Elizabeth Francis, the Oldest Living Person in the U.S., Dies at 115: 'America's Grandmother'

Mar. 15, 2025

The Houston resident who held the record of being theoldest-living person in the countryhas died at 115.

“She loved the Lord. Her faith was extremely strong,” Harrison told the outlet in a statement. “She was always, you know, jolly, you know, ‘how you doing? You’re doing okay?’ That was just her personality.”

“And she would always say, treat people like you want to be treated,” she added. “That was her motto.”

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Francis died in the Houston home she lived in with her 95-year-old daughter, Dorothy Williams, and her granddaughter, according toLongeviQuest, a database tracker of the world’s oldest people.

In a statement shared withHouston Public Media, LongeviQuest spokesperson, Ben Meyers, had kind words for Francis and the life she lived.

“They are in our prayers, especially her daughter Ms. Dorothy Williams, whom she lived with until the end, and her granddaughter Ms. Ethel Harrison whose joyful dedication made it possible for her grandmother to live at home even at age 115,” he added.

Francis was born in Louisiana on July 25, 1909 — when William Taft was president —according to LongeviQuest.

Her sister, Bertha Johnson, died in 2011 at the age of 106, per LongeviQuest, which also reported that Francis has three grandchildren, five great-grandchildren and four great-great grandchildren.

“It’s hard to believe, but it’s a blessing,” added Dorothy. “Because she has been a wonderful mother and grandmother to all of us. She has been our backbone.”

America’s oldest living person is nowNaomi Whitehead, who was born on Sept. 26, 1910, according to LongeviQuest.

source: people.com