Johanna Tutasn Howaes

Johanna Tutasn Howaes (2 January 1903? – 23 July 2016) was a Namibian supercentenarian claim whose age is currently unvalidated by the Gerontology Research Group (GRG). If her age was true, she could be oldest person ever from Namibia.

Biography
Johanna claimed to be born on 2 January 1903 to Johannes Khamseb and Amalia Nuses at Farm Hausemann in Hae Goab, Otavi district, German South West Africa (present-day Namibia). Her father was cattle herder and her mother was housekeeper. Her parents had worked at a farm that belonged to German-speaking Namibians where they raised her with her five siblings (three of them were still alive in 2016). She never attended school and instead helped her mother on the farm.

She never smoked, although she tasted alcohol, a habit she stoped when she reached 40. She said that "Smoking and alcohol make you feel great, but they are not [good]. They are two evil twins that can destroy your life". Johanna lived at a farm in Fransfontien near Khorixas, where she planted mealies and watermelon before Independence of Namibia, but she later moved to Otjiwarongo after her husband, Jeremiah Howaeb, to whom she was married for more than 50 years, passed away. She had at least one daughter with him (Josephine).

According to her granddaughter, Albertine ‘Ousie Blom’ Hoaes, she had a great memory and she remembered her weeding even in her claimed supercentenarian years. She liked to wake up early in the morning to make tea, as well as light porridge for her great-grandchildren. In last years of her life, she stopped eating solid food and only eated bananas, yoghurt, polony, and Omaere.

Johanna passed away on 23 July 2016 in sleep in her home in Otjiwarongo, Namibia at claimed age of 113 years, 203 days. At time of her death, she had 31 grandchildren, 39 great-grandchildren and 1 great-great grandchild.