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'{{Short description|French supercentenarian (1904–2023)}} {{Use British English|date=January 2023}} {{Use dmy dates|date=January 2023}} {{Infobox person | name = Lucile Randon | honorific-suffix = {{Post-nominals|list=[[Daughters of Charity of Saint Vincent de Paul|DC]]|size=100%}} | image = Lucile Randon as a Young Woman Cropped.jpg | alt = | caption = Randon as a young woman {{circa|1920s}} | other_names = Sister André | birth_date = {{birth date|1904|2|11|df=y}} | birth_place = [[Alès]], France<!-- DO NOT LINK, see [[MOS:GEOLINK]] for further guidance --> | death_date = {{death date and given age|2023|01|17|df=y|{{age in years and days|1904|2|11|2023|01|17}}}} | death_place = [[Toulon]], France<!-- DO NOT LINK, see [[MOS:GEOLINK]] for further guidance --> | occupation = [[Catholic nun]] | known_for = [[List of the oldest living people|Oldest known living person]]<br />(19 April 2022 – 17 January 2023) | relatives = }} '''Lucile Randon''' {{Post-nominals|list=[[Daughters of Charity of Saint Vincent de Paul|DC]]}} ({{IPA-fr|ly.sil ʁɑ̃.dɔ̃|lang}}; 11 February 1904 – 16 January 2023), also known as '''Sister André''' ({{Lang-fr|link=no|Sœur André}}), was a French [[supercentenarian]] who, until her death at the age of 118 years, 339 days, was the [[List of the oldest verified people|world's oldest verified living person]] following the death of [[Kane Tanaka]] of Japan on 19 April 2022. She is the [[List of the verified oldest people|fourth-oldest verified person ever]],<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/news/2023/1/worlds-oldest-person-lucile-randon-dies-aged-118-733313|title=World's oldest person, Lucile Randon, dies aged 118|author=Dominic Punt|work=[[Guinness World Records]]|date=January 17, 2023|accessdate=February 21, 2023|quote=It's been an honour to record her story in the pages of the Guinness World Records book, and she will live on in history as the fourth oldest person ever authenticated.}}</ref> as well as the oldest confirmed survivor of the [[COVID-19 pandemic]], having tested positive for [[Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2|SARS-CoV-2]] a month before her 117th birthday.<ref name="bbc">{{Cite news |date=9 February 2021 |title=Europe's oldest person survives Covid just before 117th birthday |publisher=[[BBC News]] |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/amp/world-europe-56005488 |url-status=live |access-date=2 June 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210210003526/https://www.bbc.com/news/amp/world-europe-56005488 |archive-date=10 February 2021}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|last=Guy |first=Jack |date=11 February 2021 |title=Europe's oldest person, a 117-year-old French nun, survives COVID-19 |url=https://www.wcvb.com/article/europe-s-oldest-person-survives-covid-19/35468162 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211114110141/https://www.wcvb.com/article/europe-s-oldest-person-survives-covid-19/35468162 |archive-date=14 November 2021 |access-date=2 June 2021 |publisher=WCVB |language=en}}</ref> As a young adult, Randon converted to [[Roman Catholicism]] and worked as a governess, teacher, [[Catholic nun|nun]] and missionary before retiring at the age of 75 in 1979. She lived in a nursing home in [[Toulon]], France, from 2009 until her death. <!--As a reminder, this section is meant to summarise the content below.--> == Personal life == [[File:Lucile Randon Young Child.jpg|thumb|Lucile Randon as a child {{circa|1907–1910}}]] Randon was born on 11 February 1904 in [[Alès]], France<!-- DO NOT LINK, see [[MOS:GEOLINK]] for further guidance -->, to Paul Randon and Alphonsine Delphine Yéta Soutoul. Her living siblings included three older brothers and a twin sister named Lydie, who died a year after they were born.<ref name="wapo2021">{{Cite news |last1=Peiser |first1=Jaclyn |last2=Hassan |first2=Jennifer |title=Nun who survived flu pandemic, both world wars and coronavirus celebrates 117th birthday with red wine |language=en-US |newspaper=[[The Washington Post]]|date=11 February 2021 |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2021/02/10/nun-117-survive-covid-france/ |url-status=live |access-date=23 March 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210215000046/https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2021/02/10/nun-117-survive-covid-france/ |archive-date=15 February 2021 |issn=0190-8286}}</ref><ref name="VN">{{cite news |last1=Viet |first1=Cyprien |last2=Jozeau |first2=Anne-Quitterie |date=10 February 2021 |title=Sœur André fête ses 117 ans et souhaite un bon anniversaire à Radio Vatican |language=fr |work=[[Vatican News]] |url=https://www.vaticannews.va/fr/eglise/news/2021-02/soeur-andre-117-ans-voeux-radio-vatican.html |url-status=live |access-date=20 February 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220220164900/https://www.vaticannews.va/fr/eglise/news/2021-02/soeur-andre-117-ans-voeux-radio-vatican.html |archive-date=20 February 2022 }}</ref> Lucile became a [[governess]] to three children in [[Marseille]] when she was twenty years old in 1924. She took on more responsibility when she was hired as both a governess and teacher by a prominent family, the Peugeots, at [[Versailles]] in 1928.