LongeviQuest is pleased to share that Lucia Laura Sangenito turns 113 years old. She is an Italian supercentenarian known as the second-oldest living person in the country. 

Lucia was born on 22 November 1910 in Sturno, Campania, Italy. 

At some point in her life, she got married and had two children. Unfortunately, her husband passed away in 2010. 

Lucia Laura at 113 years old
Lucia Laura at 113 years old. Retrieved from: https://bit.ly/3uzi2AZ

When she was 107 years old, she fell and fractured her femur resulting in a delicate surgery. At the age of 110, she already has two grandchildren and three great-grandchildren. 

LongeviQuest sends our warmest greetings for Laura’s 113th birthday celebration. 

For more information, please visit Lucia Laura Sangenito’s Directory Profile here. 

The oldest living Italian woman, Domenica Ercolani, passed away in Pesaro in the region of Marche, on 17 November 2023, at the age of 113.

Born in Urbino, Marche, Italy, on 3 July 1910, she got married at some point and raised her children as a housewife while her husband worked a station manager.

On 7 May 2022, she became the oldest known living person in Italy, succeeding Angela Tiraboschi upon her passing. Subsequently, she became the oldest person ever to reside in the region of Marche. At the time of her passing, she was sixth-oldest living person in Europe and was the 12th-oldest person ever to pass away in Italy.

LongeviQuest sends our deepest condolences to the bereaved family and friends of Mrs. Ercolani.

LongeviQuest recently reviewed the case of Mary Curley of the United States– a previously validated supercentenarian who was a former longevity record-holder for the U.S. state of Minnesota (1992–2008). She was born in Chicago, Illinois, United States on 24 April 1867 and passed away in Waseca, Minnesota, United States on 29 May 1994.

Her case was researched by the Kestenbaum Study and validated by the Gerontology Research Group, with a birthdate of 21 November 1882, and a final age of 111 years, 189 days. However, in November 2023, following a thorough review of documentation uncovered by Jimmy Lindberg, the Global Validation Commission reached the conclusion that Curley’s claimed date of birth (21 November 1880) was accurate.

On 8 July 1990, following the death of 111-year-old Alice Barwise of Minneapolis, she became the oldest living person in the U.S. state of Minnesota.

On 22 April 1992, at the age of 111 years, 153 days, she surpassed Barwise’s final age, becoming the oldest known person to ever live in Minnesota. She subsequently became the first person in the state to reach the ages of 112 and 113. She held this record until her final age was surpassed by Catherine Hagel on 5 June 2008.

For more information, please view Mary Curley’s Directory Profile here.

LongeviQuest is delighted to share that Clarabell Demers, North Dakota’s oldest person, turns 113. She is an American supercentenarian known as the current oldest living person in North Dakota, USA. 

Clarabell Demers was born on 3 November 1910 in Acton, Walsh County, North Dakota, USA. 

Her granddaughter, Leanne, shared a recent photo of Clarabell holding a congratulatory certificate from the Office of the Governor of South Dakota. This is in recognition of her turning 113 years old, thus making her the oldest person in the state. The photo was then publicly shared by the WDAY  Meteorologist Lydia Blume in her social media post greeting Grandma D.

Clarabell Demers' 113th Birthday
Clarabell Demers’ 113th Birthday

In 1930, she was married to Frederick Demers with whom she had three children with. The family lived on a farm until 1944 before they purchased a building and refurbished it ito JR’s Bar. She and her husband ran the bar until Frederick passed away in 1979. Since then, it was operated by their son, Donald and grandsons Guy and Gene. 

Clarabell is currently residing in Grafton, North Dakota, USA. 

LongeviQuest sends our warmest greetings of celebration for Clarabell’s birthday. 

For more information, please visit Clarabell Demers’ Directory Profile here. 

LongeviQuest is pleased to announce the age validation of Eliza Underwood at 113 years old. She was an American supercentenarian recognized as the oldest person ever at the time of her death.

She was born as Eliza Jane Brown on 15 March 1867 in Clinton, North Carolina, USA. When she was eight years old, she lived with the Royals, a white family living nearby, for seven years.

In 1890, she was married to a preacher named Isham Underwood. In that same year, around September. their only daughter was born, and they named her Lenorah. It was around 1912 when the couple adopted a baby girl named Minnie.

