Elizabeth Francis, who was the oldest living person in the United States, has died at the age of 115. Ms Francis died peacefully on Tuesday while surrounded by her family, granddaughter Ethel Harrison, who was also her primary caregiver told ABC News. At the time of her death, Ms Francis was the oldest living person in the US and the third-oldest person in the world, according to LongeviQuest, a global database of the world’s oldest individuals. She lived most of her life in Houston, Texas, per the outlet.
Speaking to ABC News, Ms Harrison described Ms Francis as a “person who loved people”. “She loved the Lord. Her faith was extremely strong. She was always, you know, jolly, you know, ‘how you doing? You’re doing okay?’ That was just her personality. And she would always say, treat people like you want to be treated. And that was her motto,” Ms Harrison added.
Separately, in a statement, LongeviQuest spokesperson, Ben Meyers, called Ms Francis “America’s Grandmother”. “She lived a life of faith and love, always crediting the Good Lord for her longevity. She was beloved by her family and community,” Mr Meyers said.
“They are in our prayers, especially her daughter Ms. Dorothy Williams, whom she lived with until the end, and her granddaughter Ms. Ethel Harrison whose joyful dedication made it possible for her grandmother to live at home even at age 115,” he added.
Ms Francis was born in Louisiana on July 25, 1909. She lived through everything from World War I to the sinking of the Titanic. She raised her daughter as a single mother, ran a coffee shop in Houston and preferred walking over driving. The 115-year-old was alive during the Great Depression, the first aeroplane flight across the Atlantic and 20 presidents from William Howard Taft to Joe Biden.
Earlier this year, on her 115th birthday, Ms Francis also offered a single tip on how to live a long and happy life. “Speak your mind and don’t hold your tongue,” she said.
Notably, Ms Francis was crowned the country’s oldest person in February earlier this year after the previous longevity record holder, Edie Ceccarelli, died a few weeks after her 116th birthday in California. In April, she was then awarded a plaque recognising her as the oldest person in the US from LongeviQuest.
Now, America’s oldest living person is Naomi Whitehead, who was born on September 26, 1910, according to LongeviQuest.