Women Supercentenarian Photos (Cont'd.) File No. 6 of 15 for the years 2007-2012,
as of December 7, 2012.

"Georgia's Oldest Resident, Dies at Age 112"

October 10, 2007; Anne Langston Christopher, who lived in Rome, GA and was listed as Georgia's oldest documented resident, died today.

Anne Christopher celebrates her 112th birthday earlier this year.

Christopher, who was 112 at the time of her death, moved to Rome from South Carolina in 2002 and lived at both Winthrop Senior Living Home and Fifth Avenue Health Care.

November 14, 2007; Maggie Renfro is now 112 yo

with a fascinating video clip of her and her two sisters from a local TV station (KTBS Channel 3) in Shreveport, LA. (TRT = 2:52 sec.). One Sister, Rose Warren, is 101 yo. She, like Maggie, lives with relatives. Another sister, Carrie Thornton is 105 yo and in an extended-care hospital in Shreveport. This makes them the oldest group of three living siblings in the world.

November 29, 2007; This photo just in from Robert Young of Atlanta, GA of...


Mrs. Ethel Johnson, born September 28, 1897. Mrs. Johnson lives near Toledo, OH; her Mother lived to age 101.

July 29, 2009; We are sad to report that Mrs. Johnson of Ohio passed away today at age 111 years, 304 days. Click for more details on the Kenton Times Ohio newspaper.

"Nebraska's Oldest Citizen Dies at 110"

December 15, 2007; Creighton, NE (Omaha World Herald) - - Nebraska's oldest citizen, Julia (Huigens) Tharnish, died Thursday at the Creighton Care Center. She was 110. Tharnish died just a few hours after learning that daughter Pauline McMaine had died. McMaine, 85, lived across the hall from Tharnish at the Care Center.

Tharnish had 14 children, helped her husband on the farm, and played the piano until she was 104. She was born on a farm near Creighton and was one of eight children. As a teen, she wrote for the local newspaper, worked in a variety store and played piano for silent films shown at the local theater.

She married Ernest Tharnish in 1915, and the couple farmed in the Creighton area until 1954. Then they moved to town and operated a direct marketing business, selling household supplies to farmers door-to-door.

"She was a great lady," said Granddaughter Monica Eby of Omaha. "She had a sense of humor all the way to the end. She decided to put herself in the nursing home at age 100. She played piano for a good four years after that. She loved waltzes, polkas, and all the classics. She played the piano in the lobby once a week."

Tharnish's daughter Anna Schumacher of North Platte, NE, recalled at least one occasion when the family hauled the piano into the hayloft of a newly constructed barn, and her Mother played for a dance. "They made their own fun," she said of her parents. Schumacher described her Mother as patient and slow to anger. "She was always good for helping at the church, bake sales and whatever they needed," she said.

Tharnish's husband died in 1983. Her survivors include Sons Raymond, Elmer, and John, all of Lincoln; Robert of Elgin, NE, and Ernest Jr. of Northglenn, CO; Daughters Gertrude Effle, Rita Wagner, and Pat Neumann, all of Creighton, Margaret Hansen of O'Neill, NE, Irene Thomas of Dallas, TX, and Ruth Jankiewicz of Chaska, MN; 75 Grandchildren, about 165 Great Grandchildren, and more than 60 Great- Great-Grandchildren.

Abeline (Wrage) Spiehs of Grand Island is now the oldest Nebraskan. She turned 109 years old on September 4, 2007.

November 26, 2008;

We are saddened to report that
Abeline A. "Abby" Spiehs passed away on Monday, November 24, 2008 at Tiffany Square, at age 110 years, 81 days.

Refs.:

1. "Abby Spiehs, 110," Grand Island Independent, p. A-12 (November 26, 2008).
"Although Abby did not want much made of the fact that she became the oldest resident in Nebraska, and that at 110 she became a Supercentenarian, it was great to see her become young again when being interviewed by the media.

2. Carol Bicak, "Oldest Nebraskan To Celebrate 110th: Abeline Wrage Spiehs of Grand Island Says She Feels Pretty Good," Omaha World-Herald, p. B-3 (September 3, 2008).

November 27, 2007; By way of Mr. Robert Young of Atlanta, GA, one of our readers discovered this photo of Mrs. Hisa Tokumoto born on February 25, 1896 and who died today at age 111 years, 275 days. The link just below appears to be a September 2007 story about her being honored as Yamaguchi Prefecture's oldest resident on 'Respect for the Aged' day. If you can read Japanese, click for more details.

December 22, 2007; We are sad to report that Mrs. Bertha Leila Backman Shull, born on October 16, 1894, passed away today at age 113 years, 67 days.

"SC's Oldest-Living Person Passes Away at 113"

December 26, 2007; Columbia, SC (AP) - - "Fourth Oldest Person In U.S., A South Carolina Resident, Dies At 113." Leila Bertha Backman Shull, the oldest South Carolina resident and one of the oldest people in the world, has died. She was 113. Shull died Saturday at her home, Todd Caughman, manager of Caughman-Harmon Funeral Homes, said Wednesday. Shull, of Lexington County in central South Carolina, was known as an avid gardener who enjoyed raising flowers. She was also known for her cooking, especially her biscuits and chicken.

Shull was married to Lee Shull for 45 years and never remarried in the 47 years after he died. She had four Children, 15 Grandchildren, 34 Great-grandchildren and 40 Great-great-grandchildren. Her 81-year-old daughter took care of her. "We feel kind of like it's a relief to her," Lettie Mae Smith told The (Columbia) State for a report published in Wednesday's newspapers.

Even as her hearing and vision failed, friends said Shull didn't mind visitors and liked to clutch their hands while she talked. "The most beautiful thing was that even though she didn't hear well and see well, she was able to talk to you and relate certain things," said Crystal Danker, a friend of Shull's Granddaughter, Ann Seigler. Danker remembered Shull's response when she was once told she was 113."'Whew, that's a long time"' Danker recalled Shull saying. "'I think Jesus must've forgotten about me."'

Shull was the fourth oldest person in the United States and the seventh oldest in the world, said Dr. L. Stephen Coles, Co-founder of the California-based Gerontology Research Group. Coles said, "There was some question whether Shull was actually born in 1895, but his group recognizes her 1894 birth date." Shull's birth date and the day she was married were recorded in a family Bible, which alerted relatives to her age. "I didn't know Mom was that old," Smith told The State. "And I wouldn't believe it until I saw it in the Bible."

