[PRESSWIRE] 31.07.23 — Houston, Texas – Elizabeth Francis, the second-oldest living person in the United States, has turned 114. Per the LongeviQuest rankings, Mrs. Francis is the oldest living person in Texas and the seventh-oldest living person in the world.
Mrs. Francis was feted at a celebration held in her honor a few days after her July 25th birthday. The event was held at the house she shares with her 94-year-old daughter; Mrs. Francis is the second-oldest living person in the world who still lives at home. The ceremony was attended by four succeeding generations of her family members, along with other loved ones, caregivers, fellow church members, politicians, and local and global media. During the ceremony, LongeviQuest Chief Executive Ben Meyers presented Mrs. Francis with a Texas-shaped plaque honoring her status as the Oldest Living Texan. Despite the Texas focus, the event had international flair, with Meyers relaying birthday wishes to Mrs. Francis from fans of hers on five continents, in front of journalists who flew in from Norway to cover the event.
Mrs. Francis was active and alert during the entire event, holding court for over four hours and receiving a parade of well-wishers. When asked for life advice by a visitor, Mrs. Francis replied, “If the Good Lord give it to you, use it! Speak your mind, don’t bite your tongue!”
Elizabeth Francis was born in Louisiana in 1909, 11 years before women had the right to vote in the United States. Longevity runs in her family; her sister Bertha Johnson lived to the age of 106 before passing away in 2011. The two sisters are among the sibling pairs with the oldest combined age in world history. While genetics likely plays a role, Mrs. Francis has always credited her longevity to her faith in God.
LongeviQuest’s Meyers commented on Mrs. Francis’s growing worldwide fame, saying, “Fans of supercentenarians don’t just admire them for living long; they also admire them for living well. With her dedication to faith and family, Elizabeth Francis is the perfect exemplar of that, and admiration of her extends far beyond the great state of Texas.”
LongeviQuest (LQ) is the global authority on maximum human longevity. The organization was founded in 2022 as a collaboration between the world’s leading age validation experts, with professional researchers in Europe, Asia, and the Americas. Among its notable research achievements, LongeviQuest validated the first recognized supercentenarians in India and the Philippines. Further information, including the largest database of validated living supercentenarians, can be found at LongeviQuest.com.
Media Contact
Ben Meyers | [email protected]
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