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World's oldest person dies at 115

Posted November 29, 2008 01:01:00
Updated November 29, 2008 01:00:00

An American woman who held the record for being the world's oldest person for over a year has died at the ripe old age of 115 years, 220 days.

Edna Parker of Shelbyville, Indiana, was born on April 20, 1893 - when Queen Victoria still ruled the British empire and before X-rays were even invented.

Ms Parker was recognised by Guinness World Records as the world's oldest person in August 2007 following the death of Japanese Yone Minagawa, who was four months her senior.

According to the Los Angeles-based Gerontology Research Group (GRG), which maintains a list of the world's oldest people, Ms Parker was the 14th oldest validated supercentenarian in history.

By definition a supercentenarian is anyone who has been validated to have lived to be 110 years or older.

The GRG currently recognise 89 validated living supercentenarians around the world, 79 Women and 10 Men.

- AFP

Tags: human-interest, offbeat, united-states

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