Shull was a member of St. David Lutheran Church for 75 years. Her funeral was scheduled for Wednesday.

December 29, 2007; Noemi Bernard Anderson was born in Oregon on September 28, 1897, the Daughter of French immigrants. She now resides in Northern California. This photo of her was taken when she was 109.

April 23, 2009; We are sad to report that Noemi Anderson passed away on Monday, April 20th, at age 111 years, 204 days. Click on her photo for more details.

January 1, 2008; We are sad to report the passing of Mrs. Bertha Lilly on December 30th at 111 years, 112 days. She was born September 9, 1896

"Bertha Lilly: 111 Years, All in Michigan, Made Her a Marvel"

January 1, 2008; A Farmington Hills woman who died Sunday probably was Michigan's oldest person and one of the oldest in the nation. Mrs. Bertha Lilly, who lived all her life in Michigan, was 111, according to documents she left. "She is the oldest in Michigan" according to computer searches, said Ellen Kramer, 76, the youngest of Bertha Lilly's six children, only three of whom survive her.

"There are several versions that give her as 14th- or 15th-oldest in the United States and 44th in the world," said Kramer, who lives in Farmington Hills, near the assisted-living center where her mother had lived since suffering a broken hip at age 105. Other Michiganders have lived to ripe old ages, including a woman once recognized by the Guinness Book of World Records as the oldest person in the world: Maud Farris-Luse was 115 when she died in 2002 in Coldwater.

But many of those who claim extreme ages lack vital records. Mrs. Lilly left valid documents, photographed by the Free Press last year, showing that she was born in 1896 not far from Durand, near Flint, MI. Although no Birth Certificate remains for Mrs. Lilly, survivors have a Birth Certificate for one daughter -- Joanna Lilly Steele, 86, of Farmington Hills -- listing her mother's age in 1921. Survivors also have Mrs. Lilly's last Driver's License, showing her age in 1985. "She didn't stop driving until she was 90 and continued to play Bridge until this year," said Daughter-in-law Dianne Lilly, 74, of Walled Lake.

She graduated in about 1918 from what is now Wayne State University, family members said. She married a doctor, Charles Lilly, in 1920. He died at age 69 in 1962. Mrs. Lilly also is survived by her Daughter Phyllis McClain, 77, of Toledo; 44 Grandchildren; 104 Great-grandchildren, and two Great-great-grandchildren.

Visitation is [3-9] PM, Wednesday at McCabe Funeral Home, 31950 West Twelve Mile in Farmington Hills. The funeral is at 10:30 AM, Thursday, at St. Fabian Catholic Church, 32200 W. Twelve Mile in Farmington Hills.

January 1, 2008; Japanese Supercentenarian Kou Iijima was born on March 25, 1896.

March 12, 2010; We are sad to report that Ms. Iijima passed away March 22, 2009 at age 112 years, 362 days.

January 1, 2008; Mrs. Lilly B. Taylor was born on August 5, 1897 and died on October 29, 2007 at age 110 years, 85 days.

January 2, 2008; Kuni Numata was born on February 16, 1896 and died on November 16, 2007. Photo courtesy of Stefan Gelow.

January 2, 2008; Mrs. Chiyono Ohta was born on November 2, 1896. Photo courtesy of Stefan Gelow.

January 26, 2010; We are sad to report that Chiyono Ohta passed away yesterday, January 25th at age 113 years, 85 days.

January 3, 2008; Dorothy Hodgson, born July 23, 1897 in England, passed away on December 7, 2007 at age 110 years, 137 days in British Columbia, CANADA.

January 5, 2008; We are sad to report that French woman, Marie Rouch, born on May 29, 1897, passed away on October 27, 2007 at 110 years, 151 days.

Alice Matos Sanders , Shown at a Birthday Party Held in Her Honor in 2005

January 5, 2008; Mrs. Mary Marques was born in Portugal on February 11, 1896 and passed away on January 3, 2008 at age 111 years, 326 days. Click for details from the Boston Globe.

Beatrice Farve of Brunswick, GA, age 112, was born on April 30, 1895.

January 20, 2009, Brunswick, GA...

Beatrice Farve died on January 19, 2009 at age 113 years, 264 days. She was the second oldest person in the world at the time of her death. Click on her photo for more details from USA Today.

Ref.:

The Wall Street Journal, p. A1 (January 20, 2009).

January 10, 2008; Mrs. Gertrude Shindel born on July 29, 1897, passed away on December 29, 2007, in Indiana, at age 110 years, 153 days.

This photo is from her 108th birthday in 2005, when she was presented with eight kittens.

January 12, 2008; Mrs. Kristine Brown, born in Missouri on September 8, 1897, passed away on December 19, 2007, in Oklahoma, at age 110 years, 102 days.

March 22, 2008; Grace Presbyterian Ministries has sent us these two photos of



Mrs. Arbella Ewing, born March 13, 1894. She was the third oldest person in the World as well as the oldest resident of Texas. She passed away on March 22nd at the age of 114. Her Obituary can be found in today's The Los Angeles Times.

January 26, 2008; Stefan Gelow has just sent us these photos of



Chiyo Shiraishi, 112, currently Japan's third-oldest person, who was born on August 6, 1895. Ms. Shiraishi lives in Ibaraki Prefecture.

April 23, 2008; She is now the second oldest person (only behind an anonymous woman from Okinawa, born May 10, 1895).

November 19, 2009; Bart Versieck of Belgium sent us this photo of...

Chiyo Shiraishi shown with her family at age 113. We are sad to report that she passed away today at age 114 years, 105 days.

January 28, 2008;

Briget, Chrissie Martenstein, and Lynn Martenstein

Chrissie Martenstein born June 9, 1897 is 110 years old. She has lived in San Francisco her entire life. Briget (L) is her live-in care giver. Lynn (R) is her Niece, who lives in Florida. Chrissie is the oldest living survivor of the 1906 San Francisco Earthquake and Fire.

April 18, 2008; Mrs. Chrissie Martenstein passed away today at age 110 years, 314 days.

January 29, 2008;

Annie Elizabeth (Allen) Butler, born June 4, 1897, is believed to be the third oldest person in England. Click for more details in The Courier of Leamington Spa, Warwickshire; UK "Woman Celebrates 110th Birthday" (June 7, 2007).

