Elizabeth "Els" Veder-Smit (29 August 1921 – 26 August 2020)[1] was a Dutch politician of the People's Party for Freedom and Democracy (VVD) and nonprofit director.[2] She was both the Oldest living former cabinet member since the death of Johan Witteveen on 23 April 2019 and the Oldest living former member of the States General since the death of Bart Hofman on 2 May 2019.

Els Veder-Smit
Els Veder-Smit in 1978
Member of the Senate
In office
25 August 1981 – 11 June 1991
Parliamentary groupPeople's Party for
Freedom and Democracy
State Secretary for
Health and Environment
In office
3 January 1978 – 11 September 1981
Prime MinisterDries van Agt
Preceded byJo Hendriks
Succeeded byIneke Lambers-Hacquebard
Member of the House of Representatives
In office
23 February 1967 – 3 January 1978
Parliamentary groupPeople's Party for
Freedom and Democracy
Personal details
Born
Elizabeth Smit

(1921-08-29)29 August 1921
Kinderdijk, Netherlands
Died26 August 2020(2020-08-26) (aged 98)
Political partyPeople's Party for
Freedom and Democracy

(from 1950)
Residence(s)Rotterdam, Netherlands
Alma materUtrecht University
(Bachelor of Laws, Master of Laws)
OccupationPolitician · Nonprofit director

Veder-Smit was alderman of Zeist from 1958 to 1962, and municipal councillor of Leeuwarden from 1962 to 1966.

Decorations

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Honours
Ribbon bar Honour Country Date Comment
  Knight of the Order of the Netherlands Lion Netherlands 26 October 1981
Awards
Ribbon bar Awards Organization Date Comment
  Honorary Member People's Party for
Freedom and Democracy
15 May 1998

References

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  1. ^ "In memoriam: Oud-VVD-staatssecretaris eLS Veder-Smit (1921-2020) liet haar daden spreken". 28 August 2020.
  2. ^ "Els Veder-Smit: allereerste Friese vrouw in de Tweede Kamer" (in Dutch). Leeuwarden Courant. 10 December 2017. Retrieved 19 November 2018.
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Official
Political offices
Preceded by State Secretary for
Health and Environment

1978–1981
Succeeded by
Records
Preceded by Oldest living former
cabinet member

23 April 2019 – 26 August 2020
Incumbent
Preceded by Oldest living former
member of the
States General

2 May 2019 – 26 August 2020