The Oldest Person in the U.S. Passes Away at 115

HOUSTON, TX — The oldest person in the United States, Elizabeth Francis, passed away peacefully on October 22 at the age of 115 in Houston, Texas.

Born on July 25, 1909, in Louisiana, Francis lived through a remarkable span of history. She witnessed 20 U.S. Presidents, starting with William Howard Taft, and enduring significant global events, including two World Wars, segregation, and a pandemic. Her age made her the 54th oldest person to live and the 21st oldest American.

Francis moved to Houston at the age of 11 after her mother passed away, and her aunt and her five siblings raised her. Despite never learning to drive, she worked outside the home, running a coffee shop at a Houston television station during the 1970s and 80s.

Her family includes three grandchildren, five great-grandchildren, and four great-great-grandchildren. 

Naomi Whitehead, 114, from Pennsylvania, is now the oldest living person in the United States.