October 2, 2009; We are sad to that Annie Butler passed away on September 28, 2009 at age 112 years, 116 days.

February 3, 2008; Mr. Stefan Gelow sent us this photo of

Mrs. Haya Kurogi, born January 10, 1897, on the occasion of her 111th birthday. She passed away on February 2, 2008 less than one month later.

February 15, 2008;

Mrs. Suwa Kondou was born November 15, 1897 in Japan and passed away on January 22, 2008 at age 110 years, 68 days. The first photo was taken at age 108; The second photo was taken at age 109 in September 2007.

Besse Cooper, 116

February 15, 2008; Mr. Robert Young of Atlanta, GA just sent us this photo of


Mrs. Besse Cooper who was born on August 26, 1896 in Sullivan County, Tennessee and who now lives in Monroe, GA. The photo was taken on October 25, 2007.

August 22, 2009; Mr. Robert Young of Georgia has just sent us this photo of

Besse Cooper, now 112, with her Son, Sidney, 74.

Besse moved from Tennessee to Georgia during WW-I. She was a teacher, and at the time teachers were 'not allowed' to have children, so Ms. Cooper started late, having her first child at 33 and her last at age 48! Ms. Cooper also has a 28-year-old Grandson, evidence that longevity does not necessarily mean that long life will not yield more generations at the same time.

Ms. Cooper's 'secrets' to long life include using Oil of Olay on her skin and the occasional fried chicken. When asked if she had any words of wisdom, Besse first cackled "I'm not wise," before saying "Be good and honest and help people who need help."

Ms. Cooper has been a strong woman; the family told stories about how she usually got her own way about things, including once shooting a gun to scare a drunkard off her property. Ms. Cooper was also noted for driving Model-T Ford's a little too fast.

Ms. Cooper has voted in every presidential election beginning in 1920, except for 1948 when everyone thought that Dewey would defeat Truman. She became a Republican around the time of the Reagan era when Jimmy Carter ran; Ms. Cooper voted for John McCain.

When someone asked Besse "How does it feel to be 113?", she replied "It feels great!" When someone asked her "Are you going to last for a longer time?," she said, "I hope so."

In great shape at age 111, Besse's eyesight and hearing have gotten worse in recent months as she nears her 113th birthday Wednesday. She used to read books. Although communication is a bit harder now, she is still lucid and can speak to a room full of people."

August 21, 2010; Mr. Robert Young took this photo of Stephen Johnson, Nursing Home Administrator with Besse Cooper of Georgia, awarding her with an SRF Honorary Plaque as the third oldest living person in the world.

September 24, 2010; Son Sidney Cooper, Besse Cooper, and Natalie Coles for a visit in Monroe, GA.

August 26, 2011; Dr. Stephen Franklin and Robert Young with Besse Cooper on the occasion of her 115th birthday party in Monroe, GA.

August 26, 2011; Monroe, GA; Click on the first photo above for more details regarding her 116th Birthday Party. A county bridge has been named in her honor.

December 4, 2012; We are sad to report that Ms. Besse Brown Cooper passed away this afternoon of a respiratory tract infection at age 116 years, 100 days. Click on her photo for more details.

December 6,2012; Short Note on Pronunciation: We have it on good authority that Besse's first name was pronounced "Bess," as in Good Queen Bess, NOT "Bess-ee".

Leila Daughtry Denmark, M.D., 114

February 18, 2008; Mr. Robert Young of Atlanta, GA took this photo of

Dr. Leila Denmark on February 9, 2008. She was born in Georgia on February 1, 1898. Note that Dr. Denmark is said to be the co-developer of the Pertussis (whooping cough) vaccine in the 1930's, and was well-known in Georgia for her books such as Every Child Should Have a Chance (1971) and Dr. Denmark's Book of Everyday Wisdom (1998). In 2001, Dr. Denmark retired at the age of 103, being the nation's oldest practicing physician. She was the second woman in Georgia to obtain a medical degree in 1928 from the Medical College of Georgia.

March 26, 2008; Leila Denmark listens to her Grandniece, Jackie Bennett, during Denmark's 108th birthday party.

September 24, 2010; Dr. Coles presents an SRF Honorary Plaque to Dr. Denmark.

February 1, 2011; Grandson Steve Hutcherson and Dr. Leila Denmark on the occasion of her 113th birthday. Click on the photo for more details form The Atlanta Journal Constitution.

February 1, 2012; This photo appeared on the occasion of Dr. Denmark's 114th birthday. Click for more details from the Athens Banner-Herald.
Dr. Leila Denmark, 108, poses outside of her Daughter's home on Carleton Avenue in Athens, GA (November 8, 2006). Dr. Denmark practiced Pediatrics for 70 years in Alpharetta, GA.

April 3, 2012; We are sad to report that Dr. Denmark passed away on Sunday, April 1, 2012 at age 114 years, 60 days. Click on her photo for more details from the Athens Banner Herald. Her Obituary appeared in both The Los Angeles Times and The Atlanta Journal Constitution.

December 4, 2012; We are sad to report that Ms. Besse Brown Cooper passed away this afternoon of a respiratory infection at age 116 years, 100 days. Click on her photo for more details.

Tsuneyo Toyonagta, 113

February 22, 2008; Mr. Robert Young has just sent us this photo of


Mrs. Tsuneyo Toyonaga, Japan's oldest person, is pictured in Nankoku, Kochi Prefecture (state), Southwestern Japan, in May 2007. Toyonaga has died of old age on Friday, February 22, 2008. (AP Photo/Kyodo News)

"Japan's Oldest Person Dies at 113"

Tokyo, JAPAN (AP) - - Japan's oldest person has died at a hospital in Southwestern Japan, her nursing home said Saturday. She was 113. "Tsuneyo Toyonaga, who became the country's oldest person last August, died Friday, days after she was transferred to a nearby hospital because she lost her appetite," said Masuko Yamamoto, deputy director of the Yume-no- Sato nursing home in the southern city of Nangoku.

Born on May 21, 1894, Toyonaga had been in the nursing home the last 12 years. "She was a darling among caretakers and fellow residents," Yamamoto said. "She was dozing off most of the day recently, but when she was awake she used to enjoy singing children's songs. Once she started singing she wouldn't stop until we all got tired and had to stop her," she said. "Toyonaga is survived by five children and ten Grandchildren," Kyodo News agency said.

