| Delphine Gibson | |
 Delphine Gibson the day before her 112th birthday | |
| Birth: | 17 August 1903 Ridgeway, South Carolina, USA |
| Death: | 9 May 2018 Huntingdon, Pennsylvania, USA |
| Age: | 114 years, 265 days |
| Country: |  USA
|
| Validated | |
Delphine Gibson (née Tucker; 17 August 1903 – 9 May 2018) was a validated American supercentenarian who was the oldest American resident at the time of her death. She was the last known surviving person in the USA born in 1903.
Early life
Gibson was born in 1903 in the town of Ridgeway, Fairfield County, South Carolina, to parents Elmore and Annie Tucker. She had at least six other siblings - five brothers and one sister.
Married life
On 27 January 1928, she married gardener Taylor Gibson in Guilford County, North Carolina. A few years later, the couple had their first child named Frank. They eventually went on to have two other children named Moody and Ella.
After Taylor’s retirement in 1962, the couple moved to Huntingdon County, Pennsylvania. A news article from that same year mentioned Delphine being a hostess for the Mount Hope Baptist Church’s bible school called The Daily Vacation Church School.
Later years
On 1 September 1980, Taylor passed away at the age of 88 and Delphine became widowed. A few years after his death, she became blind. In 1998, it was reported that she was granted a handicapped parking space for her and her caretaker due to her blindness. In 2004, she moved to the Huntingdon Nursing and Rehabilitation Center.
At the time of her 110th birthday, it was reported that Gibson used a wheelchair but was in good spirits. For instance, she was hymning ”Oh How I Love Jesus” as well as joking about receiving presents for her special milestone.
To honour Gibson’s 112th birthday, the mayor of Huntingdon declared the week of her birthday as ”Delphine Gibson week”. She credits her longevity to faith in God, and says that her church plays an important role in her daily life. Her son Frank is her only remaining child.
Gibson became the oldest living person in the United States following the death of 114-year old Adele Dunlap on 5 February 2017 and the oldest living American citizen following the death of American emigrant Marie-Josephine Gaudette, who lived in Rome, Italy, on 13 July 2017.
Gibson died on 9 May 2018 in Huntingdon, Pennsylvania, at the age of 114 years, 265 days.
References
- Gerontology Research Group
- Huntingdon Daily News 22 June 1962
- Huntingdon Daily News 4 August 1998
- Altoona Mirror 10 August 2010
- Huntingdon Daily News 16 August 2012
- Huntingdon Daily News 20 August 2013
- We Are Central PA 20 August 2015
- Huntingdon Daily New 21 August 2015
- Oldest living American, Huntingdon resident passes away 10 May 2018
See also
