Mary Christian | |
Birth: | 12 June 1889 Taunton, Massachusetts, USA |
Death: | 20 April 2003 San Pablo, California, USA |
Age: | 113 years, 312 days |
Country: | USA |
Validated |
Mary Christian (née Perry; 12 June 1889 – 20 April 2003) was a validated American supercentenarian who became the oldest recognised person in the United States at age 113 upon the death of 113-year-old Mae Harrington and was succeeded in this title by another 113-year-old, Elena Slough.
Biography
Mary Dorothy Perry was born in Taunton, Massachusetts to parents whose name had been anglicised from Perreira (she was of Portuguese descent). She moved with her family to San Pablo. She was a teenager working at an East Bay chocolate factory when she watched flames engulf San Francisco following the 1906 earthquake.
She married in 1907 and had two sons, whom she outlived. Following a divorce in 1922, she worked several jobs, including elevator operator and department store saleswoman, before retiring in 1971. She lived alone until she turned 102 and refused to be taken in by family members.
At the time of her death she had two great-grandchildren and two great-great-grandchildren.
Christian died in a San Pablo, California nursing home at 113 years, 312 days old.[1] [2]
References
- ↑ Nation's oldest person dies at age 113 CBS News. 22 April 2003
- ↑ Verified Supercentenarians (Listed Chronologically By Birth Date) Gerontology Research Group