1907 Archives

LongeviQuest is pleased to announce the age validation of Madeline Turner of the United States at age 110. She was born in Andover, New York, United States on 17 December 1907. She was a sister, a wife, and a mother to 4 children.

The Turner family relocated to Rochester during the Great Depression, and the couple worked for Eastman Kodak for many years. Upon retirement, they spent two decades enjoying life in Florida and traveling across the country.

At the age of 107.
(Source: Democrat and Chronicle)

Turner passed away at Aaron Manor Rehabilitation and Nursing Center in Fairport, New York, USA, on 24 June 2018. She was survived by her son, James; daughters, Arlene Simon, and Beverly McDonnell; as well as 10 of her 13 grandchildren; 28 great-grandchildren; and many great-great-grandchildren.

LongeviQuest congratulates Madeline Turner’s family on her posthumous recognition.

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

LongeviQuest is pleased to announce the age validation of Lois Arbanas of the United States at age 110. She was born in Forestville, Michigan, United States on 1 December 1907. She attended elementary school in a one-room schoolhouse and later resided with a family in a neighboring town to attend high school. She was a sister, a wife, and a mother to 2 daughters.

At the age of 17, she moved to the Detroit area and took a job at General Motors. During the market crash of 1929, she held a job and rented a room in a private residence. At a church social event, she met a young attorney who eventually became her husband. The couple married in 1934. Right after the reception, the young couple relocated to Washington, D.C., where her husband began working for the federal government

As an elderly lady, with her husband.
(Source: ABC 7 Chicago)

In 1955, the family made a significant move to Wilmette, Illinois, where they remained until her husband’s retirement in 1968. Seeking a change of scenery, they then relocated to Rancho Bernardo, California, nestled in the heart of San Diego County. However, when her husband’s health began to decline, they decided to return to Illinois. Upon their return, they settled into a retirement community in Arlington Heights, a vibrant suburb northwest of Chicago.

Arbanas passed away in Arlington Heights, Illinois, USA, on 26 December 2017, at the age of 110 years, 25 days.

LongeviQuest congratulates Lois Arbanas’s family on her posthumous recognition.

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

LongeviQuest is pleased to announce the age validation of Lexie Holbrook at 110 years old. She was an American supercentenarian recognized as one of the oldest living people in North Carolina at the time of her death.

Lexie Ella Settle was born on 22 November 1907 in Wilkes County, North Carolina, USA. She has spent her childhood on their family’s farm where she would later partake in farm work.

On 6 June 1936, Lexie married Paul Holbrook and had two sons with him. Her father and her husband operated a mill before the couple moved to North Wilkesboro, North Carolina in 1944. This is when Mrs. Holbrook opened and operated a small convenience store.

Her husband passed away in 1966 thus making her a widow at that time.

Holbrook on her 108th birthday (Source: Wilkes Journal-Patriot)

Mrs. Holbrook lived independently until she was 98 years old. In 2006, she fell and suffered a broken arm, so she moved into a North Wilkesboro retirement community. This is where she would spend the rest of her life.

Lexie Holbrook passed away on 30 March 2018 in North Wilkesboro, Wilkes County, North Carolina, USA. She was 110 years and 128 days old at the time of her death, making her one of the oldest living people in the area before passing away.

For more information, please visit Lexie Holbrook’s Directory Profile here.

LongeviQuest is pleased to announce the age validation of Anne Keam at 110 years old. She was a Canadian supercentenarian born on 10 December 1907 in London, Ontario, Canada.

In 1939, She married Milton Keam. The couple then played an important role in establishing the first library in the neighborhood of Byron in London.

In 2008, aged 100 or 101.
(Source: McFarlane & Roberts Funeral Home)

Her husband died in 1993 and so Mrs. Keam lived independently until 101 years old. It is at this point that she moved into a nursing home.

Anne Keam passed away on 16 April 2018 in Delaware, Ontario, Canada, at the age of 110 years old.

For more information, please visit Anne Keam’s Directory Profile here.

LongeviQuest is delighted to share the age validation of Dorothy Hunter at 110 years old. She was an American supercentenarian born on 31 July 1907 in Tower Grove South, St. Louis, Missouri, USA.

She was playing tennis as a hobby while growing up and would even attend turnverein classes twice a week. After graduating from high school, she enrolled in Harris Teachers College for a few years before graduating from Washington University. Her career started by teaching sixth grade students for a decade. After this, she spent most of her career teaching third grade students at Robinson Elementary School in the Kirkwood School District.

With her husband in the 1930s.
(Source: St. Louis Today)

She married her husband, Harry Hunter, whom she met at a voice studio on 4 January 1930. The couple then had only one daughter whom she would outlive.

Dorothy remained active and healthy despite her old age. At 102 years old, she can still drive her car and keep up with her friends through email. At age 110, she was still able to get up from her wheelchair and then walk to the dining table every day.

Dorothy Hunter passed away on 22 September 2017 in West County, St., Louis, Missouri, USA. She was 110 years and 53 days old at the time of her death.

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

LongeviQuest is pleased to announce the age validation of Mary Moles of Canada at age 110. She was born in Batteaux, Simcoe County, Ontario, Canada on 15 July 1907. She was a sister to 5 siblings, a wife, and a mother to 2 children.

