Edna Parker
Encyclopedia
Edna Ruth Parker was an American supercentenarian
and, until her death, was recognized as the oldest person in the world
following the death of Yone Minagawa
of Japan on August 13, 2007. She assumed the title at age 114 years 115 days. Parker became Indiana
's oldest living person on April 7, 2005 (age 111 years 352 days) (following the death of then almost-112-year-old Minnie Kearby, who was just 6 days older at the time) and the state's all-time recordholder on January 19, 2007 (age 113 years 274 days), surpassing Mary Parr
. She became the oldest living American on February 14, 2007 (age 113 years 300 days), following the death of then fellow 113-year-old Corinne Dixon Taylor
of Washington, D.C. Parker was the 20th verified, undisputed supercentenarian to reach age 115. At the time of her death, Parker was listed as the 11th longest lived person ever. She is also the latest person to hold the title of being the oldest living person for over a year.
, near Bengal in Hendricks township and raised eating a typical farm diet of meat and starch. She attended Franklin High School, then took classes at Franklin College to obtain a teaching certificate. Parker taught at a two-room schoolhouse in Smithland
for several years, until she married her next door neighbor, Earl Parker, on April 12, 1913. Earl died on February 23, 1939. They had two sons, Clifford and Earl Jr., both of whom she outlived. As of April 2008, she had five grandchildren, thirteen great-grandchildren and thirteen great-great-grandchildren. Her two sisters also are deceased; Georgia lived to be 99, while her sister Opal was 88 when she died.
. On April 21, 2007, at the age of 114, she met with the 2nd-oldest Indiana inhabitant and then 5th-oldest living person in the world, Bertha Fry
. Fry, who lived in Muncie
, was 113 at the time, which set the highest combined age for a meeting of two supercentenarians, at 227 years 142 days. Parker lived in the same home as Sandy Allen
, the tallest living woman verified by Guinness World Records
, until Allen's death on August 13, 2008. Parker enjoyed reading and reciting poetry, especially the works of James Whitcomb Riley
, and according to family liked to quote his poetry to visitors. She read the newspaper every day, enjoyed cards from well-wishers, and often sent autographs to people asking for them. In 2007, she received a letter from President George W. Bush
on her 114th birthday, who thanked her for “sharing her wisdom and experiences” with younger generations. Also at that time, she was given the key to the city of Shelbyville from the Mayor, and was visited by the state Governor and Senator.
The Heritage House Convalescent Center planned two separate birthday parties to celebrate her 115th birthday. At each one they released one hundred fifteen multicolored balloons, because she enjoyed watching balloons float into the sky. The public celebration was on April 18, 2008, while the private family one was on April 20, 2008, her actual birthday. She was one of only 21 people validated to have reached 115 years of age. As of September 2009, this number has increased to 23 with the inclusion of both Maria de Jesus
and Gertrude Baines
; however neither equaled nor surpassed Parker's lifespan of 115 years 220 days. She is also the oldest person born in 1893.
Parker died at a nursing home in Indiana, around 5:19PM EST
on Wednesday November 26, 2008, at age 115 years 220 days.
Parker is Buried in the Shelbyville's Miller Cemetery in December 2008..
Supercentenarian
A supercentenarian is someone who has reached the age of 110 years. This age is achieved by about one in a thousand centenarians....
and, until her death, was recognized as the oldest person in the world
Oldest people
This is a list of tables of the verified oldest people in the world in ordinal rank, such as oldest person or oldest man. In these tables, a supercentenarian is considered 'verified' if his or her claim has been validated by an international body that specifically deals in longevity research, such...
following the death of Yone Minagawa
Yone Minagawa
was a Japanese supercentenarian believed to have been the world's oldest living person from 29 January 2007 until her death of old age, aged 114 years 221 days...
of Japan on August 13, 2007. She assumed the title at age 114 years 115 days. Parker became Indiana
Indiana
Indiana is a US state, admitted to the United States as the 19th on December 11, 1816. It is located in the Midwestern United States and Great Lakes Region. With 6,483,802 residents, the state is ranked 15th in population and 16th in population density. Indiana is ranked 38th in land area and is...
's oldest living person on April 7, 2005 (age 111 years 352 days) (following the death of then almost-112-year-old Minnie Kearby, who was just 6 days older at the time) and the state's all-time recordholder on January 19, 2007 (age 113 years 274 days), surpassing Mary Parr
Mary Parr
Mary Parr was an American supercentenarian. She was believed to be the oldest person in the United States and second oldest in the world when she died....
. She became the oldest living American on February 14, 2007 (age 113 years 300 days), following the death of then fellow 113-year-old Corinne Dixon Taylor
Corinne Dixon Taylor
Corinne Taylor née Dixon was an American supercentenarian posthumously recognized as the oldest living American and second oldest person in the world upon the death of Emma Tillman on January 28, 2007 until her own death 17 days later. She is also the age record-holder for the District of Columbia...
of Washington, D.C. Parker was the 20th verified, undisputed supercentenarian to reach age 115. At the time of her death, Parker was listed as the 11th longest lived person ever. She is also the latest person to hold the title of being the oldest living person for over a year.
Biography
Parker was born in 1893, on a farm in Shelby County, IndianaShelby County, Indiana
As of the census of 2000, there were 43,445 people, 16,561 households, and 12,056 families residing in the county. The population density was 105 people per square mile . There were 17,633 housing units at an average density of 43 per square mile...
