BIOGRAPHY

Hori was born in Kumamoto Prefecture, Japan, on 15 March 1903. At some point, she had a daughter and moved to Fukui Prefecture.

In 1966, Hori admitted her daughter, who was disabled, into a social welfare facility, before starting work as a cook for the same organization’s office in Sabae City. At the age of 70, Hori moved into a nursing home for the elderly owned by the same group in Echizen Town, Fukui Prefecture. She enjoyed reading books in the living room of the nursing home.
At the age of 111, city officials visited her nursing home in celebration of Respect for the Aged day. When told she was the oldest person in Fukui Prefecture, she replied with, “I am? That’s great,” before raising her hands in a cheering pose. Hori enjoyed bringing smiles to the nursing home staff. When the city officials handed her a congratulatory bouquet of flowers, she joked, “These are heavy,” causing the room to erupt in laughter. When asked about the secret to longevity, she replied, “Not to fret over things.” She had never experienced serious illness.

Hori passed away in Echizen, Fukui Prefecture, Japan, on 13 May 2015, at the age of 112 years, 59 days.

RECOGNITION

On 16 July 2014, following the death of 111-year-old Takio Hamatani, she became the oldest living person in Fukui Prefecture.

Her age was verified by Japan’s Ministry of Health, Labour, and Welfare (MHLW), as well as Tzen Wei Tseng, and validated by the Gerontology Research Group on 18 October 2014.

On 28 November 2014, she surpassed Hamatani’s final age, becoming the oldest person to ever live in Fukui Prefecture. Subsequently, she became the first person in the Prefecture to reach the age of 112.

Following her death, Chiku Matsumoto succeeded her as the Prefecture’s oldest living resident.

ATTRIBUTION

* “県内最高齢 元気いっぱい 越前町 女性・堀さん111歳” – Chunichi Shimbun, 15 September 2014

* “県内最高齢112歳 堀さんが死去 越前町” – Fukui Shimbun, 25 August 2015

GALLERY