Health

World's Oldest Person Dies At Age 115

by Barbara McPherson | November 28, 2008 at 10:17 am

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Yesterday the world's oldest person, Edna Parker,

Edna Parker holds a rose that she was given during a birthday party for her in Shelbyville, Ind., in this Friday, April 18, 2008 file photo. THE ASSOCIATED PRESS/Darron Cummings

Indiana woman listed as the world's oldest person dies at age 115

died at age 115. When comparing life expectancy between men and women, women have a distinctive advantage. The current oldest person is also a woman, Maria de Jesus of Portugal.
Since medical advances have lessened the dangers of pregnancy and labour women have come to expect a long and healthy life.

SHELBYVILLE, Ind. - An Indiana woman recognized as the world's oldest person more than a year ago has died at age 115.

UCLA gerontologist Dr. Stephen Coles says Edna Parker's great-nephew notified him that Parker died Wednesday at a nursing home in Shelbyville.

The Gerontology Research Group says Maria de Jesus of Portugal, who was born Sept. 10, 1893, - which also makes her 115 - is now the world's oldest living person.

Parker had been a widow since her husband, Earl Parker, died in 1939 of a heart attack. She lived alone in their farmhouse until age 100, when she moved into a son's home and later to the Shelbyville nursing home.

Although she never drank alcohol or tried tobacco and led an active life, Parker didn't offer tips for living a long life.

Her only advice to those who gathered to celebrate when she became the oldest person was "more education."

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Miriam Mannak

at 10:53 on November 28th, 2008

Can you imagine al the things she has lived through? She was around during world war 1, world war 2, and everything after wards. She was there when computers were developed, when cell phones came, escalators, cars ... She must have had so much wisdom of how this world developed and evolved ... Amazing to think of that :)

Fairbanks

at 11:06 on November 28th, 2008

Can you imagine al the things she has lived through

. . . If you have grandparents who want to tell you things from when they were young, listen. They'll tell you things you don't read about in history books.