Gerontology Wiki
Elizabeth Francis
Elizabeth Francis
Francis celebrating her 112th birthday in July 2021
Birth: 25 July 1909
St. Mary Parish, Louisiana, USA
Death: 22 October 2024
Houston, Texas, USA
Age: 115 years, 89 days
Country: United StatesUSA
Validated

Elizabeth Francis (25 July 1909 – 22 October 2024) was an American supercentenarian whose age has been validated by the Gerontology Research Group (GRG). She was the oldest known living person in the United States for the final eight months of her life, as well as the third-oldest living person in the world at the time of her death, after Tomiko Itooka and Inah Canabarro Lucas.

Biography[]

Elizabeth Francis was born in St. Mary Parish, Louisiana, USA on 25 July 1909 to John and Virginia Francis. She later moved to Houston, Texas. In the 1970s, she ran the coffee shop at Houston TV station KTRK-TV. In February 2021, she reconnected with her old friend, news anchor Dave Ward, via Facetime.

Francis's sister, Bertha Johnson (1904–2011), lived to the age of 106, making them one of the oldest sibling pairs. As of February 2021, Francis had three grandchildren, four great-grandchildren, and two great-great-grandchildren.

Francis died in Houston, Texas, USA on 22 October 2024 at the age of 115 years, 89 days. Following her death, Naomi Whitehead became the oldest known living person in the United States.

Longevity Records[]

Since the death of 111-year-old Maria De La Talamantes on 21 June 2020, Francis had been the oldest known living person in the state of Texas.

Since the death of 114-year-old Pearl Berg on 1 February 2024, Francis had been the last validated living person in the United States born in 1909.

Since the death of 116-year-old Edie Ceccarelli on 22 February 2024, Francis had been the oldest validated living person in the United States, as well as the last known surviving person in the USA born in the 1900s decade.

Since the death of 117-year-old Maria Branyas Morera on 19 August 2024, Francis had been the oldest living American-born person, and the third-oldest validated living person in the world, after Tomiko Itooka and Inah Canabarro Lucas.

Gallery[]

References[]


United States' Oldest Living Person Titleholders (VE)

Lucy WoodmanNancy MerrimanBetsy BakerJennie HowellCatherine WallerRobert EarlyNettie MinickMary KellyJames KingNarcissa RickmanKitty HarveyEttie CristGinevra DonovanMary BittlebrunEllen CookeAlice ColesEliza UnderwoodNellie SpencerEmma WilsonAugusta HoltzMary McKinneyFlorence KnappEaster WigginsDelphia WelfordMargaret SkeeteWilhelmina KottGeorgia Ella JordanSarah KnaussElla MillerClara HuhnMary Anna BooneMaude Farris-LuseGrace ClawsonAdelina DominguesMae HarringtonMary ChristianElena SloughCharlotte BenknerEmma Verona JohnstonElizabeth BoldenEmma TillmanCorinne Dixon TaylorEdna ParkerGertrude BainesMary Josephine RayNeva MorrisEunice SanbornBesse CooperDina ManfrediniGertrude WeaverJeralean TalleySusannah Mushatt JonesGoldie MichelsonAdele DunlapDelphine GibsonOphelia BurksLessie BrownMary Ana LongAlelia MurphyHester FordThelma SutcliffeBessie HendricksEdie CeccarelliElizabeth FrancisNaomi Whitehead