Elizabeth Francis
{{Short description|American supercentenarian (1909–2024)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=October 2024}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Elizabeth Francis
| image = Elizabeth Francis (1929) (cropped).png
| caption = Francis in 1929
| birth_name = Elizabeth Francis
| birth_date = {{birth date|1909|7|25}}
| birth_place = St. Mary Parish, Louisiana, U.S.
| death_date = {{death date|2024|10|22|1909|7|25|mf=y}}
(aged {{age in years and days|1909|07|25|2024|10|22}})
| death_place = Houston, Texas, U.S.
| occupation =
| known_for = Oldest living person in the United States (February 22, 2024 – October 22, 2024)
| children = 1
}}
Elizabeth Francis (July 25, 1909 – October 22, 2024) was an American supercentenarian who was the oldest-living person in the United States from the death of Edie Ceccarelli on February 22, 2024, until her own death on October 22, 2024.
Biography
Francis, who was of African-American descent, was born in St. Mary Parish, Louisiana,{{Cite web |date=February 24, 2024 |title=Edie Ceccarelli, oldest person in US, dies 2 weeks after 116th birthday |url=https://www.wftv.com/news/trending/edie-ceccarelli-oldest-person-us-dies-2-weeks-after-116th-birthday/CNX7Y5PVYFBWVBLUDJPDVI6QFI/ |url-access=limited |access-date=February 27, 2024 |website=WFTV |language=en}} on July 25, 1909,{{Cite web |last=Caplan |first=Anna Lazarus |date=August 11, 2023 |title=Houston Woman Born During Taft Presidency Marks 114th Birthday with Five Generations of Family |url=https://people.com/houston-woman-born-during-taft-presidency-marks-114th-birthday-with-5-generations-of-family-7642419 |access-date=December 29, 2023 |website=Peoplemag |language=en}}{{Cite web |last=Correa |first=Melissa |date=July 25, 2021 |title=112 years young: Houstonian Elizabeth Francis celebrates her big day in a big way |url=https://www.khou.com/article/news/local/houston-woman-elizabeth-francis-112th-birthday/285-079af990-0df5-49b2-9e30-72d395a34d4d |access-date=December 29, 2023 |website=KHOU |language=en-US}} although she was unsure of what town she was born in. Her mother died in 1920, and she and her five siblings were sent to different homes. She was sent to Houston, Texas, where she was raised by an aunt. She lived next door to her older sister Bertha Johnson (August 6, 1904 – February 21, 2011), before Johnson died at the age of 106;{{Cite news |last=Free |first=Cathy |date=August 18, 2023 |title=At age 114, here's her advice: 'Speak your mind and don't hold your tongue' |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/2023/08/18/elizabeth-francis-houston-centenarian-birthday/ |access-date=December 29, 2023 |newspaper=The Washington Post |language=en-US |issn=0190-8286}} she and Francis were among the oldest siblings on record.{{Cite web |last=Lawson |first=Melanie |date=August 10, 2023 |title='This is a blessing, the Lord's blessing': Texas' oldest woman celebrates her 114th birthday |url=https://abc13.com/oldest-person-in-texas-elizabeth-francis-how-old-is-the-second-american/13626081/ |access-date=December 29, 2023 |website=ABC13 Houston |language=en}} She had another sister who lived to the age of 95, and her father died when he was 88.{{Cite web |last=A |first=Pawlowski |date=August 16, 2023 |title=Texas woman, 114, has simple tips for long life and 1 personality trait for longevity |url=https://www.today.com/health/womens-health/114-year-old-woman-shares-tips-for-living-long-rcna100039 |access-date=December 29, 2023 |website=TODAY.com |language=en}}
Francis raised her daughter as a single mother. She moved into her final home in 1999 and would live there until her death, where she lived with her 96-year-old daughter Dorothy Williams (born September 1, 1928),{{Cite web |last=Eichenberg |first=Gretchen |date=August 21, 2023 |title=Texas woman celebrates her 114th birthday, attributing her long life to God: 'Just the Lord keeping me here' |url=https://www.foxnews.com/lifestyle/texas-woman-celebrates-114th-birthday-attributing-long-life-god-lord-keeping-me-here |access-date=December 29, 2023 |website=Fox News |language=en-US}} and was cared for by her 69-year-old granddaughter Ethel Harrison.