Kaku Yamanaka, born on Dec. 11, 1894, is now Japan's oldest person, according to the Health and Welfare Ministry. She lives in a nursing home in Aichi, Central Japan. The number of Japanese living beyond 100 has almost quadrupled in the last ten years and is soon expected to surpass 28,000. Japan has one of the world's longest average life spans - - a factor often attributed to a healthy diet rich in fish and rice. In 2006, Japanese women set a new record for life expectancy at 85.81 years, while men live an average of about 79.00 years.

"Edna Parker of Shelbyville, IN, is recognized as the world's oldest person at age 114," according to The Guinness Book of Records. She was born on April 20, 1893.

February 24, 2008; Mr. Robert Young of Atlanta, GA just sent us this photo of

Mrs. Cora B. Gentry. From left, Tiffany Kesting, 35, and her Daughter Emma Grace Kesting, 2, talk with Cora B. Gentry at her birthday party at Big Sandy United Methodist Church in Tuscaloosa County on Sunday. Gentry turned 110 on Saturday. Kesting is Gentry's Great-granddaughter and Emma Grace is Gentry's Great-great-granddaughter.

"110-Year-Old Inspires Her Friends and Family: Big Sandy Resident Cora Gentry Celebrates Birthday"

April 11, 2008; Mrs. Cora Boggs Gentry passed away today three days shy of her 111th birthday at age 110 years, 363 days.

February 23, 2008; Mr. Stefan Gelow has sent us this picture of

Mrs. Tsuyano Watanabe of Tokushima Prefecture who was born February 20, 1896 and died on May 14, 2007 at the age of 111 years, 83 days.

February 25, 2008; Mr. Robert Young of Atlanta, GA has sent us this picture of

Mrs. Martha Wiley taken when she was 110. She died at age 112, two years later. She was born on August 28, 1894 and passed away on October 16, 2006. A 2004 newspaper story noted that Martha's Sister was 107 years old; however, we have not been able to locate a death date for her Sister.

March 1, 2008; Mr. Robert Young of Atlanta, GA has sent us this picture of

Mrs. Charlessa Wiggins, born in Minnesota on February 9, 1898 and now lives in Illinois.

March 29, 2008; Mrs. Charlessa Wiggins passed away today only one and a half months after turning 110, at age 110 years, 49 days.

March 24, 2008; Following an interview with the Houston Chronicle, we received this photo of

Mrs. Eunice Sanborn, right, who plans to celebrate her 112th birthday in a few months. She is from of North East Texas, was born on July 20, 1896, and is now the oldest person in Texas. Click for details from the Houston Chronicle.

March 6, 2010; The family has sent us this photo of Eunice Sanborn of Jacksonville, TX at age 113.

April 9, 2010; With the passing of Neva Morris on April 6th, Mrs. Sanborn became the oldest American.

Click on her photo for a recent video clip from a local TV outlet, KYTX.

September 26, 2010; The SRF visited Eunice Sanborn, the Oldest American at age 114, in Jacksonville, TX.

January 31, 2011; We are sad to report that Ms. Sanborn passed away of Congestive Heart Failure this morning at ~6:00 AM CST. Click on her photo above for more details from the Fort Hood Sentinel.

March 28, 2008; Our correspondent in Portugal, Mr. Filipe Prista Lucas, just sent us this photo of

Maria de Jesus, born September 10, 1893, now age 114. Filipe reports that she is in good health and quite well... "I found her sitting at the kitchen, waiting for lunch. She still gets up everyday at around 10 AM, does her exercises, moves around with the help of a walker, spends the day sitting in the kitchen or under the sun on her porch, and goes to bed around 8 PM. She is still alert and seems to understand what is being told to her, as she waved at us and smiled when told that she had visitors."

January 2, 2009; We are sad to report that Maria de Jesus died this morning at ~10:00 AM local time in Portugal.

Two very recent photos taken in the last few weeks by our Senior European Claims Investigator, Filipe Prista-Lucas, from Lisbon, PORTUGAL.

Refs.:

1. CNN-TV (January 2, 2009; 2:26 PM PST; TRT = 20 sec.)

2. AP, "World's Oldest Woman Dies in Portugal Aged 115" (January 2, 2009).

3. "Portugal: World's Oldest Woman Dies Aged 115 after Only Visiting Hospital Once," Seniors World Chronicle (January 2, 2009)(from London).

4. "Portuguesa viveu at‚ aos 115 anos Morreu Maria de Jesus, a mulher mais velha do mundo" (January 2, 2009) (in Portuguese).

5. AFP, "D‚cŠs de la Doyenne de l'Humanit‚, la Portugaise Maria de Jesus, … 115 Ans" (January 2, 2009)(in French).

6. "Mulher considerada a mais velha do mundo morre aos 115 anos em Portugal" globo.com (in Portuguese from Brazil)(January 2, 2009).

7. CBC News, "World's oldest person dies at 115" (January 2, 2009)(from Canada).

8. Times Staff and Wire Services, "Maria de Jesus, World's Oldest Person, Dies at 115," The Los Angeles Times (January 3, 2009).
This link posts a very nice video clip prepared and narrated by AP.

9. "114-Year-Old U.S. Woman To Be World's Oldest," CNN (January 3, 2009).

10. AP, "Portugal: Oldest Person Dies at 115," The New York Times (January 2, 2009).

11. AP,"World's Oldest Woman Dies in Portugal, Age 115" USA Today (January 3, 2009).

March 29, 2008;

Mrs. Noemi Bernard Anderson, born September 28, 1897, now age 110, was born in The Dalles, OR, near the Columbia River, attended UC Berkeley in 1920, taught school for many years, and now lives in the Sunrise Senior Living Home in Petaluma, CA.

April 8, 2008;

Kaku Yamanaka born on December 11, 1894, passed away on April 5, 2008 at the age of 113 years, 116 days. Click for details.

Ref.:

"Passings: Kaku Yamanaka: Japan's Oldest Person Dies at 113," The Los Angeles Times, p. B7 (April 8, 2008).

April 9, 2008;

Heritage Health and Rehabilitation Center
Activity Director Robin Spicer gives Nellie Jones a kiss.

Mrs. Nellie Jones born January 30, 1897 died today (April 9, 2008) in Zeeland, MI at age 111 years, 70 days.

