birthday Archives

San José de Bolívar, Táchira, Venezuela – Juan Vicente Pérez Mora, the oldest living man in the world and the oldest living person in Venezuela, has reached 114 years of age. Sr. Pérez Mora has been the world’s oldest living man since the death of Spain’s Saturnino De La Fuente García on 18 January 2022. According to the LongeviQuest Global Rankings, Sr. Pérez Mora is the currently the eighth oldest living person in the world. He is also only the seventh man in history to verifiably reach the age of 114. Additionally, he was the first validated supercentenarian in Venezuela.

LongeviQuest representatives with Sr. Pérez Mora and his family.

Sr. Pérez Mora was honored today at his birthday party held at his residence in San José de Bolívar. LongeviQuest representatives Fabrizio Villatoro (Global Validation Commissioner) and Esteban Gonzalez Olase (one of the leading researchers in South America) attended the ceremony and presented Sr. Pérez Mora with a trophy in honor of his status as the world’s oldest living man and Venezuela’s oldest living person. They also presented Sr. Pérez Mora with a cake, flowers, and congratulations from fans from more than 13 countries around the world. The ceremony was also attended by relatives of Sr. Pérez Mora, local media, and official representatives of the town of San José de Bolívar.

Juan Vicente Pérez Mora was born in El Cobre, Táchira, Venezuela on 27 May 1909. His parents were Euquitio Pérez and Edelmira Mora. In 1912, his family moved to Caserío Caricuena, San José de Bolívar, where they bought a farm. At the age of 4, he already had eight siblings. Growing up, Pérez Mora worked on the farm with his father and siblings. At the age of 10, he began to study, but only for a month because his teacher became ill. He learned to read and write from a book his teacher gave him. His brother, Miguel, lived in the nearby town of Los Paujiles, and Pérez Mora began working for him. There, he met Ediofina García and married her in San José de Bolívar in 1938. The couple had six sons and five daughters.

In recent years, Pérez Mora has been cared for by his daughters and by his many relatives. His daughter describes him as a loving man, a believer, with a good demeanor and always radiating joy to all.

LongeviQuest is delighted to confirm that Susana Gutiérrez Godoy recently celebrated her 113th birthday on 24 May 2023 in the city of Tepechitlán, Zacatecas, México. Susana Gutiérrez Godoy was born on 24 May 1910 in Tepechitlán, Zacatecas, México. She became the longest-living known validated person in México after the death of Ángela Díaz Millán on October 19, 2022.

Susana Gutiérrez Godoy on her 113th Birthday

On her 113th birthday, her family sent her congratulatory messages as most of them are living outside the state of Zacatecas. Her great-granddaughter mentioned that she was very proud of her long life and wishes everyone to follow her example. She mentioned, “Always persevere, have faith, and work hard to get what you want in life”. Susana Gutiérrez has always been positive about life and jokingly said that she even wishes to reach “200 years old”.

For more information, please view Susana Gutiérrez Godoy’s Directory Profile here.

LongeviQuest is pleased to confirm that Tomiko Itooka [Japanese: 糸岡富子] recently celebrated her birthday on 23 May 2023 at the age of 115 years old. Mrs. Itooka is the world’s fourth oldest validated living person (behind María Branyas Morera, Fusa Tatsumi, and Edie Ceccarelli), the second oldest validated living person in Japan (behind the Fusa Tatsumi), and the oldest known living person in Hyogo Prefecture.

Tomiko Itooka’s 115th Birthday

Congratulatory flowers sent by her grandson (Source: chikusakai.jp)

She celebrated her 115th Birthday in Ashiya, Hyogo Prefecture, Japan in the company of her family and friends. LongeviQuest had sent her congratulatory flowers alongside different messages and greetings from various people around the world who wishes her well. She was also visited by the Mayor of Ashiya to celebrate with her and provide his message.

From left to right: Mrs. Itooka’s son, Tomiko Itooka, and the Mayor of Ashiya (Source: chikusakai.jp)

Tomiko Itooka’s Biography

Mrs. Itooka was born in Osaka City, Osaka Prefecture, Japan on 23 May 1908 as the second (eldest daughter) of three siblings. In 1928, she got married to her husband who ran a textile factory in South Korea. They had two daughters and two sons. During World War II, she took over the textile factory, protected a Japanese office, and raised her children by herself.

After her husband died in 1979, she lived alone in her husband’s hometown of Nara Prefecture for about 10 years. During that period, she frequently enjoyed climbing Mt. Nijo, which straddles Nara and Osaka prefectures. She also climbed Mt. Ontake (elevation 3000m), which straddles Nagano and Gifu prefectures, twice. The guide was surprised when she climbed the mountain because she wore ordinary sneakers instead of hiking shoes.

When she was in her 80s, she also participated in the Osaka 33 Kannon Pilgrimage (33 temple pilgrimages) twice. At 100 years old, she climbed the long stone steps of Ashiya Shrine without a cane and worshiped. She often visited the Yakushiji Temple in Nara Prefecture and enjoyed writing sutras.

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

Longeviquest is pleased to confirm that Mary Harris recently celebrated her birthday on the 13th of May 2023 at the age of 112 years old and is now the oldest living person in the U.S. State of Tennessee. She was born in Ithaca, New York, USA on 13 May 1911. Mrs. Harris was born premature, and the doctor said that she was too little and would not live. However, she defied the odds and has lived a long and full life.

