Diakonissa Gunnel Stenbäck passes away at 110, likely oldest resident of Finland

Diakonissa Gunnel Stenbäck has passed away at the age of 110, likely making her the oldest resident of Finland at the time of her death. Born in 1914, Stenbäck celebrated her milestone birthday in September. She died on Saturday in a care facility run by the Diaconia Institute in Helsinki, as reported by her relatives.

Originally from Åland, Stenbäck began her education at the Diaconia Institute in 1934 and was ordained as a deaconess in 1943. Throughout her long career, she took on significant roles, including serving as the principal of the Helsinki Deaconess Institute in the 1970s and later as the director of the Diaconia Institute, a position she held until her retirement in 1977.

Stenbäck spent the majority of her life in Helsinki, where her family notes she was actively involved in numerous community responsibilities. Over her remarkable lifetime, she traveled to approximately 50 countries, leaving a lasting impact on many.

The title of the oldest Finnish resident is held by Maria Rothovius, who lived to be 112 years old.