Lucia Prata

BIOGRAPHY

Prata was born as Lucia Canzano in Fossacesia, Abruzzo, Italy on 20 October 1883. She emigrated to the United States around 1916, settling in Rochester, New York.

Prata was married twice, firstly to Carmelo Memmo, with whom she had six children. He died in 1928. She remarried in 1942 to Francesco “Frank” Prata. She was widowed a second time in 1968.

Prata enjoyed gardening and would can her own food for many years. After suffering a stroke in 1987, she moved into a Rochester nursing home.

Prata reportedly never saw a doctor and was seldom ill. Vegetables were a main part of her diet. Her granddaughter, Joyce Macaluso, claimed the secret to her grandmother’s longevity was “lots of olive oil and garlic.”

Prata died on 15 October 1994 at the age of 110 years, 360 days. She was survived by two of her daughters, Ann and Nettie, as well as 13 grandchildren, 19 great-grandchildren, 18 great-great-grandchildren, and 10 great-great-great-grandchildren. Her eldest daughter, Ann Bell, died in 2020 aged 103.

RECOGNITION

On the occasion of Prata’s 100th birthday, she received letters of congratulations from then-President Ronald Reagan and Greece Supervisor Donald Riley.

Prata was the first person born in Abruzzo to attain supercentenarian status; she was the oldest person ever from the region until her age was surpassed by Anna DiFelice in March 2003.

Prata’s age was verified by the SSA Study and the Kestenbaum Study (for the GRG), as well as Dr. Andrew Holmes, Chris Law, Jimmy Lindberg, and Marco Wikkerink (ESO), and was validated by the latter organisation on 1 September 2021.