https://longeviquest.com/2026/07/maria-jorge-esteves-de-almeida-the-oldest-person-in-sao-paulo-brazil-dies-at-114/

Maria Jorge Esteves de Almeida, the Oldest Person in São Paulo, Brazil, Dies at 114

Maria Jorge Esteves de Almeida, the oldest living person in São Paulo, Brazil, passed away this morning in Catanduva, at the age of 114 years, 41 days.

At the time of her passing, she was the 9th-oldest living person in the world, according to LongeviQuest Atlas. Furthermore, she was the third-oldest living person in Brazil, after Yolanda Beltrão de Azevedo and Beatriz Ferreira Duarte. She was the world’s oldest living Portuguese-born person, and the oldest Portuguese emigrant ever.

Biography

Maria Jorge Esteves de Almeida was born in Tocha, Coimbra District, Portugal, on 28 May 1912. Her parents were Augusto Jorge Esteves and Joaquina Jorge. When she was about one year old, her father traveled to Brazil seeking better job opportunities. She remained in Tocha with her mother, maternal grandmother, and aunts for around five years. In 1917, she traveled by ship to Brazil, accompanied by her mother and paternal uncle. In Santos, São Paulo, Brazil, her father awaited their arrival and immediately took them to Minas Gerais, where her paternal uncle Júlio was already settled. From there, she moved with her parents to Pindorama, São Paulo, where she spent her childhood.

Later, she likely attended her first years of schooling at a small local school and received private lessons from tutors, including a memorable woman from Minas Gerais, known as Ambrosina. Later, she continued her education at Santo André College in Jaboticabal, studying as a boarder with French nuns known for their cultural knowledge and academic rigor. Maria studied with them for several years but returned home a year before graduation, longing to be with her parents—a decision she later regretted. Nonetheless, she cherished the education she received, which instilled a lifelong love for reading and writing.

Maria continued her youth in Pindorama and married Raul de Almeida on 11 May 1933. Raul, a native of Monte Alto, was born on 6 March 1912. The couple made their home in Pindorama, raising two daughters, Sylvia and Maria Helena. After many years together, Raul passed away on 10 March 1998. A few years later, Maria moved to Catanduva to live with her daughters, no longer wishing to be alone. Eventually, she settled permanently with her eldest daughter.

Her age was verified by Iara Souza, Gabriel Ainsworth, and Filipe Lopes, and validated by LongeviQuest on 23 October 2024.

Rest in peace.