Lessie Brown, who was believed to be the oldest living person in the United States, passed away last Tuesday in Ohio. She was 114 years-old.
Brown’s death was confirmed by her daughter Verline Wilson, who said that her mother passed away at 10:45 a.m.
in her home in Cleveland Heights. Brown, who turned 114 in September, was named the oldest person in the U.S. last March after the death of a woman from Pennsylvania who was also 114. Wilson said that when she informed her mother of the news, she responded by simply saying, “That’s good.”
Born on Sept. 22, 1904, in Atlanta, Georgia, Brown moved to Ohio when she was 18 and remained there for the rest of her life. She had five children with her husband, and her family believes that she has over fifty descendants, including two great-great-great-grandchildren.
During her 114th birthday, one of her granddaughters told reporters that her longevity could be attributed to “sweet potatoes and her faith in God.” Her family said that Brown ate a sweet potato every day until she was well over 100.
The Gerontology Research Group said that the oldest person in the U.S. is now Alelia Murphy of New York, who is 113 years and 186 days old. Meanwhile, the oldest person in the world is 116-year-old Kana Tanaka of Japan.
We can only imagine how many changes Brown saw throughout her lifetime. She will be dearly missed by all who knew her, but hopefully they can find solace in the fact that she lived a long and full life. Rest in peace, Lessie Brown!