Underwood shortly before her 111th birthday

After her husband passed away, she moved to San Antonio, Texas, in 1973 to live with her daughter. Unfortunately, Lenorah Grant passed away in 1979. Eliza then went to live with her adopted daughter, Minnie Simmons, in Washington D.C., USA.

Mrs. Underwood mentioned that her secret to longevity was to never smoke or drink alcohol and be an active member of the church.

Eliza Underwood passed away on 27 January 1981 in Washington, District of Columbia, United States. Moreover, it was established that she was oldest person ever at the time of her death.

For more information, please visit Eliza Underwood’s Directory Profile here.

LongeviQuest is delighted to report that Claudia Baccarini, the second-oldest known living person in Italy and the oldest woman in the Emilia Romagna region, celebrated her 113th birthday on 13 October 2023. She celebrated along with her huge family with her 10 children in her house in Faenza.

On her 112th birthday in 2022. (Source: Gerontology Wiki)
On her 112th birthday in 2022.
(Source: Gerontology Wiki)

Claudia Baccarini was born in Faenza, Emilia-Romagna, Italy on 13 October 1910. She lived through epochal events such as 2 world wars, an economic crisis, and the COVID global pandemic. Her age has been validated by the European Supercentenarian Organisation (ESO) on 28 March 2021.

Baccarini currently lives in Faenza, Emilia-Romagna, Italy.

For more information, please view Claudia Baccarini’s Directory Profile here.

Longeviquest is delighted to report that Silveria Martín Díaz of Spain was recently recognized as the oldest person ever born in Extremadura at 113 years old. She was born in Talavera la Vieja in Cáceres Municipality, Extremadura, Spain on 20 June 1910. She was a wife and a mother to 5 children.

Silveria Martín Díaz recognized as the oldest person in the entire history of Extremadura
(Source: https://www.facebook.com/centenarios.extremen)

The family lived in Talavera la Vieja until it was flooded in 1963. When the town was flooded, the inhabitants were resettled in various towns. The Diaz family spent a year in Rosalejo, the municipality where 80% of Talavera’s residents settled. Later, they emigrated to France for work.

At the age of 109, Díaz fell and broke her femur, requiring surgery. As of September 2019, she had three living children (Leo, aged 73; Maria Andrea, aged 86; and Anastasio, aged 81), 18 grandchildren, and several great-grandchildren and great-great-grandchildren. Martín Díaz currently lives in Villanueva de la Vera, Extremadura, Spain.

In June 2022, on her 112th birthday. (Source: Diario de Sevilla)
In June 2022, on her 112th birthday.
(Source: Diario de Sevilla)

Following the death of 112-year-old Josefa San Román Mateos on 25 January 2022, she became the second-oldest living person in Spain (after María Branyas Morera).  Díaz also became the oldest living Spanish-born person (since Branyas Morera was born in the US).

On 17 June 2023, at her 113th birthday party and three days before her actual birthday, she was visited by LongeviQuest Spain Researcher, Daniel Germán Delgado. He presented her with a plaque certifying her recognition by LongeviQuest as Extremadura’s oldest living person. He also presented a plaque for her eldest living daughter, not in attendance, recognizing her status as the oldest living child of a living parent in Spain.

On 7 August 2023, at the age of 113 years, 48 days, she surpassed the final age of Francisco Núñez Olivera. She became the oldest person to live or pass away in the autonomous community of Extremadura. On 5 October, at 113 years, 107 days, she surpassed the final age of Josefa Santos González (1906–2019), becoming the oldest person ever born in Extremadura.

For more information, please view Díaz’s Directory Profile here.

LongeviQuest is pleased to announce the age validation of Katsuko Tago of Japan at age 113. She was born in Ōmachi, Nagano Prefecture, Japan on 28 March 1910, as the eldest of 10 siblings. Tago is currently the oldest known living person in Tokyo and one of the ten oldest known living residents in Japan. She was also a wife and a mother to 7 children.

In January 2022, aged 111. (Source: Courtesy of the family)
In January 2022, aged 111.
(Source: Courtesy of the family)

Tago was a lifelong learner and creative spirit. She attended a doll-making class in her hometown in Nagano every month until she was around 90 years old. She continued to make Kimekomi dolls and even carve wooden objects like skunk cabbage until she was around 103 years old. However, at that age, Tago suffered a femur fracture and underwent surgery. She regained her ability to walk with the help of rehabilitation, but two years later, she experienced another fracture and began receiving care in a nursing home.

