100-year-old Emirati dies leaving 3 sons and 49 grandchildren in Ras Al-Khaimah

Adnan Okasha, Staff Reporter

Rashid Ahmed Rashid Al Zamhari Al Shmeili has passed away in Ras Al-Khaimah at the age of 100, making him one of the oldest centenarians in the emirate over the past years.

Saeed Rashid Al Shmeili, his son, told Al Khaleej that his father was born in Shaml, Ras Al Khaimah in 1923 and that his first house was in Wadi Haqeel, which is known for its mountain environment.

It was the first brick house in the region after the UAE was founded, he added, noting that his father moved to another house in the same area and married once only. He, however, had three children - two boys and a girl - and a total of 49 grandchildren, he said.

According to his son and the inhabitants of Shaml, Al Shmeili was known for his wisdom and his role in reconciling opposing parties.

He had lived a healthy life and enjoyed long-lasting health and wellbeing for many years before he contracted some diseases in the recent years of his life including asthma and other aging associated diseases, he said.

He used to work as a farmer in an orchard and a farm of his own, where he grew date palms and various other varieties of vegetables, he added, noting that when he was a young man, he used to cover very long and record distances on foot, similar to his peers.  

Thus, he used to move from Shaml in Ras Al Khaimah to Dibba and from Shaml to Khasab in the Sultanate of Oman, he said.

He used to begin his day by waking up before dawn to perform prayers in the mosque, then go directly to his farm, where he was engaged in work before his health gradually deteriorated about 10 years ago, he added.

As far as his diet is concerned, he was satisfied only with natural food, which he was accustomed to since he was a child, he said.

A large part of this food was produced by his farm and manor in the area along with some other basic foodstuffs that he used to bring from the market such as bread and other stuffs and from what was prepared and cooked in his house, he added.

He ate neither ready meals, nor canned foods, nor fast food and dates were his favourite food but he was keen to drink milk and have yogurt and the local tannour bread prepared from Emirati mountain wheat, in addition to local meat, most of which was taken from the cattle he owned and raised, he said.

Al Sheili never smoked a cigarette over his long life, he added, noting that his grandfather also lived a very long life.