Refs.:

1. AP, "Zeeland Woman, One of the World's Oldest People, Dies at 111," MLive.com (April 9, 2008).
2. "Zeeland Resident Nellie Jones, One of the Oldest People in the World, Dies" Grand Rapids Press (April 9, 2008).

April 18, 2008;

Mrs. Edna Parker holds a rose that she was given during a birthday party for her in Shelbyville, IN, on Friday, April 18, 2008. Parker, who was born April 20, 1893, is the oldest known living person, according to Guinness Book of Records. She will turn 115 on Sunday, April 20th. (AP Photo/Darron Cummings).

November 26, 2008; We are sad to report that Mrs. Parker passed away today at the age of 115 years, 220 days. She was the 14th oldest validated Supercentenarian in history.

Refs.:

1. AP, "Woman Dies at 115 As World's Oldest Person: Edna Parker Was Born in 1893," Nebraska Beatrice Daily Sun, pp. A-1,-8 (November 28, 2008).

2. "Oldest-Person in World Dies at 115," Omaha World Herald, p. A-4 (November 28, 2008).

3. AP, "Indiana Woman Dies at 115 As World's Oldest Person" News.Yahoo.com (November 27, 2008).

4. AP, "Edna Parker, World's Oldest-Known Person, Dies in Indiana Nursing Home at 115 Years, 220 Days" The Chicago Tribune (November 27, 2008).

5. Elaine Woo, "Edna Parker Dies at 115; Former Teacher Was World's Oldest Person" The Los Angeles Times, p. B8 (November 28, 2008).

6. "Indiana: World's Oldest Person Dies," The Wall Street Journal, pp. A1, 10 (November 28, 2008).

May 5, 2008;

Mrs. Ruth Emblow of New York, born February 6, 1898 died on March 16, 2008 at 110 years and 39 days. Ruth's twin sister, Rhea lived to be 100, providing more evidence that the phenotype of longevity is inherited. But, if they were identical twins reared together [?], one might rightly ask, "Why didn't they die together on the same day?" The answer to this question lies in epigenetics, the random distribution of methyl groups decorating the DNA, which are not inherited at birth, but acquired during life. Thus, among twins, they start off with the same methyl groups in all their cells, but drift increasingly apart with age. This gives each twin unique gene expression patterns and thus a different rate of cellular aging.

May 13, 2008; Mr. Robert Young of Atlanta, GA has sent us these photos of

Sra. Jorja Hernandez-Celorrio of Spain who was born on April 22, 1894 and died April 26, 2004 at the age 110 years, 4 days.

France's Oldest Citizen Dies at Age 113

May 25, 2008; Vorey Sur Arzon, FRANCE (AFP) - - "France's oldest citizen, Clementine Solignac, who lived through two world wars and the turn of two centuries, has died at age 113," her retirement home said on Monday. Solignac died early Sunday morning surrounded by her family, in a retirement home in Vorey-sur-Arzon in the central Haute Loire Region, the town where she was born on September 7, 1894. Her funeral will take place on Wednesday.

She was married in 1921 to Michel Solignac, who lost a leg in World War I. Together they had a single daughter, and ran a small farm until Michel's death in 1961 when Clementine Solignac moved in near her daughter. "Until the age of 106, she led an independent life, cooking for herself each day on a wood-burning stove and milking her Grandson's cows," according to relatives. When asked about her age, she would reply "The good Lord has forgotten about me!"

France has a reputation for being home to some of the longest-living people on the planet. The oldest person on record was the Frenchwoman Jeanne Calment, who died in 1997 at the age of 122. The country's oldest citizen is now 112-year-old Eugenie Blanchard, from Saint-Barthelemy in the French Caribbean, according to The INSERM Medical Research Institute.

Currently, the world's oldest living person is a US woman from Indiana, Edna Parker, who celebrated her 115th birthday on April 20th.

Photo from Mary Sloan's 108th Birthday Party

August 7, 2008; Mrs. Mary Sloan of Ontario, CANADA, now 110, was born on June 11, 1898.

We are sad to report that Mrs. Mary Sloan passed away on August 12, 2008 at age 110 years, 62 days.

Mrs. Eunice Bowman of England

September 10, 2008; Mrs. Eunice Bowman of England, now 110, was born on August 23, 1898.

July 19, 2010; We are sad to report that Mrs. Bowman passed away on July 16, 2010 at age 111 years, 327 days. Click on her photo for more details from The Sun.

Kama Chinen, 114

September 20, 2008; Mrs. Kama Chinen of Okinawa was born on May 10, 1895.

September 29, 2009; This photo of Mrs. Kama Chinen was taken in 2005, when she just turned 110.

December 12, 2009; Kama Chinen is now the oldest person in the world at age 114.

May 2, 2010; We are sad to report that Kama Chinen passed away this afternoon in Okinawa. at age 114 years, 357 days, one week short of her 115th birthday. Click for confirmation from Japan. This Japan Today story illustrates how difficult it is to obtain information from this country on the grounds of jealously maintaining the privacy of the family despite the fact that she outlived her nearest relatives and regardless of the fact that this information was released by the government into the public domain in the year 2005 (once the toothpaste is out of the tube it's difficult to put it back). Moreover, this illustrates the futility of attempting to maintain the confidentiality for once publicly available data even in their home country, as the Yomiuri newspaper (the largest in Japan) mentions her death by name in Japanese, quoting the GRG as the source (Sigh!). In any event, they did state that "Chiyono Hasegawa, 113, in Saga Prefecture, has become the new oldest living person in Japan." She is presently listed on Table E as the sixth oldest living person in the world. Finally, it has not escaped our attention that Mr. Walter Breuning, of Great Falls, Montana and the world's oldest living man, has moved up to fifth oldest person in the world. We have not had a man as the oldest person in the world for quite some time. Good luck Mr. Breuning.

Alexina Calvert of SCOTLAND

September 28, 2008; Alexina Calvert of Scotland was born on August 13, 1898 and passed away on September 19, 2008 at age 110 years, 37 days. She was believed to be Scotland's oldest woman. She died at Annan Hospital just a month after celebrating her milestone birthday.

