105-year-old great-great-grandma in S’pore dies, lived under the same roof with 5 generations of family

105-year-old Singapore woman dies peacefully on 3 May

A 105-year-old Singaporean matriarch has died peacefully at home on 3 May.

Throughout her lifetime, Madam Hong Yinxi (transliterated from Chinese) stayed under the same roof with five generations of her family, Shin Min Daily News reported.

The centenarian’s family members attended her wake dressed in special colours on Thursday (9 May).

Her children wore white mourning clothes while her grandchildren wore blue.

Meanwhile, her great-grandchildren were in green and her great-great-grandchildren wore black to bid her farewell.

105-year-old matriarch used to take care of all the domestic responsibilities

Speaking to Shin Min Daily, Mdm Hong’s 56-year-old granddaughter, Mdm Chen Qinghua (transliterated from Chinese) shared that Mdm Hong had three sons and six daughters.

In the past, the family stayed in a rural area in Jurong West. They made a living by farming and raising animals such as pigs, chickens and ducks.

While her grandfather had stomach issues, Mdm Chen recalled that her grandmother would shoulder all the responsibilities at home.

This included hauling water, farming and other physically taxing tasks.

To her descendants, the matriarch was thus always seen as a strong woman.

Family hired a domestic helper to care for her when she was 100

Mdm Hong moved to an HDB flat in Teck Whye with her husband and two daughters in 1989.

Her husband died in 1990 and in 2001, one of her daughters — her youngest — married. The other daughter living with her, the fourth, died in 2004.

Thereafter, Mdm Hong started to live at home independently.

“When she was 99 years old, she fell when she was alone at home,” Mdm Chen recounted. “Since then, she became weak and moved slowly.”

This prompted the matriarch’s family members to hire a domestic helper to care for her when she was 100. They would also visit her regularly.

Mdm Hong’s body was cremated at Mandai Crematorium on Thursday (9 May).

She leaves behind 98 family members.

Also read: Great-Great-Grandma In S’pore Passes Away At 105, Leaves Behind 102 Family Members

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Featured image adapted from Shin Min Daily News and Shin Min Daily News on Facebook.