World's Oldest Woman Dies At 116 Years

by Topsy Oba

The woman who was listed as the world's oldest person died Tuesday in a Georgia nursing home at age 116.

Besse Cooper died peacefully Tuesday afternoon in Monroe, according to her son Sidney Cooper. Monroe is about 45 miles east of Atlanta.

Cooper said his mother had been ill recently with a stomach virus.

Aging secrets: Ms Cooper, the oldest living woman in the world, died Tuesday at 116. Her secret to living so long? 'I mind my own business, and I don't eat junk food,' she once said

Passing peacefully: Her son said Ms Cooper died peacefully after having her hair done and watching a Christmas video

On Tuesday, however, she was feeling better and had her hair done and was watching a Christmas video when she had trouble breathing.
Ms Cooper was put on oxygen in her room where she died about 2p.m., Mr Cooper said.
'With her hair fixed it looked like she was ready to go,' he said.

Besse Cooper was declared the world's oldest person in January 2011. In May 2011, Guinness World Records learned that Maria Gomes Valentin of Brazil was 48 days older. Valentin died the next month.

'It's a sad day for me,' said Robert Young, Guinness senior consultant for gerontology. He recalls meeting Cooper when she was 111 and took note of her mental agility.

'At that age she was doing really well, she was able to read books,' he said.

The title of world's oldest person now belongs to 115-year-old Dina Manfredini, of Johnston, Iowa, Young said.
The oldest known person of all time was Jeanne Calment, a French woman who lived to be 122 years old and died in 1997.
Sidney Cooper said his family will likely hold a funeral for his mother later this week.