Our own Bessie Cooper has turned 116. She lives in Monroe Ga. She was around 13 when the first 1909 T model was built. Her Mother was 7 Months pregnant with her when the Quadricycle was finished in 1896. She has lived through lots of History...
Her secret to longevity is: (I like this) "Mind your own business" and "Don't eat junk food"
Check her out here:
http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/48803479/
Happy Birthday Bessie!
To be fair, this lady has seen society go from horse and buggy to man on the moon. Simply amazing the changes that have come about in one person's lifespan
The article about Bessie mentions Jeanne Louise Calment, a French woman who was the oldest documented person ever. She died at 122+. The story I have always thought was neat about her was that, when she was 90, her lawyer thought he had dreamed up a good deal. He would pay her a monthly amount for her apartment and when she died, the apartment would be his. This is what her Wikipedia article says about the deal:
"In 1965, aged 90 years and with no heirs, Calment signed a deal to sell her former apartment to lawyer André-François Raffray, on a contingency contract. Raffray, then aged 47 years, agreed to pay her a monthly sum of 2,500 francs until she died. Raffray ended up paying Calment the equivalent of more than $180,000, which was more than double the apartment's value. After Raffray's death from cancer at the age of 77, in 1995, his widow continued the payments until Calment's death."
You win some, you lose some....
I have never even met anyone 116 years old! I have met a few who made it to 100. About 2 weeks we were in a diner eating dinner when we found out the lady in the booth behind us was 106. That is the oldest person I have ever met. She could still walk with a cane and her mind was clear. Her hearing was not very good but once she understood she could respond intelligently.
Norm
Just got home from the Michigan Jamboree of T's last weekend in Adrian, Michigan. I believe there was a woman passenger on the tour who was 103 years old! Wasn't able to get the chance to talk to her. Maybe others who were there can supply more info. Rare to live that long. Rarer still to live that long and spend a weekend in the back seat of a T!
What an awesome story. To have seen what she has seen. I had the pleasure of listening to a 100 year old woman for a couple of hours one afternoon back in the early 80's. That afternoon still counts itself as my greatest, most pleasurable learning experiences ever.
A 100 yo guy ran over 8 little kids and two adults in San Fernando Valley today. None fatal, last I heard. He was interviewed on tv right after, and was very clear, appearing to be about 70. The reporter was incredulous at his age, but it was verified by his son. He'll be 101 next week.
He said the brakes failed. It was a 1980s Cadillac, and I suspect he hit the gas instead of the brake. Foot feeds should be outlawed. I ranted about this during the Toyota fiasco, and it was written up in "Busted Knuckles."
rdr
The oldest person I've met was Edith Joyce Davis (1887-1995). She taught physical education in Arkansas City schools from 1915 until she retired in 1957. She held the distinction of teaching at each of the elementary schools as well as the junior high (middle school) boys and girls classes. She was my mom's P.E. teacher (class of '28).
The oldest in my family was my cousin Alice Jones, who made it to 104. Lived at home and did her own gardening and housekeeping. Gives me something to aim for.