Melva Radcliffe
Encyclopedia
Melva Radcliffe born March 3, 1901, is an American supercentenarian
. At , she is currently the oldest living resident of New Jersey. The record for New Jersey's oldest person is held by 112-year-old Alphaeus Philemon Cole
.
. After graduating from school at the age of 15, she entered into the teaching program at the Paterson Normal School, which is now William Paterson University
. Two years later, she started to teach at Public School 13 in Paterson. At that time her salary was $600 a year. She was a teacher of Art and Music for 44 years.
During the Great Depression
, she had to pool her salary with her brother-in-law to care for their family. It was only after her retirement that she met and married her first husband, James Radcliffe, at the age of 70. James died only seven years into the marriage. Shortly after, she married James' brother Hartley Radcliffe. Hartley died at the age of 90 in 1997.
She had no children from either marriage. Radcliffe moved into an assisted living facility at 106. She attributes her longevity to her heritage. She had two sisters who lived to 100, and a brother who made it to 90. She has glasses of whiskey daily, and used to walk to and from work every day. Her attitude has been described as vibrant and humorous. Radcliffe has survived colon cancer and two broken hips, and her hearing and eyesight are almost gone. She uses a wheelchair, but can walk short distances.
Supercentenarian
A supercentenarian is someone who has reached the age of 110 years. This age is achieved by about one in a thousand centenarians....
. At , she is currently the oldest living resident of New Jersey. The record for New Jersey's oldest person is held by 112-year-old Alphaeus Philemon Cole
Alphaeus Philemon Cole
Alphaeus Philemon Cole was an American artist, engraver and etcher. He was born in Jersey City, New Jersey and died in New York City. He was the son of noted engraver Timothy Cole...
.
Biography
Radcliffe was born Melva Mae Cadmus on March 3, 1901, in Paterson, New JerseyPaterson, New Jersey
Paterson is a city serving as the county seat of Passaic County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, its population was 146,199, rendering it New Jersey's third largest city and one of the largest cities in the New York City Metropolitan Area, despite a decrease of 3,023...
. After graduating from school at the age of 15, she entered into the teaching program at the Paterson Normal School, which is now William Paterson University
William Paterson University
William Paterson University is a comprehensive public institution located in Wayne, New Jersey serving nearly 11,000 undergraduate and graduate students through five colleges: , , , , and ....
. Two years later, she started to teach at Public School 13 in Paterson. At that time her salary was $600 a year. She was a teacher of Art and Music for 44 years.
During the Great Depression
Great Depression
The Great Depression was a severe worldwide economic depression in the decade preceding World War II. The timing of the Great Depression varied across nations, but in most countries it started in about 1929 and lasted until the late 1930s or early 1940s...
, she had to pool her salary with her brother-in-law to care for their family. It was only after her retirement that she met and married her first husband, James Radcliffe, at the age of 70. James died only seven years into the marriage. Shortly after, she married James' brother Hartley Radcliffe. Hartley died at the age of 90 in 1997.
She had no children from either marriage. Radcliffe moved into an assisted living facility at 106. She attributes her longevity to her heritage. She had two sisters who lived to 100, and a brother who made it to 90. She has glasses of whiskey daily, and used to walk to and from work every day. Her attitude has been described as vibrant and humorous. Radcliffe has survived colon cancer and two broken hips, and her hearing and eyesight are almost gone. She uses a wheelchair, but can walk short distances.