Elizabeth Francis

Last updated

Elizabeth Francis
Born(1909-07-25)July 25, 1909
(age 114 years, 276 days)
St. Mary Parish, Louisiana, U.S. [1]
NationalityAmerican
Known forOldest living person in the United States (since February 22, 2024)

Elizabeth Francis (born July 25, 1909) [2] is an American supercentenarian, she was born in Louisiana and currently resides in Houston, Texas. Upon the death of Edith Ceccarelli, she became the oldest living person in the United States. [3]

Contents

Biography

Francis was born in St. May Parish, Louisiana on July 25, 1909 during the Taft presidency, [4] although she is unsure of what town she was born in. Her mother died when she was very young, 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 sister, who lived to the age of 106, [3] which made her and Francis the oldest siblings on record. [5] She had another sister who lived to the age of 95 and her father died when he was 99. [6]

She raised her children as a single mother. [3] She moved into her current house in 1999, [3] where she lives with her 94-year old daughter, [7] and is cared for by her 68-year old granddaughter. [5]

Lifestyle

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. [8] [9] [10]

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. [3] She has used a wheelchair since 2016. [3]

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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. 1 2 3 4 5 6 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.
  4. ↑ Correa, Melissa (July 25, 2021). "112 years young: Houstonian Elizabeth Francis celebrates her big day in a big way". KHOU . Retrieved December 29, 2023.
  5. 1 2 3 "'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. ↑ "110-year-old Houston woman credits longevity to faith in God". ABC7 San Francisco. Retrieved December 29, 2023.
  9. ↑ 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.
  10. ↑ Lawson, Melanie (February 5, 2021). "111-year-old Houston woman shares secrets to longevity". ABC13 Houston. Retrieved December 29, 2023.
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