<ref name="Cros">{{cite web|url=https://cros-cevennes.fr/category/vie-communale/|title=Lucile Randon, la doyenne – Musique d'une vie|work=Mairie de Cros|date=2017|access-date=26 January 2023|language=French|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="Toulon">{{cite web|url=https://archive.wikiwix.com/cache/index2.php?url=http://toulon.fr/actualites/doyenne-de-toulon-a-112-ans#federation=archive.wikiwix.com|title=La doyenne de Toulon a 112 ans|work=Mairie de Toulon|date=9 February 2016|access-date=20 February 2022|language=French|archive-date=20 February 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220220165722/https://archive.wikiwix.com/cache/index2.php?url=http%3A%2F%2Ftoulon.fr%2Factualites%2Fdoyenne-de-toulon-a-112-ans#federation=archive.wikiwix.com|url-status=live}} (some dates are erroneous)</ref> Her work as a governess and teacher at Versailles lasted until 1930 when she became governess for the Borionne family in Paris and then in Ardèche, until 1944.<ref name="Cros"/><ref name="Toulon"/> Randon grew up in a [[Huguenot]] [[Protestantism in France|Protestant]] family and her grandfather was a pastor.<ref name="VN"/> She converted to [[Catholic Church in France|Catholicism]] in 1923 at the age of 19.<ref name="VN"/> She later joined the Catholic order [[Daughters of Charity of Saint Vincent de Paul|Daughters of Charity]] in 1944, taking the name Sister André in honour of her elder brother.<ref name="wapo2021" /><ref name="VN"/> After [[World War II]] ended, Randon went on a [[Christian mission|mission]] to a hospital in [[Vichy]], where she served orphans and elders. Her mission lasted 18 years until she was sent to another hospital at [[La Baume-d'Hostun]], Drôme, for night duty in 1963.<ref name="Toulon"/> Randon retired from full-time work in 1979 and entered the [[EHPAD]] in the Marches at [[Savoie]], where she continued to care for the elderly until she was 100 years old.<ref>{{Cite news|date=10 February 2022|title=Heaven can wait: How the super-centenarians live|language=en|work=[[France24]]|url=https://www.france24.com/en/live-news/20220210-heaven-can-wait |access-date=2 June 2022}}</ref> She moved to the Ste. Catherine Labouré retirement home in Toulon on 25 October 2009, at the age of 105.<ref name="wapo2021"/><ref>{{Cite news|date=12 February 2021|title=Europe's oldest person, 117-year-old French nun, survives COVID-19|language=en|work=[[Reuters]]|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-coronavirus-france-sister-nun-idUSKBN2A91VV|url-status=live|access-date=23 March 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210306074541/https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-coronavirus-france-sister-nun-idUSKBN2A91VV|archive-date=6 March 2021}}</ref> == Health and longevity == <!--Per the sub-header, health related information should come before longevity--> Randon was blind and used a wheelchair from the early 2010s.<ref name="VN"/> In January 2021, she tested positive for [[SARS-CoV-2]] in an outbreak at her retirement home. She was asymptomatic and tested negative days before her 117th birthday, making her the oldest known survivor of the [[COVID-19 pandemic]].<ref name="nyt2021">{{cite news |last=Peltier |first=Elian |date=10 February 2021 |title=A French Nun Turns 117 After Knocking Down Covid-19 |newspaper=[[The New York Times]] |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2021/02/10/world/europe/sister-andre-covid19.html |url-status=live |access-date=23 March 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210310185052/https://www.nytimes.com/2021/02/10/world/europe/sister-andre-covid19.html |archive-date=10 March 2021 |issn=0362-4331}}</ref><ref name="bbc"/><ref name=":2">{{Cite news |last=Willsher |first=Kim |date=9 February 2021 |title=Europe's oldest person survives COVID and set to celebrate 117th birthday |website=[[The Guardian]] |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/feb/09/europe-oldest-person-sister-andre-survives-covid-celebrate-117th-birthday |url-status=live |access-date=10 February 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210210000814/https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/feb/09/europe-oldest-person-sister-andre-survives-covid-celebrate-117th-birthday |archive-date=10 February 2021}}</ref> After the death of [[Honorine Rondello]] on 19 October 2017, she became the oldest living person in France.