Maria-Eufemia Domenici-Cordano of ITALY, 110 yo on August 12, 2008

August 13, 2008; If you speak Italian, click on the photo above to see a short video clip on the occasion of Sra. Maria-Eufemia Domenici-Cordano's birthday party... [TRT = 1:15]
"A GENOVA LA NONNA PI NONNA D'ITALIA"
"Ha compiuto ieri 110 anni: si chiama Maria Eufemia Domenici e tutta la citt… ligure le ha fatto gli auguri" by Servizio di Chiara Attolini.

Canada's Oldest Person, Margaret Fitzgerald, 113

October 14, 2008 Margaret King Fitzgerald of Moncton, New Brunswick, CANADA. was born on September 16, 1896.

Ref.: Canada East (October 14, 2008).

Margaret (King) Fitzgerald celebrates her 113th birthday recently with her Nephew, Mr. Reg King.

October 21, 2009; We are sad to report that Ms. Fitzgerald passed away yesterday morning at age 113 years, 34 days. Click on her photo above for more details from a Canadian newspaper.

Australian Supercentenarian Myrtle Jones, 111

Myrtle Jones at her 111th Birthday Party.
Dr. John McCormack, Senior Lecturer in Health Sciences at Latrobe University (Bundoora Victoria 3083; AUSTRALIA) apologizes for the poor quality of this photo.

Myrtle Jones at 108.followed by a photo taken in her 20's. Click on the photo for more details.

January 15, 2009; Adelaide, SOUTH AUSTRALIA; We are sad to report that Mrs. Myrtle Jones, born April 18, 1897 passed away on January 12, 2009 at age 111 years, 269 days.

Ref.: Nadine Williams, "SA's Oldest Person - Myrtle Jones - Dies at 111," Adelaide Now (January 15, 2009).

Australian Supercentenarian Alice Doreen Washington, 110

Here are two photos of Mrs. Alice Doreen Washington born May 24, 1898 in Queensland and who now lives in New South Wales that were sent by our GRG-Australia correspondent Dr. John McCormack, who is also with the Max Planck Institute in Germany.

February 7, 2009; We are sad to report that Mrs. Washington passed away on February 4, 2009 at age 110 years, 256 days.

Mrs. James Reeta Jones, 110

October 31, 2008; This is a scanned image of the SRF Plaque honoring Mrs. James Reeta Jones on the occasion her birthday, October 17, 2008, when she turned 110 from Monterey, TN presented by the Supercentenarian Research Foundation.

September 28, 2008; This photo of James Reeta Jones was apparently taken at her early birthday party by a photographer from the Herald-Citizen of Cookeville, TN.

December 2, 2010; We are sad to report that Ms. Jones passed away yesterday at the age of 112 years, 45 days.

Mrs. Annie Turnbull, 110

Mrs. Annie Turnbull of Scotland was born on September 21, 1898.
The photos were taken from The Bield Bulletin (December 2007).

Mrs. Catherine Hagel, 114

November 28, 2008; Ms. Cecilia Gulczinski, 90, holds a piece of birthday cake with a candle for her Mother, Catherine Hagel, at Friday's birthday party. Hagel, who blew out the candle, is now the second oldest person in the United States, and third oldest in the world.
Click on the photo for more details.

December 6, 2008; We are sad to report that Mrs. Hagel passed away today.

Mrs. Betty Rutherford, 110

December 12, 2008; Mrs. Rutherford [May 4, 1898 - December 11, 2008] passed away yesterday at age 110 years, 221 days in Arkansas. Click on the photo for details. She lived during 19 different US Presidential Administrations and was proud to cast a ballot earlier this year for Hillary Rodham Clinton. She died just over a month away from a new US President taking office.

Ref.: Andrea Bruner, Assistant Managing Editor, "Rutherford Dies at 110," The Batesville Daily Guard (December 12, 2008).

Daisy Ruth Kelly, 111

December 17, 2008; Mrs. Daisy Ruth Kelly on the occasion of her 108th birthday party. She was born on September 20, 1898 in Illinois but died in Iowa on October 28, 2009 at age 111 years, 38 days. Jon Echternacht of River Falls, WI is with his Grandmother three years ago at the Timely Mission Nursing Home in Buffalo Center. Click on the photo above for more details from the Esterville Daily News.

Mrs. Andresa Guerrero-Ortiz, 110

December 20, 2008; Mrs. Andresa Guerrero-Ortiz was born on November 30, 1898 in Spain.

August 7, 2010; We are sad to report that Sra. Ortiz passed away on August 5, 2010 at age 111 years, 248 days.

Mrs. Rose McCloskey, 110

December 31, 2008; Mrs. Rose McCloskey was born in Pennsylvania on October 25, 1898. Click on the photo for more details.

We are sad to report that Mrs. McCloskey passed away in Pennsylvania on January 14, 2009 at age 110 years, 81 days.

Grado pierde a Manuela a los 113 a¤os
La abuela de Espa¤a, una de las personas m s longevas del mundo, muere el d¡a de Reyes l De ni¤a era pastora y por la noche aprend¡a a leer

January 7, 20009; We are sad to report that Sra. Manuela Fernandez-Fojaco, who was born in Spain on June 18, 1895 passed away on January 6, 2009 at age 113 years, 202 days. Click on the photo for more details in Spanish.

Clarice Pearson, 110

January 16, 2009; Mrs. Clarice Pearson was born in Portland, OR on December 17, 1898.

March 22, 2009; We are sad to report that Mrs. Pearson passed away today at age 110 years, 95 days.

Romanie Pollet, 110

January 20, 2009; Romanie Pollet was born in Belgium on December 21, 1898 and now is 110. Click on the photo above for more details (in French).

Ref.: "La doyenne des Belges fˆte ses 110 ans," InfoMonde.be (January 20, 2008).

Florence Busch, 112

January 22 , 2009; Florence Busch, born in Wisconsin on August 13, 1896 died on January 21st of this year at age 112 years, 161 days. Click on the photo above for more details.

Ref.: Laurel Walker, "USA: Florence Busch, Wisconsin's Oldest Resident Dies at Age 112," Milwaukee Journal Sentinel (January 22, 2009).

Elsa Everly, 110

Elsa Everly celebrates her 109th birthday at the Scarlet Oaks Retirement Center in Clifton with her grand nephew, Monte Hall, 52, of Las Vegas. Photo by Carrie Cochran The Cincinnati Enquirer.

January 23 , 2009; Elsa Everly, born in Ohio on April 11, 1898 died on January 23rd of this year at age 110 years, 287 days. Click on the photo above for more details.

