The world's oldest person, Besse Cooper, of Monroe, Georgia, celebrated turning 115 years young this past Friday.
To celebrate the mammoth milestone, a small group of about 15-20 people gathered at Cooper's nursing home, where Besse Cooper enjoyed two small slivers of her birthday cake and nodded as musician Mike Cronic sang "Tennessee Waltz."
Born in Tennessee, Cooper moved to Georgia during World War I to find work as a teacher. With 12 grandchildren and over a dozen great-grandchildren and great-great-grandchildren, she could hardly be described as lonely, though her husband Luther passed away in 1963.
After Brazilian, Maria Gomes Valentin died on June 21, Cooper took her place as the oldest person on the planet.
How remarkable it would be to pick her brains about all the changes she's seen in her lifetime. For instance, I wonder which decade was her favourite and why...
Happy birthday, Besse!
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