RIP: Yone Minagawa

Yone Minegawa
4 Jan 1893 - 13 Aug 2007

The world's oldest person has died. ZUI this from IOL:

The world's oldest person, a Japanese woman who counted eating well and getting plenty of sleep as the secret of her longevity, died Monday [13 August] at age 114, a news report said.

Yone Minagawa, who lived in a nursing home but was still sprightly late in life, died "of old age" Monday evening, Kyodo News reported.

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Despite her advanced age, Minagawa was said to enjoy eating sweets and counted eating well and getting a good night's sleep as the secrets of her longevity.

Her reign as the world's oldest person lasted just over six months. The Guinness Book of World Records certified her as the world's oldest person after Emma Faust Tillman, the daughter of freed American slaves, died in January.

Tillman (22 Nov 1892-28 Jan 2007) had held the title since the death of Julie Bertrand (16 Sep 1891-18 Jan 2007).

According to the Gerontology Research Group, the world's oldest person is now Mrs Edna Parker, who was born 20 Apr 1893 in Shelby County, Indiana, followed by Maria de Jesus of Portugal (born 10 Sep 1893) and Bertha Fry, also of Indiana (born 1 Dec 1893). The oldest living man is Tomoji Tanabe of Japan (born 18 Sep 1895), who is the 25th-oldest living person.*

ZUI GRG's list of verified supercentenarians (people who have reached their 110th birthday), which as of today contains 76 names - 69 women and 7 men.


* The oldest living man in the US is George Francis, born in Louisiana and currently living in California. He and Henry Allingham, the oldest man in the UK, were born 6 Jun 1896 and are the 53rd- and 54th-oldest living people.