She married James Richard Harris in 1937 and they had two daughters. The couple ran a dry-cleaning business and dairy farm in New York and Harris worked as the bookkeeper both times. At the age of 77, Mrs. Harris began painting and has since become a talented artist and has had her work displayed in several exhibitions. In 2003, her husband died at the age of 90. Her family continued to grow and today she has five grandchildren and 12 great-grandchildren.

On her 110th birthday, holding a letter signed by Pope Francis.
(Source: WRCBtv)

On her 110th birthday, Harris received a letter from Pope Francis. The Pope congratulated Harris on her long life and praised her for her dedication to her family and community. Harris was deeply touched by the Pope’s letter and said that it was the highlight of her birthday.

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

The LongeviQuest team visited Fusa Tatsumi-san on her 116th birthday on April 25, 2023. We met her and her family at her nursing home Hakutou in Kashiwara City, Osaka Prefecture, Japan.

The CEO and director of LongeviQuest; Mr. Ben Meyers, Commissioner and President of LQ Japan; Mrs. Yumi Yamamoto, and the Commissioner and President of LQ América; Mr. Fabrizio Villatoro, visited Fusa Tatsumi-san on behalf of the organization. We had a pleasant visit with the mayor of the Kashiwara City; Mr. Masahiro Fuke, the nursing home staff, Tatsumi-san’s family members and Tatsumi-san herself. Fusa Tatsumi was very calm, but active at hearing about those who speaks to her.

Tatsumi’s relatives were very welcoming to the LongeviQuest team. We congratulated and celebrated her longevity by giving her flowers, a beautiful cake with decorations that represents the longevity in Japan, a plaque of her incredible longevity about being the oldest living person in Japan, and the birthday wishes of many fans and researchers who congratulated and sent to her.

LongeviQuest deeply thanks and appreciates the nursing home staff and Fusa Tatsumi’s family to give us permission to visit her, it was an honor to all of us.

We deeply appreciate and thank to our photographer Mrs. Akane Matsumoto for the beautiful photos.

Kashiwara, Osaka Prefecture, Japan – Fusa Tatsumi, Japan’s oldest living person, has reached the age of 116. Mrs. Tatsumi became the oldest person in Japan in April 2022 following the death of Kane Tanaka (119 years old). According to the LongeviQuest world ranking, Mrs. Tatsumi is currently the second oldest person in the world. She is the seventh Japanese person to verifiably reach the age of 116, and only the 27^th person in human history to do so. Additionally, she is presently the 27^thlongest-lived person in human history.

Mrs. Tatsumi was honored today at her birthday party held at Hakuto, a special nursing home for the elderly. LongeviQuest representatives including CEO Ben Meyers, LongeviQuest Japan President Yumi Yamamoto, and Global Validation Commissioner Fabrizio Villatoro attended the ceremony and presented Mrs. Tatsumi with a plaque honoring her status as Japan’s oldest living person, as well as a bouquet of flowers, a cake, and congratulations from over 75 well-wishers from 15 countries across the world. The party was also attended by Japanese government officials, including the Mayor of Kashiwara, Mr. Masahiro Fuke, and representatives from the prefectural government. According to her son, Kanji, Mrs. Tatsumi enjoyed the ceremony.

Mrs. Tatsumi was born in Yao City, Osaka Prefecture in 1907 (Meiji 40) as the second daughter of six children. Before getting married, she obtained a diploma after studying flower arrangements and tea ceremony preparation. At the age of 32, she married a farmer who grew peaches and grapes, and she worked in farming for 25 years. Her love for gardening continued; until she entered a nursing home at the age of 106, she grew chrysanthemums at home as a hobby. According to her eldest son, Kanji, Mrs. Tatsumi is a methodical and hard worker who has lived a regular life for many years. He says that working in the orchard may have contributed to her longevity.

Click here for additional photos from our visit to Tatsumi-san.

LongeviQuest has confirmed that Marita Camacho Quirós, former First Lady of Costa Rica, has reached the age of 112. Sra. Camacho Quirós is the oldest verified living person in Costa Rica, as well as the longest-living First Lady (or Presidential Spouse) of any nation in world history.

Camacho Quirós on her 109th birthday. Photo by La Teja (www.lateja.cr)

Sra. Camacho Quirós was the First Lady of Costa Rica during the Presidency of her husband, Francisco Orlich Bolmarcich, from 1962 to 1966. During her time as First Lady, Sra. Camacho Quirós traveled extensively and met with notable historical figures such as Pope John XXIII, Francisco Franco, and U.S. Presidents John Kennedy and Lyndon Johnson. Sra. Camacho Quirós also used her time as First Lady to advocate for the poor, specifically focusing on projects to provide housing to those without permanent homes.

Sra. Camacho Quirós has lived in Costa Rica for her entire life. She was widowed in 1969, but today enjoys the frequent company of many close family members including multiple great-grandchildren.

One of the few supercentenarians known for reasons other than longevity, her status as a supercentenarian was formally documented by Latin American Supercentenarians based on the research of Fabrizio Villatoro, who now leads LongeviQuest’s research activities in Latin America.