Elizabeth Francis, the oldest living person in the United States, passed away at the age of 115 on Tuesday, Oct. 22, 2024 evening, surrounded by her family.
Her granddaughter and caregiver, Ethel Harrison, shared the news with ABC, recalling Francis as a woman filled with warmth, faith, and love for others.
“She was always jolly and treated people how she wanted to be treated. That was her motto,” Harrison said. “Her faith was extremely strong.”
Born in 1909, Francis lived most of her life in Houston, Texas, and was known as a “supercentenarian,” a person who lives to 110 or older.
At the time of her death, Francis was the third-oldest person in the world, according to LongeviQuest, a global database of the world’s oldest individuals.
In a 2023 interview celebrating her 114th birthday, Francis shared her secret to longevity: no drinking or smoking and a diet rich in home-grown vegetables.
“I’m very, very young. Look at me, I’m like a little young chicken,” she humorously said at the time.
Francis is remembered as the “backbone” of her family, particularly by her 96-year-old daughter, Dorothy Williams.
“She has been a wonderful mother and grandmother to all of us,” Williams said.
