RIP: Maria de Jesus

Maria de Jesus-dos Santos
10 Sep 1893 – 2 Jan 2009

The oldest person in the world has died. ZUI this article (yes, it's written in Portuguese) from Público:

Maria de Jesus, a mulher mais velha do mundo, morreu hoje, aos 115 anos de idade. A idosa de aldeia do Corujo, no concelho de Tomar, tornou-se célebre em Novembro do ano passado, quando o Livro Guinness dos Recordes concluiu ser ela a pessoa mais idosa do planeta.

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Com a morte da norte-americana Edna Parker, a 26 de Novembro, a portuguesa tornou-se a mulher mais velha do mundo, uma atribuição que chegou numa altura em que se encontrava já bastante debilitada.

Nascida a 10 de Setembro de 1893, na aldeia de Urqueira (Ourém), Maria de Jesus viveu em três séculos diferentes, tendo assistido a grandes transformações no país e no mundo.

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Do casamento com José dos Santos, de quem ficou viúva aos 57 anos, teve seis filhos (três deles ainda vivos), dos quais tinha 11 netos, 16 bisnetos e três trinetos.

The Gerontology Research Group's list of living supercentenarians, which has not yet been updated to note Sra de Jesus's death, currently contains 92 people (83 females and 9 males), ranging from Sra de Jesus to Andresa Guerrero-Ortiz of Spain (born 30 Nov 1898). 114-year-old Gertrude Baines of California (born 6 Apr 1894) appears to now be the oldest living person.

More to follow, when I find a good article in English.

Update 2028 12 Jan: ZUI this article from AFP:

The world's oldest living person, Portuguese national Maria de Jesus, died Friday at the age of 115, the Lusa news agency reported.

Born September 10, 1893, Maria de Jesus became the world's oldest living person after the death of American Edna Parker on November 26, also aged 115.

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De Jesus was born in a poor area in Urquiera, close to Ourem in central Portugal. She started working in agriculture at the age of 12 and never went to school, remaining unable to write and read for her entire life.

After marrying [José dos Santos], she moved to the town of Corujo with her husband where she brought up her six children.

The GRG's list of living supercentenarians, which has not yet been updated to note Sra de Jesus's death, currently contains 91 people (82 females and 9 males), ranging from Mrs Baines (born 6 Apr 1894) to Sra Guerrero-Ortiz (born 30 Nov 1898).