Celebrating 115 years: Elizabeth Francis, America’s oldest living person
Elizabeth Francis, who celebrated her 115th birthday on Thursday, holds the title of the oldest living American. Her life spans a remarkable timeline, from witnessing the conclusion of both World Wars to the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war.
Reaching a milestone
Francis became the oldest woman and the oldest person in America in February, following the death of the previous titleholder, Edie Ceccarelli, a few weeks after her 116th birthday. In April, she received a plaque from LongeviQuest, an organization that tracks the oldest people in the world, recognizing her as the oldest person in the U.S.
“She was just shocked to hear she was now the oldest — she couldn’t believe it,” said Francis’s eldest granddaughter, Ethel Harrison, 69, in an interview with the Washington Post.
A life of resilience and simplicity
Born in 1909 in Louisiana, Francis faced early hardships, including the death of her mother at age 11, which led to her and her five siblings being sent to live with relatives. As a teenager, she ran a coffee shop at ABC 13 News in Houston, working there for two decades. Despite never learning to drive, she led a simple life focused on her family, often opting to take the bus or walk wherever she needed to go.
Francis now lives with her 95-year-old daughter, Dorothy Williams, and is cared for by Harrison and other caregivers. She enjoys spending time watching old sitcoms and game shows with her daughter.
Harrison shared, “I asked her the other night how she feels about turning 115, and she smiled and said, ‘I just thank the good Lord that I’m here.’ She says she has nothing to complain about, and the rest of our family feels the same way.”
A century of change
Throughout her life, Francis has witnessed monumental changes, from the evolution of telephones to experiencing 20 different U.S. presidents. She was 21 during the 1929 stock market crash and 36 when World War II ended. She lived through the rise and fall of the Soviet Union and narrowly missed being alive for the first recorded flight by six years.
Ben Meyers, the CEO of LongeviQuest, praised Francis, calling her “America’s grandmother.” He remarked, “Elizabeth Francis is America’s grandmother, beloved by her family and community, and admired worldwide. Her story is about faith, fortitude, and family more than it is about longevity.”
While Francis has set a record in the U.S., she is only the fourth oldest person in the world. That title belongs to Maria Branyas Morena, who, although born in the U.S., resides in Spain and is 117 years old.
Harrison expressed hope that her grandmother might match Branyas’ record but emphasized her gratitude for every year she gets to celebrate another birthday with Francis. “More than anything, we are just happy for every year we get to buy her another birthday cake,” Harrison said.