Evangeline Paredes, the oldest known living person in Washington D.C., celebrated her 110th birthday, according to the Philippine Embassy in Washington DC.
Ms. Paredes was born on 26 July 1916 in Brooklyn, New York to Tomas Rulloda Abellera, born in the Philippines, and Francisca Estrada, born in Spain. She was the third of eight children. She was one sister still living at age 103 in Las, Vegas, Nevada. Her family moved to Washington D.C. in 1921, where she has lived since.
Evangeline Paredes with her husband Juanito Paredes in 1941
She graduated from Eastern High School in Washington DC and won a scholarship to a secretarial school. She soon began serving as a telephone operator in the office of the Resident Commissioner of the Philippines. She later graduated from George Washington University before becoming the executive secretary to the Resident Commissioner of the Philippines. She married Juanito Paredes, the nephew of a prominent Filipino politician from Abra, in 1941. They had one son Juan, who currently lives in Washington D.C. at age 78.
Celebrating Victory Day with colleagues on 8 May 1945
During World War II, she became the secretary to Philippine president Manuel Quezon, before later serving as a public relations officer for the Philippine Embassy. After returning to the United States and ending her employment to the Philippine government in 1957, she worked for the U.S. Department of Defense as a stenographer and was in the employ of the Pentagon for three decades.
After retiring, she volunteered for AARP and advocated for older adults and veterans. She raised funds to establish the Congress Heights Senior Wellness Center, which largely serves black families in the Washington DC area. She was honored with the Andrus Award in 2010 by the AARP, which is the organization’s “most prestigious volunteer tribute recognizes outstanding individuals age 50 and older who are sharing their experience, talents and skills to enrich the lives of others”. She has been noted as the oldest member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars Auxiliary Post 5471 in Fort Washington, Maryland.
On 11 March 2026, following the passing of 110-year-old Willie Mae Avery, she became the oldest living person in Washington D.C.
Evangeline Paredes currently lives in a senior living facility, Chevy Chase House, in Northwest Washington D.C.
While she claims to have been born on 26 July 1916, early life evidence suggests she was born on a day earlier, on 25 July 1916. Her age is currently under review by LongeviQuest.
LongeviQuest extends warm congratulations to Evangeline Paredes on her 110th birthday.
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