Overview

Fanny Félicie Florentine Pardon-Godin (27 May 1902 – 7 September 2014) was a Belgian supercentenarian who became widely noted for her longevity. At the time of her death she was the oldest living person in Belgium and one of the very small number of Belgians to reach the age of 112.

Early life and background

Godin was born in Huy, a town in the eastern part of the country, in the province of Liège. Details about her childhood and early career are limited in the public record, but her lifespan spanned more than a century of Belgian and European history, from the early 1900s through both world wars and into the 21st century.

Adult life and family

In adulthood she settled in Zoutleeuw, a municipality in Flemish Brabant, where she lived for many years and eventually died. She married Jacques Pardon in 1941; he predeceased her in 1977. The couple had one daughter, Claude, born in 1944. Public accounts note that she did not have grandchildren. In a detail that attracted attention, Godin remained active for many years and reportedly swam until she was 109 years old.

Longevity and records

Fanny Godin became the oldest living person in Belgium after the death of Germaine Degueldre on 11 May 2012. At her death on 7 September 2014 she was aged 112. Within the country’s verified longevity records she ranked as the second-oldest Belgian ever; the oldest verified Belgian was Joanna Deroover (1890–2002). Reaching age 110 or more places a person in the category known as a supercentenarian, a rare designation worldwide.

Notable facts and context

  • Born: 27 May 1902 in Huy.
  • Long-term residence and place of death: Zoutleeuw, Flemish Brabant.
  • Married Jacques Pardon (1907–1977) in 1941; daughter Claude born 1944.
  • Notably active into advanced age; reported to have swum until about 109.

Significance

Individuals who live beyond 110 offer opportunities for research into longevity, lifestyle and genetics, and they often attract public interest as living links to past eras. While many personal details about Godin’s daily life remain private or sparsely documented, her verified age and local prominence made her a notable figure in Belgian demographic records. For regional biographical references and contemporary reporting, see sources associated with Belgian civil records and local news accounts.