{{Cite web |last=Shafiq |first=Saman |date=July 25, 2024 |title='America's Grandmother' turns 115: Meet the oldest living person in the US, Elizabeth Francis |url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2024/07/25/oldest-living-person-in-us/74540575007/ |access-date=July 25, 2024 |website=USA Today |language=en-US}} Williams was the oldest person in the world with one living parent.{{Cite web |date=July 25, 2024 |title=Elizabeth Francis, United States' oldest living person, celebrated her 115th birthday – Gerontology Research Group |url=https://www.grg-supercentenarians.org/2024/07/25/elizabeth-francis-united-states-oldest-living-person-celebrated-her-115th-birthday/ |access-date=July 25, 2024 |website=grg-supercentenarians.org |language=en}}
In the 1970s, Francis ran the coffee shop at KTRK-TV in Houston, and worked there for more than 20 years. She was also very involved with her church, Good Hope Missionary Baptist Church.{{cite news |last1=Sawyer |first1=Diane |title=She was the oldest living American. This was her secret to reaching 115 |url=https://www.cnn.com/2024/10/26/us/elizabeth-francis-death/index.html |access-date=October 29, 2024 |work=CNN |date=October 26, 2024}} Francis never learned to drive, so she used the bus or relied on family members for transportation. She had used a wheelchair since 2016. Francis avoided smoking and alcohol her whole life and often grew vegetables in her backyard. She attributed her long life to her faith in God.{{Cite web |date=July 29, 2019 |title=110-year-old Houston woman credits longevity to faith in God |url=https://abc7news.com/elizabeth-francis-110-year-old-110-years-old-centenarian/5425512/ |access-date=December 29, 2023 |website=ABC7 San Francisco |language=en}}{{Cite web |last=Lawson |first=Melanie |date=August 10, 2023 |title='This is a blessing, the Lord's blessing': Texas' oldest woman celebrates her 114th birthday |url=https://abc13.com/oldest-person-in-texas-elizabeth-francis-how-old-is-the-second-american/13626081/ |access-date=December 29, 2023 |website=ABC13 Houston |language=en}}{{Cite web |last=Lawson |first=Melanie |date=February 5, 2021 |title=111-year-old Houston woman shares secrets to longevity |url=https://abc13.com/111-year-old-houston-woman-elizabeth-francis-turns-people-over-100-years-centenarian-in-us/10315722/ |access-date=December 29, 2023 |website=ABC13 Houston |language=en}}
On February 22, 2024, Francis became the oldest person in the United States following the death of 116-year-old Edie Ceccarelli of California. Following the death of 117-year-old American-born Spaniard Maria Branyas on August 19, 2024, she became the oldest American-born person and the third-oldest-living person in the world.
Francis died on October 22, 2024, at the age of 115 years and 89 days.{{Cite web |last=Meyers |first=Ben |date=October 23, 2024 |title=Elizabeth Francis, Oldest American, Dies at Age 115 |url=https://longeviquest.com/2024/10/elizabeth-francis-oldest-american-dies-at-age-115/ |access-date=October 23, 2024 |website=LongeviQuest |language=en-US}} Following her death, Naomi Whitehead of Greenville, Pennsylvania, became the oldest-living person in the United States.{{cite web |url=https://www.grg-supercentenarians.org/world-supercentenarian-rankings-list/ |title=World Supercentenarian Rankings List |publisher=Gerontology Research Group |date=March 29, 2024 |access-date=March 30, 2024}}
See also
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- {{Cite web |last=Jabali |first=Malaika |date=March 4, 2024 |title=Women's History Is Now—The Oldest Living American Is Now a Black Woman |url=https://www.essence.com/news/114-years-old-black-woman-houston-oldest-person-america/ |magazine=Essence |access-date=March 8, 2024}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Francis, Elizabeth}}
Category:20th-century African-American people
Category:20th-century African-American women
Category:21st-century African-American people
Category:21st-century African-American women
Category:African-American centenarians
Category:American women centenarians
Category:African-American Christians
Category:American supercentenarians
Category:People from Louisiana
Category:American wheelchair users
Category:Women supercentenarians