Singapore great-grandfather dies peacefully at 111 after a remarkably active life
A Singapore great-grandfather has passed away at the age of 111, leaving behind a legacy of resilience, community involvement and an active lifestyle that endured well past his 100th birthday.
- Singapore’s oldest known great-grandfather died peacefully at 111 after a lifetime of physical activity and social engagement.
- He remained independent, mentally sharp and physically active even after turning 100.
- His family attributes his longevity to moderation in diet, regular exercise and strong social connections.
SINGAPORE: A Singapore great-grandfather has died peacefully at the age of 111, earning recognition as a supercentenarian who remained active and socially engaged well into old age.
Mr Zheng Zhenhuang passed away at 12.26pm last Thursday after being hospitalised for a week.
His 76-year-old elder son, Mr Zheng Zuyan, said his father had developed difficulty swallowing, which later led to pneumonia and fluid accumulation in his lungs.
Despite his declining health, Mr Zheng remained clear-minded until the end and was surrounded by his children and grandchildren when he passed away.
“My father lived a fulfilling life and suffered no pain until his final moment,” his son said.
A Life Spanning Generations and Borders
Born in 1915 in Qionghai on China’s Hainan Island, Mr Zheng married his wife, Chen Jinghua, when both were just 18 years old.
Two years later, he travelled alone to Southeast Asia to seek work, first in Johor, where he was employed at a herbal medicine shop and later at a plywood factory.
After the Second World War, he returned to Hainan, where his eldest son was born.
In 1955, he reunited the family by bringing his wife and son to Malaysia before eventually settling in Singapore. The family later welcomed fraternal twins, a son and a daughter, now aged 69.
They initially lived in a village in Eunos before moving to a flat in Bedok in 1979, where Mr Zheng continued working as a carpenter until the age of 70.
Staying Active Well Past 100
Retirement did not slow him down. Mr Zheng remained physically active, cycling around his neighbourhood in his 90s and even returning to his ancestral home in China to pay respects.
After turning 100, he continued walking about 400 metres daily and was still able to care for himself as recently as two years ago.
He was also deeply involved in community life, serving as Executive Secretary of the Singapore Qionghai Association and stepping down only at the age of 80. He was recognised as the association’s oldest member and one of the founders of its predecessor organisation.
Finding Companionship in Later Years
At around 96, Mr Zheng briefly struggled with loneliness after his last close friend passed away.
His son later discovered a group of elderly Hainanese speakers who gathered weekly at the National Library to drink tea and chat.
After joining them, Mr Zheng regained a sense of companionship and continued attending the gatherings regularly, forming friendships with retirees ranging from engineers and journalists to former school principals.
The Secret to Longevity
According to his son, Mr Zheng’s long life was shaped by consistent exercise, a moderate diet and limited intake of greasy or heavy foods. He never suffered from high blood pressure, high cholesterol or high blood sugar.
In a light-hearted remark, his son noted that despite being much younger, he himself has diabetes — a condition his father never developed.
Mr Zheng leaves behind three children, six grandchildren and one great-grandchild. His funeral was held on Monday morning, marking the end of a life that spanned more than a century and touched multiple generations.
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