Maria de Jesus
Encyclopedia
Maria de Jesus dos Santos (10 September 1893 – 2 January 2009) 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. On 25 January 2007, aged 113 years 137 days, she moved into the top 100 verified oldest people ever. The following year, on 11 June 2008, at age 114 years 275 days, she surpassed Maria do Couto Maia-Lopes as the oldest verified Portuguese person ever.
At the time of her death, de Jesus was listed as the 20th oldest verified person ever. She was the only verified person born in 1893 to live into 2009, achieving this by a mere 2 days. De Jesus is the oldest European to have lived in three different centuries.
Duringher lifetime, she visited the hospital only once and was reportedly a healthy person, with the exception of her mobility, which deteriorated over her last years. Jesus worked on the land for her entire life and lived in her own house instead of a nursing home
(like the majority of supercentenarians). Jesus remained fairly responsive until her last days; she was able to smile and wave to visitors. However, she could no longer recognize her family, because of serious problems with her sight and hearing. She could, however, still walk around with the aid of a walker
. For activities, Jesus enjoyed looking through her old family albums, sunbathing at her porch, eating Portuguese rice pudding
and ice cream, as well as taking baths. Reportedly, she never smoked nor drank alcohol nor coffee. Jesus liked eating vegetables but avoided eating meat, though she did eat fish. Although Edna Parker
was oldest person born in 1893, Maria De Jusus was the last verified person born in 1893 to die.
.
Her death left 114-year-old American Gertrude Baines
as the oldest living person.
Supercentenarian
A supercentenarian is someone who has reached the age of 110 years. This age is achieved by about one in a thousand centenarians....
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
Edna Parker
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...
, who was 115 years 220 days old. On 25 January 2007, aged 113 years 137 days, she moved into the top 100 verified oldest people ever. The following year, on 11 June 2008, at age 114 years 275 days, she surpassed Maria do Couto Maia-Lopes as the oldest verified Portuguese person ever.
At the time of her death, de Jesus was listed as the 20th oldest verified person ever. She was the only verified person born in 1893 to live into 2009, achieving this by a mere 2 days. De Jesus is the oldest European to have lived in three different centuries.
Biography
Born as Maria de Jesus, she married José dos Santos in 1919 and became a widow in 1951 (when she was 57 years old); however, as is common in Portugal, Maria de Jesus did not use her husband's last name. From that relationship five children were born, only three of whom are still living. One of those, a daughter, Madalena, was born on 25 December 1924, and lived with her mother. Jesus also left 11 grandchildren, 16 great-grandchildren and 6-great-great-grandchildren. http://images.google.co.uk/imgres?imgurl=http://cache.daylife.com/imageserve/0cNPb487EocVc/610x.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.daylife.com/photo/0cNPb487EocVc&usg=___E_Ork3KNI8tKPFL-nh7oSPijWU=&h=425&w=610&sz=83&hl=en&start=2&sig2=ammNosAsWzBUbQxcPJM9dQ&tbnid=0J57Pp8r67jeIM:&tbnh=95&tbnw=136&ei=R-hgSfPGGYm0jAfbveSyDw&prev=/images%3Fq%3DMaria%2Bde%2Bjesus%26gbv%3D2%26hl%3Den%26client%3Dfirefox-a%26rls%3Dorg.mozilla:en-GB:official%26sa%3DG]![http://images.google.co.uk/imgres?imgurl=http://cache.daylife.com/imageserve/0cNPb487EocVc/610x.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.daylife.com/photo/0cNPb487EocVc&usg=___E_Ork3KNI8tKPFL-nh7oSPijWU=&h=425&w=610&sz=83&hl=en&start=2&sig2=ammNosAsWzBUbQxcPJM9dQ&tbnid=0J57Pp8r67jeIM:&tbnh=95&tbnw=136&ei=R-hgSfPGGYm0jAfbveSyDw&prev=/images%3Fq%3DMaria%2Bde%2Bjesus%26gbv%3D2%26hl%3Den%26client%3Dfirefox-a%26rls%3Dorg.mozilla:en-GB:official%26sa%3DG] During](http://images.google.co.uk/imgres?imgurl=http://cache.daylife.com/imageserve/0cNPb487EocVc/610x.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.daylife.com/photo/0cNPb487EocVc&usg=___E_Ork3KNI8tKPFL-nh7oSPijWU=&h=425&w=610&sz=83&hl=en&start=2&sig2=ammNosAsWzBUbQxcPJM9dQ&tbnid=0J57Pp8r67jeIM:&tbnh=95&tbnw=136&ei=R-hgSfPGGYm0jAfbveSyDw&prev=/images%3Fq%3DMaria%2Bde%2Bjesus%26gbv%3D2%26hl%3Den%26client%3Dfirefox-a%26rls%3Dorg.mozilla:en-GB:official%26sa%3DG]<br />
During){kind=link}
Duringher lifetime, she visited the hospital only once and was reportedly a healthy person, with the exception of her mobility, which deteriorated over her last years. Jesus worked on the land for her entire life and lived in her own house instead of a nursing home
Nursing home
A nursing home, convalescent home, skilled nursing unit , care home, rest home, or old people's home provides a type of care of residents: it is a place of residence for people who require constant nursing care and have significant deficiencies with activities of daily living...
(like the majority of supercentenarians). Jesus remained fairly responsive until her last days; she was able to smile and wave to visitors. However, she could no longer recognize her family, because of serious problems with her sight and hearing. She could, however, still walk around with the aid of a walker
Walker (tool)
A walker or walking frame is a tool for disabled or elderly people who need additional support to maintain balance or stability while walking...
. For activities, Jesus enjoyed looking through her old family albums, sunbathing at her porch, eating Portuguese rice pudding
Rice pudding
Rice pudding is a dish made from rice mixed with water or milk and sometimes other ingredients such as cinnamon and raisins. Different variants are used for either desserts or dinners. When used as a dessert, it is commonly combined with a sweetener such as sugar.-Rice pudding around the world:Rice...
and ice cream, as well as taking baths. Reportedly, she never smoked nor drank alcohol nor coffee. Jesus liked eating vegetables but avoided eating meat, though she did eat fish. Although Edna Parker
Edna Parker
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...
was oldest person born in 1893, Maria De Jusus was the last verified person born in 1893 to die.
Death
Maria de Jesus died on 2 January 2009. The cause of death was reported as septic shockSeptic shock
Septic shock is a medical emergency caused by decreased tissue perfusion and oxygen delivery as a result of severe infection and sepsis, though the microbe may be systemic or localized to a particular site. It can cause multiple organ dysfunction syndrome and death...
.
Her death left 114-year-old American 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...
as the oldest living person.
See also
- List of Portuguese supercentenarians
- List of European supercentenarians
- List of the verified oldest women
- List of the verified oldest people
- List of oldest people by nation
- Oldest peopleOldest peopleThis 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...
- SupercentenarianSupercentenarianA supercentenarian is someone who has reached the age of 110 years. This age is achieved by about one in a thousand centenarians....