| Adele Dunlap | |
 | |
| Birth: | 12 December 1902 Newark, New Jersey, USA |
| Death: | 5 February 2017 New Jersey, USA |
| Age: | 114 years, 55 days |
| Country: |  USA
|
| Validated | |
Adele Dunlap (née Henderson; 12 December 1902 – 5 February 2017) was a verified American supercentenarian who was the oldest living American resident at the time of her death. However, she was not the oldest American citizen, as the emigrant citizen Marie-Josephine Gaudette lived in Italy.
Early life
Dunlap was born in 1902, in Newark, New Jersey, to parents 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”.
Adult life
After graduating from Newark State Normal School in the early 1920s, she worked as a 3rd grade teacher in Kearny and later became a housewife after her marriage to Earl Dunlap. They married sometime before 1930. Adele stated that continuing her teaching job would deprive unmarried women of chances when looking for work. The couple had 3 children in total; 2 sons and 1 daughter.
Later life
In 1989, Adele moved in to live with one of her sons’ family. She was able to drive a car until she was 89 years old. She moved to a nursing home at age 99, where she resided until her death. At age 110, it was reported that she was wheelchaired (but able to walk with a walker) and had poor hearing. Her eyesight was good enough for her to be able to read, however.
Adele Dunlap currently holds the all-time record for New Jersey-born people. However, in terms of oldest people to reside/die in the state, Elena Slough was older.
Adele Dunlap was validated by the Gerontology Research Group on 12 December 2014. Following the death of Goldie Michelson, Adele Dunlap was recognised as the oldest living person in the United States. However, she was not the oldest living American citizen. Marie-Josephine Gaudette, born in 1902, lived in Italy but retained American citizenship.
She died on 5 February 2017 at the age of 114 years, 55 days.
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References
- Gerontology Research Group
- NJ.com 12 December 2012
- NJ.com 12 December 2014
- New Jerseyan Adele Dunlap, oldest American, turns 114
- Obituary 9 February 2017
See also
