| Adele Dunlap | |
 Dunlap on her 114th birthday | |
| Birth: | 12 December 1902 Clinton Hill, Newark, New Jersey, USA |
| Death: | 5 February 2017 Raritan Township, Hunterdon County, New Jersey, USA |
| Age: | 114 years, 55 days |
| Country: |  USA
|
| Validated | |
Adele Dunlap (née Henderson; 12 December 1902 – 5 February 2017) was an American supercentenarian who was the oldest living American resident at the time of her death whose age was validated by the Gerontology Research Group (GRG). However, she was not the oldest American citizen, as the emigrant citizen Marie-Josephine Gaudette lived in Italy. Additionally, Dunlap was the eighth-oldest validated living person in the world at the time of her death.
Biography
Adele Dunlap was born on 12 December 1902, in Clinton Hill, Newark, New Jersey, to James and Sarah Henderson. She had three other siblings — all of them were older brothers. As a young girl, she once stated that she was going to "live forever".
Dunlap graduated from Southside High School in Newark. After graduating from Newark State Normal School (now Kean University) in 1923, Dunlap worked as a third-grade teacher in Kearny for five years until her marriage to Earl "Lynn" Dunlap. She quit her job as encouraged by her mother, who stated that continuing her teaching job would deprive unmarried women of work opportunities. Dunlap and her husband had three children in total — two sons, Earl and Jimmy, as well as a daughter, Carol Ann.
In her early years, Dunlap smoked, ate whatever she desired, and exercised very rarely. She and her husband only quit smoking once her father suffered a heart attack, which cautioned Dunlap to adopt a healthier lifestyle. This later led one of her sons, Earl, to state that "she didn't really work at becoming the oldest American. It just happened."
Dunlap's husband died in 1963. She lived in Spring Lake, New Jersey for 17 years, at which time she was involved in The Christ Child, an organization that collected clothing for children in need. In 1989, aged 87, Dunlap moved to live with the family of one of her sons, Earl. She was able to drive a car until she was 89 years old. She moved into a nursing home at the age of 99, where she resided until her death.
At the age of 110, it was reported that Dunlap was wheelchairbound and had poor hearing. Her eyesight was good enough for her to be able to read, however.
Dunlap celebrated her 112th birthday on 12 December 2014. She was validated by the Gerontology Research Group on the same day.
As a supercentenarian, Dunlap enjoyed reading and participated in activities at her nursing home, such as anagrams and bingo. She was able to eat by herself. When asked for the secret to her longevity, Dunlap said that she had no secret and that she just kept on living.
Dunlap died at the Hunterdon Medical Center on 5 February 2017 at the age of 114 years, 55 days. At the time of her death, she had two living sons, as well as six grandchildren, 15 great-grandchildren, and three great-great grandchildren. Following her death, Delphine Gibson became the oldest validated living resident of the United States.
Longevity Records
Following the death of Melva Radcliffe on 31 August 2012, Dunlap became the oldest living person in New Jersey.
Following the death of Goldie Michelson on 8 July 2016, Dunlap was recognised as the oldest living person in the United States and entered the top ten oldest living people in the world. However, she was not the oldest living American citizen as Marie-Josephine Gaudette lived in Italy but retained her American citizenship.
Following the death of Mitsue Toyoda on 25 August 2016, Dunlap became the ninth-oldest validated living person in the world. She became the eighth-oldest validated living person in the world after the death of Yukie Hino on 13 January 2017.
Dunlap currently holds the record as the oldest validated person to ever be born in New Jersey. However, she does not hold the record as the oldest validated person to die in New Jersey as Elena Slough was older.
Gallery
References
- Gerontology Research Group
- 110-years-old today, Hunterdon woman attributes her longevity to oatmeal — not! NJ.com 12 December 2012
- At 112, Union Township woman one of the oldest living in N.J. NJ.com 12 December 2014
- Oldest American Is Kean Alumna 7 September 2016
- New Jerseyan Adele Dunlap, oldest American, turns 114 12 December 2016
- Obituary 9 February 2017