, near Bengal in Hendricks township and raised eating a typical farm diet of meat and starch. She attended Franklin High School, then took classes at Franklin College to obtain a teaching certificate. Parker taught at a two-room schoolhouse in Smithland
Smithland, Indiana
Smithland is a populated place in Shelby County, Indiana. It lies at an elevation of 732 feet ....
for several years, until she married her next door neighbor, Earl Parker, on April 12, 1913. Earl died on February 23, 1939. They had two sons, Clifford and Earl Jr., both of whom she outlived. As of April 2008, she had five grandchildren, thirteen great-grandchildren and thirteen great-great-grandchildren. Her two sisters also are deceased; Georgia lived to be 99, while her sister Opal was 88 when she died.
Later years
Parker lived alone on a farm on Blueridge Road after her husband had died when she was 45. She remained there until 1993, aged 100 when, still in very strong health, she moved in with her oldest son Clifford. One winter night, she was left alone while Clifford and his wife went to a basketball game. When they returned, she was in the back yard, unconscious, in the snow, and visible in the poor light only because she was wearing her favorite red sweater. Her family feared her death, but medics arrived and she made a full recovery except for only mild injuries. Afterwards it was decided that she needed to move to a nursing home.Final years
Until her death, Parker lived at Heritage House Convalescent Center, a retirement community in Shelbyville, IndianaShelbyville, Indiana
Shelbyville is a city in Addison Township, Shelby County, Indiana, United States. The population was 17,951 at the 2000 census. The city is the county seat of Shelby County...
. On April 21, 2007, at the age of 114, she met with the 2nd-oldest Indiana inhabitant and then 5th-oldest living person in the world, Bertha Fry
Bertha Fry
Bertha Fry née Vanosdol was an American supercentenarian. She was age 113 years 348 days old at the time of her death. She lived in Muncie, Indiana....
. Fry, who lived in Muncie
Muncie, Indiana
Muncie is a city in Center Township, Delaware County in east central Indiana, best known as the home of Ball State University and the birthplace of the Ball Corporation. It is the principal city of the Muncie, Indiana, Metropolitan Statistical Area, which has a population of 118,769...
, was 113 at the time, which set the highest combined age for a meeting of two supercentenarians, at 227 years 142 days. Parker lived in the same home as Sandy Allen
Sandy Allen
Sandra Elaine "Sandy" Allen was a U.S. woman recognized as the tallest woman during her life according to Guinness World Records. She was 7 ft. 7¼ in. in height....
, the tallest living woman verified by Guinness World Records
Guinness World Records
Guinness World Records, known until 2000 as The Guinness Book of Records , is a reference book published annually, containing a collection of world records, both human achievements and the extremes of the natural world...
, until Allen's death on August 13, 2008. Parker enjoyed reading and reciting poetry, especially the works of James Whitcomb Riley
James Whitcomb Riley
James Whitcomb Riley was an American writer, poet, and best selling author. During his lifetime he was known as the Hoosier Poet and Children's Poet for his dialect works and his children's poetry respectively...
, and according to family liked to quote his poetry to visitors. She read the newspaper every day, enjoyed cards from well-wishers, and often sent autographs to people asking for them. In 2007, she received a letter from President George W. Bush
George W. Bush
George Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 43rd President of the United States, from 2001 to 2009. Before that, he was the 46th Governor of Texas, having served from 1995 to 2000....
on her 114th birthday, who thanked her for “sharing her wisdom and experiences” with younger generations. Also at that time, she was given the key to the city of Shelbyville from the Mayor, and was visited by the state Governor and Senator.
The Heritage House Convalescent Center planned two separate birthday parties to celebrate her 115th birthday. At each one they released one hundred fifteen multicolored balloons, because she enjoyed watching balloons float into the sky. The public celebration was on April 18, 2008, while the private family one was on April 20, 2008, her actual birthday. She was one of only 21 people validated to have reached 115 years of age. As of September 2009, this number has increased to 23 with the inclusion of both Maria de Jesus
Maria de Jesus
Maria de Jesus dos Santos was a Portuguese supercentenarian who was the world's oldest verified living person for 37 days, until her death at 115 years 114 days. She assumed this status after the 26 November 2008 death of American Edna Parker, who was 115 years 220 days old...
and Gertrude Baines
Gertrude Baines
Gertrude Baines was an American supercentenarian, who became the oldest recognized living person according to Guinness World Records on January 2, 2009, until her own death on September 11, 2009, at age 115 years 158 days...
; however neither equaled nor surpassed Parker's lifespan of 115 years 220 days. She is also the oldest person born in 1893.
Parker died at a nursing home in Indiana, around 5:19PM EST
Eastern Time Zone
The Eastern Time Zone of the United States and Canada is a time zone that falls mostly along the east coast of North America. Its UTC time offset is −5 hrs during standard time and −4 hrs during daylight saving time...
on Wednesday November 26, 2008, at age 115 years 220 days.
Parker is Buried in the Shelbyville's Miller Cemetery in December 2008..
External links
- AP Obituary in the Chicago Sun-TimesChicago Sun-TimesThe Chicago Sun-Times is an American daily newspaper published in Chicago, Illinois. It is the flagship paper of the Sun-Times Media Group.-History:The Chicago Sun-Times is the oldest continuously published daily newspaper in the city...