Before moving into the nursing home, she had dealt with diabetes and high blood pressure, but with proper healthcare at the facility, her health improved. Up until the age of about 110, she remained in close contact with her family, sharing details of life at the nursing home. At the age of 113, she occasionally engaged in activities like folding laundry alongside other residents and managed to maneuver her wheelchair to the cafeteria to enjoy her meals. She attributed her long life to her daily practice of enjoying strawberry-flavored chocolate. Her family believes that her determination and independent thinking are also contributing factors to her longevity.

For more information, please view Katsuko Tago’s Directory Profile here.

LongeviQuest is pleased to share that Naomi Whitehead, the 5th oldest living American, turns 113 years old. She is an American supercentenarian who is also recognized as the oldest living person in Pennsylvania, USA.

Naomi celebrated her 113th birthday at St. Paul’s Senior Living Community in West Salem Township. During this time, she can still remember her early days with a little help from her grandchildren. “I was born on a Georgia Farm,” Whitehead said. “I picked cotton and tobacco.” She even remembered the horses on the farm which were still the main mode of transportation. She said, “I was afraid of getting kicked by them.”

Dan Whitehead talks with his grandmother, Namoi Whitehead, at St. Paul’s Senior Living Community in West Salem Township. She celebrated her 113th birthday on Tuesday.
Dan Whitehead talks with his grandmother, Namoi Whitehead, at St. Paul’s Senior Living Community in West Salem Township. She celebrated her 113th birthday on Tuesday.
Retrieved from: https://longevi.quest/46CLxzT

Naomi Whitehead was born on 26 September 1910 in Georgia, United States. She married Sylvester Whitehead and had three sons with him. Unfortunately, she outlived all of her children and when her last surviving son died in 2011, she resided in Sharon, Pennsylvania.

She is currently living at St. Paul’s Senior Living Community in Greenville, Pennsylvania, USA.

LongeviQuest extends our warmest greetings to Mrs. Naomi Whitehead for celebrating her 113th birthday.

For more information, please visit Naomi Whitehead’s Directory Profile here.

LongeviQuest Japan was privileged to have the opportunity to visit Mrs. Masa Matsumoto to honor her longevity. We visited her at her nursing home and celebrated together with her family on October 1, 2023. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, she could not see her family for about three years from 2020 until May 2023, but since June 2023 she has been able to see them again. Now she enjoys having her family visit her twice a month. Matsumoto is currently the 12th oldest person in the world and the oldest living person in Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan.

LongeviQuest Japan presented Mrs. Matsumoto with a plaque and a Phalaenopsis orchid. Mrs. Matsumoto adored the phalaenopsis and remarked: “It’s beautiful.”
During our 15-minute meeting, Yamamoto placed her hand on Mrs. Matsumoto’s arm and she commented, “Your hand is warm.” She also kept looking at her daughter Yasuko Nishide’s face and nodded when her daughter spoke to her.

Mrs. Matsumoto was born on 29 November 1909 in Kōnan-cho, Kōka District, Japan (now part of the city of Kōka). She was the oldest of seven children. After graduating from elementary school, she moved away from home and worked as a babysitter for several years at the Mitsubishi Group mansion in Osaka. At the age of 22, she married her childhood friend and had two children, a son and a daughter. Matsumoto lived with her eldest son’s family in Osaka until she was 89. She took pleasure in being with her grandchildren. At 89, Matsumoto even traveled to England to visit her granddaughter. She also visited Belgium while there.

Matsumoto lived in a three-story house. She was reported to walk up and down the stairs to get to her room on the third floor until the age of 108. Between the ages of 92 and 108, Matsumoto attended a local care center for the elderly three times a week, where she painted with watercolors. At 108, she suffered a compression fracture in her lower back naturally while sleeping and was hospitalized. Matsumoto worked hard in rehab to recover and was able to go home. She then stayed in Yokohama City to live with her eldest daughter a month later. She had no other major health problems in her life and drank sake every day until she entered a nursing home. Matsumoto also preferred meat to fish (especially Japanese yakitori). Her family shared that her secret to a long life is her calm personality.

We sincerely wish Mrs. Masa Matsumoto good health and happiness. We also would like to express our deep gratitude to Mrs. Matsumoto’s family and nursing home for graciously accepting our visit.