Catherina van der Linden, formerly Australia’s oldest person, passed away on January 26, 2024, the aged care facility where she lived has confirmed.
The mother, grandmother and great-grandmother “gently went into the night” at the age of 111 years old, they said.
Born in 1912, van der Linden migrated from the Netherlands to Australia with her young family in 1955, and passed away last week near her lifelong home in Adelaide, South Australia.
Van der Linden was surrounded by her loving family during her final hours.
She also formerly held the distinction of being the oldest Dutch person in the world
Catherina migrated to Australia in the 1950s, alongside her husband and young family.
Throughout her life, she found time to raise a family and explore a number of careers paths. She held jobs in nursing, as a clerical assistant, and even picked grapes for a season.
She was said to have given her time generously with Meals on Wheels around the Adelaide Hills.
In 2019, she entered aged care at West Beach in Adelaide, becoming ”a healthy ageing role model for fellow residents, with her love of walking and regular gym sessions”.
On her 111th birthday in August last year, she dispensed two pieces of wisdom:
“Be happy with yourself and be content with what life gives you”, she told aged care staff.
And “keep moving, don’t sit still”.
Camilla goes solo as King continues to recover
Van der Linden is survived by her four children, 10 grandchildren and 16 great-grandchildren, and will be lovingly remembered by all.
According to her wishes, her body has been donated to The University of Adelaide Body Donation Program in the hope of helping to advance medical science through research.
Her life and legacy will be remembered at a memorial service in Adelaide next month.
