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by | Mar 29, 2018 | Cornus Racemosa

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Elizabeth Francis (born July 25, 1909)[2] is an American supercentenarian, who is currently the oldest-living person in the United States following the death of Edie Ceccarelli and the second-oldest American-born person behind Maria Branyas Morera (b. March 4, 1907). She was born in Louisiana and currently resides in Houston, Texas.

Biography

Francis, who is of African American descent, was born in St. Mary Parish, Louisiana on July 25, 1909 during the Taft presidency,[3] although she is unsure of what town she was born in. Her mother died in 1920, and she and her five siblings were sent to different homes, with her being sent to Houston where she was raised by an aunt. She lived next door to her older sister Bertha Johnson (August 6, 1904 - February 21, 2011), before she died at the age of 106,[4] which made her and Francis among the oldest siblings on record.[5] She had another sister who lived to the age of 95 and her father died when he was 88.[6]

She raised her children as a single mother.[4] She moved into her current house in 1999,[4] where she lives with her 95-year-old daughter Dorothy Williams (born September 1, 1928),[7] and is cared for by her 69-year-old granddaughter Ethel Harrison.[5][8] Williams is the oldest person in the world with one living parent.[9]

Francis has avoided smoking her whole life and often grew vegetables in her backyard. She has attributed her long life to her faith in God.[10][11][12]

In the 1970s, Francis ran the coffee shop at KTRK-TV in Houston.[5] She never learned to drive, so she used the bus or relied on family members for transportation.[4] She has used a wheelchair since 2016.[4]

Francis became a supercentenarian on July 25, 2019, celebrating her 110th birthday. Since the death of 111-year-old Maria De La Talamantes (January 11, 1909 - June 21, 2020), Francis has been the oldest known living person in the state of Texas, and following the death of 114-year-old Pearl Berg (October 1, 1909 - February 1, 2024), Francis has been the last validated living person in the United States born in 1909. On February 22, 2024, she became the oldest person in the United States following the death of 116-year-old Edie Ceccarelli. On July 25, 2024, she celebrated her 115th birthday, becoming the 70th supercentenarian to do so.

References

  1. ^ "Edie Ceccarelli, oldest person in US, dies 2 weeks after 116th birthday". WFTV. February 24, 2024. Retrieved February 27, 2024.
  2. ^ Caplan, Anna Lazarus (August 11, 2023). "Houston Woman Born During Taft Presidency Marks 114th Birthday with Five Generations of Family". Peoplemag. Retrieved December 29, 2023.
  3. ^ Correa, Melissa (July 25, 2021). "112 years young: Houstonian Elizabeth Francis celebrates her big day in a big way". KHOU. Retrieved December 29, 2023.
  4. ^ a b c d e Free, Cathy (August 18, 2023). "At age 114, here's her advice: 'Speak your mind and don't hold your tongue'". Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved December 29, 2023.
  5. ^ a b c "'This is a blessing, the Lord's blessing': Texas' oldest woman celebrates her 114th birthday". ABC13 Houston. August 10, 2023. Retrieved December 29, 2023.
  6. ^ A, Pawlowski (August 16, 2023). "Texas woman, 114, has simple tips for long life and 1 personality trait for longevity". TODAY.com. Retrieved December 29, 2023.
  7. ^ Eichenberg, Gretchen (August 21, 2023). "Texas woman celebrates her 114th birthday, attributing her long life to God: 'Just the Lord keeping me here'". Fox News. Retrieved December 29, 2023.
  8. ^ Shafiq, Saman. "'America's Grandmother' turns 115: Meet the oldest living person in the US, Elizabeth Francis". USA TODAY. Retrieved July 25, 2024.
  9. ^ "Elizabeth Francis, United States' oldest living person, celebrated her 115th birthday – Gerontology Research Group". Retrieved July 25, 2024.
  10. ^ "110-year-old Houston woman credits longevity to faith in God". ABC7 San Francisco. Retrieved December 29, 2023.
  11. ^ Lawson, Melanie (August 10, 2023). "'This is a blessing, the Lord's blessing': Texas' oldest woman celebrates her 114th birthday". ABC13 Houston. Retrieved December 29, 2023.
  12. ^ Lawson, Melanie (February 5, 2021). "111-year-old Houston woman shares secrets to longevity". ABC13 Houston. Retrieved December 29, 2023.
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