Florence Emma Robinson Poe, 112

January 24, 2009; Mrs. Florence Emma (Robinson) Poe was born in Missouri on August 24, 1897.

March 21, 2010; We are sad to report that Mrs. Poe passed away today at age 112 years, 209 days. Click on her Obituary for more details.

Marcelle-Jeanne Colas, 110

January 24, 2009; Madam Marcelle-Jeanne Colas was born in France on July 28, 1897 and passed away on March 11, 2008 at 110 years, 227 days.

Mary Gorham Higley, 110

January 25, 2009; Mrs. Mary Gorham Higley was born in Rhode Island on August 10, 1898 and passed away in Pennsylvania on December 25, 2008 at age 110 years, 137 days. Click on the first photo for more details about her student days at Mt. Holyoke College (Class of 1921).

Berta Rosenberg, 112

Mrs. Berta Rosenberg at age 100. Click on the photo for her Obituary.

We are sad to report that Mrs. Berta Rosenberg born on September 5, 1896 in GERMANY passed away on January 28, 2009 in New York at age 112 years, 145 days.

Thursday, January 29, 2009 -- The woman whom researchers say was the oldest Jewish person in the world died Wednesday at age 112. Berta Rosenberg, who lived in the Washington Heights section of Manhattan, occasionally attended synagogue in Cliffside Park, where her 84-year-old daughter, Ruth Hammer, lives. "She gave from the heart and was such a good person, Hammer said. I never heard a loud tone from my Mother." Rosenberg's birth date -- September 5, 1896 - - was confirmed in 2006 by Robert Young, Senior Claims Investigator for the Los Angeles-based Gerontology Research Group and a Senior Consultant to Guinness World Records. "At the time of her death, Rosenberg was the worlds 19th-oldest person and the oldest Jewish person," Young said.

The former Berta Blum was born in Frankenau, GERMANY. She and her family immigrated to the United States in September 1938, two months before Kristallnacht, the Nazis' coordinated attack on Jewish people in GERMANY. "She worked as a cleaning lady in New York upon arriving in the United States and later developed a business selling housewares," her daughter said. Hammer attributed her Mother's longevity to a diet of fresh foods and the family's decision to keep her in her Washington Heights apartment, rather than a nursing home. Rosenberg was predeceased by her Husband, Moritz Rosenberg, and a Son, Theodore Rosenberg.

Ref.:

Jay Levin,"Oldest Jewish Person in the World Dies," NorthJersey.com (January 29, 2009).

Yoshino Ide, 113

We are sad to report that Mrs. Yoshino Ide of Japan, born January 1, 1896 passed away January 28, 2009 at age 113 years, 27 days. The photo above was taken in September 2007 (when she was 111 years old).

Pearl Hampton, 111

Mrs. Pearl Hampton celebrates her 111th Birthday. From New Smyrna Beach, FL, she was born on October 14, 1897. Click on the photo for more details.

May 15, 2009; We are saddened to report that Mrs. Pearl Hampton died today at age 111 years, 213 days.

Pasqualina Franco, 110

Mrs. Pasqualina Franco was born in Italy on December 2, 1898, but now lives in Ontario, CANADA.

August 16, 2009; We are sad to report that Mrs. Franco passed away today in the early morning hours at age 110 years, 257 days.

Click on the photo for more details.

Cecelia Ruppert, 110

Mrs. Cecelia Ruppert was born in Illinois on August 17, 1898 and passed away on August 31, 2008.

Virginia Call, 111

Mrs. Virginia Call was born in Mississippi on January 3, 1898 and passed away in Chicago, IL on February 10, 2009 at age 111 years, 38 days.

February 11, 2009 Chicago, IL ( AP) -- A woman believed to be the oldest person living in Chicago is dead. Virginia Call, whose family claimed she was 115 but records indicated she was 111, died Tuesday at Provident Hospital. A cause of death was not given. However, John Paylor, a Grandson, said Call had been in the hospital for 11 days before she died.

While her age was in dispute, there is no doubt Call was the oldest registered voter in the city of Chicago. The Chicago Board of Elections chairman Langdon Neal went to Call's South Side home in January 2008 to register her. She made an "X" on a Voter Registration Card.

The Gerontology Research Group, which keeps records on the oldest people in the world, found a Yazoo County, Mississippi Census Record from 1910 with Call's maiden name, Virginia Green, which indicated that she was 12 years old.

Click on the photo for more details.

Maria Luiza Nunes da Silva, 113

Sra. Maria Luiza Nunes da Silva was born in Portugal on July 7, 1898.
According to Filipe Prista Lucas, our GRG correspondent from Portugal, she is said to be in good health (she even exercises every day), although she's in a wheelchair most of the time. However, the photo was taken when she was only 93 years old.

September 26, 2011; We are sad to report that our international correspondent from Portugal, Mr. Filipe Prista Lucas, has informed us that Maria Luiza Nunes da Silva passed away yesterday in Portugal at age 113 years and 81 days.

Aline Beslay, 110

Madam Aline Beslay was born in France on June 17, 1898.
Our newest correspondent from France, Mon. Luc Le Lay sent us a French video. Click on the photo for a Mother's Day family party video with narration in French.

May 6, 2009; We are sad to report that Madam Beslay passed away today at age 110 years, 323 days.

Fannie Forman Buten, 110

February 19, 2009; Mr. Fred Kaplan sent us this photo of Mrs. Fannie Buten at her 110th birthday party. Her daughter, Marjorie Buten Steinberg is seen with her.

Fannie Buten celebrating her 111th birthday in February with daughter Marjorie Steinberg.

September 29, 2010; We are sad to report that Mrs. Fannie Buten, who was born in Austria-Hungary on April 13, 1899, died on September 24, 2010 in Philadelphia, PA. Click on her photo for more details from the Philadelphia Inquirer.

Stella Nardari Vecchiato, 110

February 19, 2009; Our Italian Correspondent from Rome, Giovanni Alunni, sent us these two photos of Sra. Stella Vecchaito at her 110th birthday party on December 23, 2008.

February 24, 2012; We are sad to report that Stella Nardari-Vecchiato passed away yesterday at age 113 years, 62 days.

