When Ms. Randon became a nun in 1944, she went by the name Sister André. She passed away in her sleep at her nursing home in Toulon, France.
She was born in southern France in 1904, lived through two world wars, and she devoted a significant portion of her life to Catholicism.
She told reporters that the secret to her longevity was “only the good Lord knows.”
Sister André also witnessed 27 French heads of state when she was born, when the Tour de France had only been held once.
David Tavella, a spokesperson for her nursing home, informed reporters on Tuesday that she had passed away.
“There is a great deal of sadness, but… she wanted to be with her beloved brother. “It’s a liberation for her,” Mr. Tavella said.
It was believed that Sister André had a close relationship with her brothers. One of her fondest memories, she once told reporters, was when they safely returned from fighting at the end of World War I.
She noted, “It was rare.” There were typically two deceased rather than two living members in families.
Sister André cared for other elderly people, some of whom were much younger than herself, despite the fact that she was blind and used a wheelchair.
Sister André stated in an interview with the AFP news agency in April of last year: Work is said to kill, but for me, it kept me alive, and I worked until I was 108.
She stated in the same interview that she would be happier in heaven, despite continuing to indulge in daily indulgences like chocolate and wine.
She had been Europe’s oldest person for some time before Kane Tanaka, a Japanese woman who lived until she was 119 years old, passed away in April, making her the world’s oldest person.
She had already appeared in the books before. She became the oldest person to overcome Covid-19 in 2021.
Sister André came from a Protestant family when she was born, but she later converted to Catholicism and was baptized at the age of 26.
She joined the Daughters of Charity order about 15 years after she decided to join the Catholic Church out of a desire to “go further.”
She was assigned to a hospital in Vichy, where she worked for the majority of her 31 years of employment.
She stated to reporters in one of her final interviews: Instead of hating one another, people should help one another and love one another. Things would be significantly improved if we shared all of that.”
