Jeralean Talley
Jeralean Talley | |
---|---|
Oldest living person (April 6, 2015 - June 17, 2015) | |
Spouse(s) | Alfred Talley[1] (1893–1988) (m. 1936–88; his death)[2] |
Children | 1 |
Jeralean Talley (née Kurtz; May 23, 1899 – June 17, 2015) was an American
Biography
Talley was born on May 23, 1899 in Georgia. One of 12 children,[5] she spent her early years living on a farm picking cotton and peanuts and harvesting sweet potatoes. She moved to Inkster, Michigan in 1935, and lived there until she died. In 1936, she married Alfred Talley (January 30, 1893 – October 17, 1988). Jeralean and Alfred were married for 52 years until his death.[6] They had one child, a daughter, born in 1937. Talley had three grandchildren, 10 great-grandchildren, and 4 great-great-grandchildren.[7][8] [9]
Health and lifestyle
According to her daughter Thelma, Jeralean stayed active in her later life by sewing dresses, making quilts and playing slot machines at casinos. She bowled until she was 104, when her legs got too weak, but still went on annual fishing trips with her friend Michael Kinloch and his son Tyler, who was also her godson.[7][8]
Talley was a member of the New Jerusalem Missionary
She said she lived by the Golden Rule. She was known in the community for her wisdom and wit, and when people sought her advice she told them to use common sense, saying "I don't have much education but what little sense I got, I try to use it".[12]
Death
On June 17, 2015, Talley died after a week of hospitalization. She had prayed not to suffer before death, and reportedly died peacefully during her sleep at her home in Inkster. Regarding her great age, she had been quoted as saying "There's nothing I can do about it."[13] Following her death, Susannah Mushatt Jones became the oldest person in the world.[14]
See also
- List of the verified oldest people
- 100 oldest American people ever
References
- ^ Anderson, Elisha (April 3, 2013). "Michigan woman now the oldest person in U.S." USA Today.
- ^ "Alfred Talley, "United States Census, 1940"". Family Search.
- ^ "At 116, Arkansas woman named oldest American". MSN. July 4, 2014. Archived from the original on July 7, 2014. Retrieved August 28, 2014.
- ^ Chaffin, Sarah (April 6, 2015). "World's oldest person, Arkansan Gertrude Weaver, dies". KATV. Retrieved April 6, 2015.
- ^ "Jeralean Talley, World's Oldest Person, Celebrates Her 116th Birthday". NBC News. May 23, 2015. Retrieved May 24, 2015.
- ^ "Oldest American, Jeralean Talley, Turns 114 Years Old". TIME.com. May 23, 2013. Retrieved May 25, 2013.
- ^ a b "Local centenarians honored at Charles H. Wright Museum's Summer Theater Festival". The Michigan Citizen. July 25, 2013. Retrieved October 27, 2013.
- ^ a b "Happy 114th Birthday to Jeralean Talley, The Oldest Living American!". TIME.com. May 28, 2013. Retrieved May 27, 2013.
- ^ Anderson, Elisha (April 3, 2013). "Jeralean Talley of Inkster, Mich., was born May 23, 1899". USA Today. Retrieved May 28, 2013.
- ^ "Michigan woman celebrates 114th birthday with friends, family". Lansing State Journal.com. May 26, 2013. Archived from the original on June 15, 2013. Retrieved May 28, 2013. Archived June 15, 2013, at archive.today
- ^ "Inkster's Jeralean Talley, world's oldest person, turns 116 Saturday". Detroit Free Press. May 22, 2015. Retrieved May 23, 2015.
- ^ "The oldest person in America turned 114 yesterday (PICTURED)". Ynaija.com. May 25, 2013. Retrieved May 28, 2013.
- ^ Anderson, Elisha (June 18, 2015). "Jeralean Talley, world's oldest person, dies at 116". USA Today. Retrieved June 18, 2015.
- ^ World’s oldest-known person Jeralean Talley dies at 116 Retrieved June 19, 2015.