On her 109th birthday in 2016.
(Source: Simcoe.com)

Mary obtained her teaching degree in 1927 and started her teaching career at a one-room schoolhouse in Tiverton, where she taught grades 1 to 8. However, she had to return to Clearview to help her parents during the Great Depression. She moved to other schools during this time. In 1941, she retired to raise her 2 daughters. But in 1952, she resumed her teaching profession, spending another 16 years teaching at two different schools before retiring in 1968 at the age of 61. She lived on her own until 1987 when she moved in with her daughter and son-in-law.

Moles passed away in Batteaux, Simcoe County, Ontario, Canada, on 7 March 2018, at the age of 110 years, 235 days. She was survived by her two daughters, four grandchildren, and two great-grandsons.

LongeviQuest congratulates Mary Moles’s family on her posthumous recognition.

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

LongeviQuest is pleased to announce the age validation of Henry Taylor of the United States at age 110. He was born in Fort Wayne, Indiana, United States on 28 September 1907. Taylor was a brother to 11 siblings. He was also a husband and a father to four children. He worked in the Circulation Department for the South Bend Tribune, retiring in 1969.

Henry Taylor’s 1926 high school graduation photo.
(Source: South Bend Tribune)

On 17 February 2018, following the death of 110-year-old Herbert Engel, he became the oldest known living man in the U.S. state of Michigan.

Taylor passed away in Grand Rapids, Michigan, USA, on 15 April 2018, at the age of 110 years, 199 days. He was survived by three grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.

LongeviQuest congratulates Henry Taylor’s family on her posthumous recognition.

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

LongeviQuest is delighted to announce the age validation of the first supercentenarian from South Africa, Johanna Adonis, at age 111 years old. Upon this validation, she became the first validated and undisputed supercentenarian to have died in Africa.
Johanna Adonis was born on 5 August 1907 in Greyton, Western Cape, South Africa, where she grew up on a farm. At the age of 14 years old, she dropped out of school and then looked after her father’s sheep.
When she was 16 years old, she moved to Cape Town to work as a domestic worker in Sea Point. Five years later, she married Edward Adonis, at the age of 21. They initially resided on Hope Street in Cape Town before moving to Athlone a year later. The couple did not have children of their own, but Johanna actively helped in raising her sister’s 14 children.

On her 110th birthday in 2017.
(Source: Facebook)

She lived independently after his husband passed away in 1959 up until she was 92 years old. Her family then decided that it might be dangerous for her to live alone so they moved her to her niece’s residence in Belgravia Estate. She was one of the six founding members of St George’s Church’s Anglican Women’s Fellowship.
In May 2018, she was relocated to a nursing home at Nerina Place, Bishop Lavis, Cape Town, after suffering a stroke. Since then, she had her hearing and vision deteriorated while also dealing with hypertension.
Johanna Adonis passed away on 1 February 2019 in Cape Town, Western Cape, Southern Africa. At the time of her death, she was 111 years old and the first validated supercentenarian to die in the continent of Africa.
For more information, please view Johanna Adonis’ Directory Profile here.

LongeviQuest is delighted to announce the age validation of Chiyo Chōki of Japan at age 111. She was born in Fukuoka Prefecture, Japan on 10 November 1907. She was a wife and a mother to three children. Chōki was a producer of rice and a local native plant used to make tatami mats.

In October 2014, aged 106.
(Source: Kunisaki City Public Relations)

Chōki was a very active woman who lived a long and healthy life. In her 90s, she fell into the river three times and broke her bones, but she quickly recovered each time. She attributed her resilience to her lifelong commitment to taking care of herself and others.

Chōki passed away in Kunisaki, Ōita Prefecture, Japan, on 4 February 2019, at the age of 111 years, 86 days.

LongeviQuest congratulates Chiyo Chōki’s family on her posthumous recognition.

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

LongeviQuest is pleased to announce the age validation of Beulah Evelyn “Lynn” Balmer of the United States at age 110. She was born in Plumas County, California, United States on 12 September 1907. She was the eldest of nine siblings.

Balmer graduated from Chico High School in 1924 and Chico State Teacher’s College in 1927. She then taught school in Susanville for four years before attending the University of California, Berkeley. Balmer taught at Albany High School, where she was head of the mathematics department. Balmer also served as an officer in the US Coast Guard during World War II. She used her mathematical skills to read and interpret weather maps and charts, and she used Morse code to help ships navigate through dangerous waters and adverse weather conditions between the United States and England. She attained the rank of Lieutenant during her service.

After the war, Balmer was sent to Seattle, Washington, where she met and married her husband. Balmer continued her teaching career in Seattle, eventually retiring in 1967. While in Seattle, Balmer became interested in ice skating and soon became a skilled ice skater and qualified for the U.S. Figure Skating Association’s Bronze Award in Ice Dancing. She qualified for the Olympics but decided not to participate.

(Source: Chico Enterprise-Record)

Balmer spent her retirement writing and publishing books about her family’s history. In September 2014, on her 107th birthday, Chico State’s President, Paul Zingg, visited her and presented her with an award for being the oldest living California State University alumnus. Balmer passed away in Chico, Butte County, California, USA, on 9 December 2017, at the age of 110 years, 88 days. She was survived by three sisters.

LongeviQuest congratulates Beulah Balmer’s family on her posthumous recognition.

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