Nell Meadows, 110

February 22, 2009; Mr. Robert Young recently visited Miss Nell Meadows born February 17, 1899 in Georgia, shortly after she turned 110. Nell is a former teacher and University of Georgia's oldest living alumnus (class of 1924). She never married and now lives in the house in which she was born.

June 1, 2009; We are sad to report that Mrs. Meadows died on May 30, 2009 at age 110 years, 102 days.

Elsie Steele, 110

February 27, 2009; Mrs. Elsie Steele was born in England on January 6, 1899.

October 18, 2010; We are sad to report that Mrs. Steele passed away today at age 111 years; 285 days. Click for more details from the Daily Mail.

Marie-Medeleine Hellio, 110

March 1, 2009; Madam Marie-Madeleine Hellio was born in France on November 7, 1898 and passed away on January 5, 2009 at age 110 years, 59 days.

Marie-Louise Renier, 110

March 4, 2009; French Supercentenarian Madam Marie-Louise Renier was born on November 21, 1898 and passed away on January 5, 2009 at age, 110 years, 45 days.

C. Letitia Lawson, 112

March 4, 2009; We are sad to report that the 14th oldest person in the world, C. Letitia Lawson, who was born on April 10, 1896, passed away on February 22, 2009 at age, 112 years, 318 days. Click on the photo for more details.

Ref.: Tim Gallagher, "Second-Oldest Iowan Dies in Milford:Lawson, 112, Resided in Her Own Home Until Last Week" Sioux City Journal (February 24, 2009).

Hendrikje van Andel-Schipper, 115

Credit: Francois Wieringa/AP

September 9, 2005; Barely four hours after one of the oldest women in the world died at a Dutch nursing home on August 30, 2005, scientists at a nearby university lab had performed an autopsy, discovered that she died of stomach cancer, preserved key body parts, and started a battery of tests that they hope will shed light on why she lived so long. Hendrikje decided some 30 years ago that she would donate her body to science, says Anatomist and Neuroscientist Gert Holstege of the University of Groningen. Although her hearing was poor and her vision almost gone, Hendrikje had remained sharp. She was an ardent soccer fan, and, says Holstege, "She listened to the radio news every hour until she was 113." Holstege hopes to find that Van Andel-Schipper'sbrain does not have the brain lesions often seen in the elderly, even those not suffering from dementia. "That would help dispel the idea that neurodegeneration is inevitable," he says.

But aging researcher Prof. Thomas Kirkwood of the University of Newcastle upon Tyne, U.K., is skeptical. "One case doesn't tell you very much" beyond the obvious, he says: that Van Andel-Schipper had "an exceptionally good body for a woman her age."

She was born in The Netherlands on June 29, 1890 and passed away on August 30, 2005 at age 115 years, 62 days.

Click on the photo for more details from Science, Vol. 309, No. 5741 (September 9, 2005).

Mathilde Aussant, 113

Mathilde Aussant was born in France on February 27, 1898.

July 25, 2009; Click on the photo above for more details in French.

July 24, 2011; We are sad to report that, according to La Nouvelle République, the oldest living person in FRANCE, Madam Mathilde Aussant, died on July 23, 2011, at age 113 years, 146 days. If you read French, click on her photo above for more details.

Rosa Rein, 111

Rosa Rein, 111, was born in Germany [now Poland] on March 24, 1897, but she now lives in Switzerland.

Mr. Stefan Jamin provides more details as follows...
"Rosa Rein was born in Dzietzkowitz (today Dzieckowice as part of Myslowice). Originally, the region Myslowice (state country of Kattwoitz/Katowice) was part of Bohemia. Between [1742 - 1922], it was a part of the Prussian Province of Silesia. After 1922, it became a part of Poland. Bohemia and Silesia were parts of the Holy Roman Empire and later of the German Confederation; since 1871, Silesia was part of the German Empire."

Gertrude E. Noone, 110

Mrs. Gertrude Noone, 110, was born in Connecticut on December 30, 1898. She is the oldest living American veteran, having served in WW-II.

March 31, 2009;

Click on the photo for more details plus a video clip from the story by Carolyn Moreau of The Hartford Courant, "Oldest Army Veteran Honored at 110."

April 1, 2009; Here is an early US Army photo (c. 1948) just in from Gertrude's Great Niece, Ms. Deborah Woods...

In recognition of her US Army service and the fact that she is the oldest living Veteran; Women's History Month; and the fact that 2009 is the Year of the Non-Commissioned Soldier, she was visited by the Secretary of the Army, The Honorable "Pete" Geren on March 31, 2009. Click on the photo for more details.

Ref.: Dennis McLellan, "Gertrude Noone [1897 - 2009]: Clerk Was the Oldest Known Living Veteran in the World," The Los Angeles Times, p. A27 (July 12, 2009).

Lake Dickson, 112

Mrs. Lake Dickson, 112, was born in North Carolina on January 19, 1897 and passed away on January 30, 2009 at age 112 years, 11 days.

Tsuru Tokashiki, 111

Tsuru Tokashiki of Okinawa was born in Okinawa on June 24, 1897 and passed away on November 16, 2008 at age 111 years, 145 days.. Pictured at age 104, she is shown with Dr. D. Craig Wilcox and Dr. Makoto Suzuki, both of whom are longevity researchers with the Okinawa Centenarian Study.

Marie-Therese Bardet, 112

Marie-Therese Bardet of Pont Chateau, in Brittany, France was born on June 2, 1898.

Madam Marie-Therese Bardet, 112, and Dr. Stephen Coles


Mon. Luc Le Lay, GRG International Correspondent from Paris, FRANCE, and Madam Marie-Therese Bardet, 112, currently France's third oldest Supercentenarian


Tuesday, March 29, 2011; ~4:00 PM; from the Left, Bardet Grandon, Harve; Natalie and Stephen Coles of UCLA; Son, Leon; and Mon. Luc Le Lay visit the Bardet family and the nursing home staff in Pont Chateau, Brittany; FRANCE.

June 2, 2012; If you read Finish, click on the first photo for details of Madam Bardet's Birthday Party at age 114, now that she is the oldest in Europe.

June 8, 2012; We are sad to report that Madam Bardet passed away today at age 114 years, 6 days. If you read French, click for details from Le Figaro.

B. Ethyl Darby, 110

Here ends the 6th file containing Photos of Women Supercentenarians for 2007-2012.
Click to continue to File No. 7 of 15 for 2009-2012.