Global Supercentenarian Forum
The Supercentenarian World
Notifications
Clear all
Topic starter
26/05/2026 6:10 pm
Alfons Declerck, a resident of Ostend, West Flanders, Belgium, and the nation’s oldest living man sadly passed away on 25 May 2026, 2 days before his 109th Birthday.
Alfons Declerck was born in Bristol, England, on 27 May 1915. His parents had fled to England to escape the First World War. After the war ended, the family returned to Belgium. Alfons was the youngest of eight children.
He later married Suzanne Pottier, who was five years his junior. She passed away in 2004 at the age of 83. The couple had two daughters, Anita and Patricia.
On 14 February 2025, following the passing of 107-year-old Jozef (Jos) Kets, he became the oldest living man in Belgium.
Rest in peace.
This topic was modified 3 weeks ago by Ale76
http://www.supercentenariditalia.it/persone-viventi-piu-longeve-in-italia.
Persone viventi più longeve in Italia – Supercentenari d'Italia (supercentenariditalia.it)
3
26/05/2026 10:24 pm
R.I.P. Mr. Declerck.
ESO Correspondent for Portugal (since 2026)
____
When the young commander of the guard declared his love for her, she rejected him simply because his frivolity startled her. "See how simple he is," she told Amaranta. "He says that he’s dying because of me, as if I were a bad case of colic."
-One Hundred Years of Solitude
27/05/2026 7:17 am
Rest in peace Mr Declerck.
Topic starter
27/05/2026 9:30 am
https://longeviquest.com/2026/05/alfons-declerck-belgiums-oldest-man-dies-at-108/
Alfons Declerck, Belgium’s Oldest Man, Dies at 108
Alfons Declerck, the oldest living man in Belgium, passed away in Ostend, West Flanders, on 25 May, two days before he would have turned 109.
Alfons Declerck was born in Bristol, England, on 27 May 1917. His parents had fled to England to escape the First World War. After the war ended, the family returned to Belgium. Alfons was the youngest of eight children.
During the Second World War, Alfons married Suzanne Pottier. The couple lived for a time in Assebroek, where they raised their two daughters, Anita and Patricia. Until 1954, Alfons was stationed in Germany, first in Siegen, North Rhine-Westphalia, and later in Westhoven, near Cologne. After returning to Belgium, he took up an administrative position with the army in Bruges. Toward the end of his career, he served as a non-commissioned officer at the military hospital in Ostend. His wife passed away in 2004 at the age of 83.
On 14 February 2025, following the passing of 107-year-old Jozef (Jos) Kets, he became the oldest living man in Belgium.
http://www.supercentenariditalia.it/persone-viventi-piu-longeve-in-italia.
Persone viventi più longeve in Italia – Supercentenari d'Italia (supercentenariditalia.it)
2
15/06/2026 4:49 am
He is the 5th oldest man in Belgian history, his successor is the anonymous man from Liège born on September 26, 1918, who is the 17th oldest man in the country's history and the 13th oldest living person in Belgium.
He was the oldest living man in Belgium for 1 year and 100 days, the longest time since Jaak Broekx, who held the title from September 9, 2021, to October 31, 2023 (2 years and 52 days).
He lived 108 years and 363 days, the longest time among those who were the oldest in the country since Jaak Broekx, who died at 109 years and 86 days.
He is the 5th man from West Flanders to be the oldest in Belgium, the first since Maurice Staël, who died on January 24, 2020.
He is the 10th oldest emigrant in UK history, and was the oldest living emigrant, a title now held by Bruce Powell, born on September 26. born in April 1918 and lives in New Zealand.