 respectively, she became the second French person to reach the ages of 117 and 118.

Randon became the oldest known living nun in the world following the death of 115-year-old Marie-Josephine Gaudette of Italy. Randon subsequently became the oldest ecclesiastical person ever recorded after surpassing Gaudette's final age of 115 years, 110 days on 2 June 2019. Randon is also the first and only nun to turn 116, 117, and 118.

On 18 June 2019, following the death of Maria Giuseppa Robucci, she became the oldest living person in Europe and the second-oldest living person in the world, behind Kane Tanaka. On 28 June 2021, she surpassed the final age of Emma Morano-Martinuzzi and became the second-oldest European person of all time.

On 5 October 2021, following the death of Francisca Celsa dos Santos, Randon became the last known living person to be born in 1904 until her death.

On 16 January 2021, Randon tested positive for COVID-19 during an outbreak which saw 53 out of the 90 residents of her retirement home infected with the disease. Randon was kept in isolation in her room, and did not suffer any symptoms other than feeling tired. Just three days before her 117th birthday, it was reported that she had recovered, making her the oldest confirmed survivor of the disease. When asked by a journalist if she was afraid to have COVID-19, she answered: "No, I wasn't afraid, because I wasn't afraid to die." She went on to celebrate her 117th birthday on 11 February.

Following the death of Valentine Ligny on 4 January 2022, Randon became the last known surviving French person born before 1909. Following the death of Juliette Bilde on 13 December 2022, Randon became the last known surviving French person born in the 1900s decade.

She died in her sleep at 2am on January 17 2023 in her retirement home at 118 Years 340 Days, 25 days before she would have reached 119. She is also the first person ever to die at 118. Following Randon's death, Maria Branyas Morera of Spain became the oldest validated living person in the world, Inah Canabarro Lucas of Brazil became the oldest validated living nun in the world, Marie-Rose Tessier of Pays de la Loire became the oldest known living person in France, and Mauritian-born Suzanne Jacquet became the oldest known living person in Toulon.