The dean of the French passed away on Tuesday.

Jules Théobald, a 112-year-old Martinican died at his home in Fort-de-France, his family confirmed after press reports.

The one who had been a docker and fisherman, was born on April 17, 1909. His relatives used to tell that this father of three children was actually born in 1907, an anecdote that has never been confirmed.

During an interview in 2019, he said with a smile, in a quavering Creole: "If it's up to me, I can live well up to 200 years!"

".

“I had a beautiful little life, he had testified that day.

I was in good shape.

I was a fisherman.

No fisherman went as far as I did back then.

If the good Lord gave me the strength, I would still work on my canoe.

"

A love of party and dance

He had remembered miraculous catches, dangerous trips too. “There were two of us and the boat sank. We slept on the sea. It was the plane that found us off the coast of Le Prêcheur. I caught small fish that I ate. In distress, the best is the fish head! ". Among his trips that still resist being forgotten were his boat trips to neighboring islands, especially Dominica, where he had two children of whom he then had little news. Jules had two other children in Martinique. His eldest daughter lived in France and came to see him regularly. His son Christian lived with him: "Oh my God, if I didn't have this little guy ... I'm very happy to have him by my side", Jules had confided, who clung to his son at the slightest memory gap. .

No need for help, however, to evoke her love of parties and dancing.

Jules Théobald used to tell balls, girls' stories, remember domino evenings with friends.

“I liked the fun, the dancing, the boat races.

I don't regret anything in my life, I only regret being sick.

I have something in my heart.

It saddens me ”.

"He knew everyone, everyone knew him"

Living in the Pointe des Nègres in Fort-de-France, he was named honorary president of the Association of the inhabitants of the littoral of the Pointe des Nègres last March. “Little by little, people are discovering his death. It will leave a great void even if we expected it a little, ”testified Steeve Moreau, deputy mayor of Fort-de-France in charge of security. “He was also a political activist. He spoke little about it but he was in the Martinique Progressive Party (PPM) alongside Aimé Césaire. He told us how pleased he was to have led these fights. There is a lot of affection for him. "

"We had a moment of sharing with him recently," reported Steeve Moreau, responsible for representing the Pointe des Nègres district on the municipal council: "He was someone very attentive.

He really liked his neighborhood.

He knew everyone, everyone knew him.

He was very close to the people.

He was really interested in the life of the neighborhood ”.

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