Quick Facts
Biography
Joan Riudavets Moll (15 December 1889 – 5 March 2004) was a Spanish supercentenarian who, at the time of his death, was believed to be the oldest verified person ever in the history of Spain. However, subsequent research by the International Database on Longevity has revealed that there were two women who were older than Riudavets at the time of their deaths. He became the oldest recognized living person in Europe following the death of Italian Maria Teresa Fumarola Ligorio on 14 May 2003, and oldest recognized living man in the world following the death of Japanese supercentenarian Yukichi Chuganji on 28 September 2003.
Biography
Joan Riudavets was born in Es Migjorn Gran, Menorca, and lived there for his entire life. His mother, Catalina Moll Mercadés, died at age 25 before the end of December 1889. Riudavets' wife, whom he married in 1917, was born in 1889 and died around 1979. He worked as a cobbler until retiring in 1954, and was a former village councillor of Es Migjorn Gran. He died in Menorca at the age of 114 years, 81 days after having a cold for a few days, without being seriously ill. However, due to his extraordinary age, he was unable to recover from such a minor illness. Riudavets was survived by two younger brothers: Pere, who died in 2006 at the age of 105, and Josep, who died in 2009 at the age of 102. After his death, Fred H. Hale, Sr. became the world's oldest man.