BIOGRAPHY

Hankerson was born as Rosena Price in Barnwell, South Carolina as the fifth of 11 children born to Angus and Rivannah (née Owens) Price. In her early twenties, she attended Voorhees College, Benedict College and S.C. State to earn her teaching degrees, a profession she would have for over four decades across many Barnwell County schools. Several of her siblings also worked as teachers.

Hankerson had no children with her husband, Lucius. The couple were married for almost 50 years before his death on 7 February 1997, aged 92 or 93. Faith was very important to Hankerson; she served as the secretary at the Ned Branch Baptist Church for just shy of 40 years.

A nursing home very close to her hometown was where Hankerson would spend her later years. At the age of 107, she stated that one of her fondest memories was cooking. She outlived all of her siblings, with the last, Jessie Lee Dicks, reaching the age of 101, dying in 2004.

Hankerson died in Bamberg, South Carolina at the age of 111 years, 30 days.

RECOGNITION

Hankerson’s age was verified by Stefan Maglov and validated by LongeviQuest on 8 July 2024.

ATTRIBUTION

• Barnwell woman going strong at 107 The Post and Courier, 4 July 2014
• Hankerson touched many lives in 111 years The Augusta Chronicle, 25 April 2018

GALLERY