<ref>{{Cite news|date=10 February 2021 |title=World's second-oldest person survives COVID-19 at age 116 |language=en |website=ABC7 Chicago |url=https://abc7chicago.com/10325750/ |url-status=dead |access-date=23 March 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210219231122/https://abc7chicago.com/10325750/ |archive-date=19 February 2021}}</ref> When she turned 115 in 2019, [[Pope Francis]] sent her a personal letter and blessed [[rosary]].<ref name="wapo2021" /> In 2021, she said she was happy at her home, although she wished to join her grandparents and brother André in [[Heaven in Christianity|heaven]].<ref name="wapo2021" /> On her 118th birthday in February 2022, Randon received a birthday note from the French president, [[Emmanuel Macron]].<ref name=":0">{{Cite news |last1=Bouvier |first1=Simon |last2=Xu |first2=Xiaofei |last3=Knight |first3=Camille |last4=Lemercier |first4=Elias |date=26 April 2022 |title=The world's oldest person is a French nun who enjoys chocolate and wine |url=https://www.cnn.com/2022/04/26/europe/oldest-living-person-nun-sister-andre-scli-intl/index.html |access-date=28 April 2022 |publisher=[[CNN]] |language=en |archive-date=28 April 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220428131137/https://www.cnn.com/2022/04/26/europe/oldest-living-person-nun-sister-andre-scli-intl/index.html |url-status=live }}</ref> On 19 April 2022, she became the world's oldest verified living person after the death of [[Kane Tanaka]].<ref>{{cite news |date=25 February 2022 |title=French nun Sister Andre, 118, claims title of world's oldest person |website=[[France24]] |url=https://www.france24.com/en/europe/20220425-french-nun-sister-andre-118-claims-title-of-world-s-oldest-person |url-status=live |access-date=25 April 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220425164336/https://www.france24.com/en/europe/20220425-french-nun-sister-andre-118-claims-title-of-world-s-oldest-person |archive-date=25 April 2022}}</ref> She felt this was a "sad honour", saying: "I feel I would be better off in heaven, but the good Lord doesn't want me yet." At that time she was reported to still eat chocolate and drink a glass of wine each day.<ref name=":0" /> Randon died in her sleep at her nursing home on 16 January 2023, at the age of 118 years and 340 days as the fourth-oldest verified person ever. She is also the first validated person on record to die at the age of 118.<ref>{{Cite news |date=17 January 2023 |title=World's oldest person dies at age of 118 |publisher=[[RTÉ News]] |url=https://www.rte.ie/news/world/2023/0117/1349286-lucile-randon/ |access-date=17 January 2023 |archive-date=17 January 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230117210447/https://www.rte.ie/news/world/2023/0117/1349286-lucile-randon/ |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |date=17 January 2023 |title=Mort de la doyenne de l'humanité : la Française sœur André est décédée à 118 ans |newspaper=[[Le Parisien]] |url=https://www.leparisien.fr/societe/mort-de-la-doyenne-de-lhumanite-la-francaise-soeur-andre-est-decedee-a-118-ans-17-01-2023-IWWNT7I5A5CULK66HIP6VNUWSM.php |url-status=live |accessdate= |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230117204100/https://www.leparisien.fr/societe/mort-de-la-doyenne-de-lhumanite-la-francaise-soeur-andre-est-decedee-a-118-ans-17-01-2023-IWWNT7I5A5CULK66HIP6VNUWSM.php |archive-date=17 January 2023}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |date=18 January 2023 |title=Sister André, World's Oldest Known Person, Dies at 118 |newspaper=[[The New York Times]] |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2023/01/18/world/europe/sister-andre-worlds-oldest-person-118-france.html |access-date=19 January 2023}}</ref> [[Maria Branyas]] then became the world's oldest validated living person.<ref>{{Cite news |date=19 January 2023 |title=World's oldest living person confirmed as US-born Spanish woman |work=[[Guinness World Records]] |url=https://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/news/2023/1/worlds-oldest-living-person-confirmed-as-us-born-spanish-woman-733644 |access-date=19 January 2023}}</ref> == See also == * [[List of French supercentenarians]] * [[List of European supercentenarians]] * [[List of the verified oldest people]] * [[Oldest people]] == References == {{Reflist}} == External links == * {{Commons category-inline}} * {{Wikiquote-inline}} {{DEFAULTSORT:Randon, Lucile}} [[Category:1904 births]] [[Category:2023 deaths]] [[Category:20th-century French nuns]] [[Category:21st-century French nuns]] [[Category:Converts to Roman Catholicism from Calvinism]] [[Category:French supercentenarians]] [[Category:People from Alès]] [[Category:Women supercentenarians]]'