Oldest person you ever knew?

[dhermann1]

I was just reminiscing about an old lady I knew when I was a kid. We called her Aunt Millie. She was the aunt of a friend who herself was rather old. Aunt Millie was born in 1868, and died in 1968, just short of her 100th birthday. She was over 50 when she first got the right to vote. She lived through more than half of Queen Victoria's reign. She was a true suffragette, a thinker, and a dear little stooped over figure, as she walked around town like a little bird. She ended every evening as she went upstairs to bed with the statement, "Pray for the United Nations!" She was something else.
Just wondering, who was the oldest person you have ever known? The one born at the earliest date? What memories do you have of them?

 

[St.Ignatz]

Mrs. Wiley stayed for a short while with her daughter and son in law next door to my childhood home. She was in her late 90's, played the Flamenco guitar and loved crossword puzzles. It must have been around '61 to '65 because my buddy and I were fascinated by the fact that her father fought for the Union in the war between the states.
Tom D.

 

[Atticus Finch]

Interesting thread..

The elderly lady who lived next door to my paternal grandparents during the 'fifties and early 'sixties, and who frequently baby sat me, was present at the Wright Brother's first flight at Kill Devil Hill in 1903.

"Ma" Taylor, who lived around the corner from my family in the early 'sixties, was over one hundred years old. She had been born a Confederate child...the only one I ever personally knew.

Mr. King, who was still alive when I was in high school, and who was one of my father's oldest and best oil customers, was a U.S. soldier who fought in Cuba during the Spanish American War.

AF

 

[Forgotten Man]

Well, I've met some very interesting older people, I've met Ann Rutherford, she's in her 90s now and stared in Gone With The Wind, Love Meets Andy Hardy and also Orchestra Wives. I've talked with her on two accounts, what a neat lady she is.

I also know a very kind old gent, his name is John Mills, I know him through swing dancing, he did some dancing for the movies during the 40s but, not much of his work is known or around for us to see. He's in his 90s too... I saw him at Philipe’s last month and we chatted for a bit. He was in his 20s during the early 30s and what stories he had to tell!

Now, one old gent I had the honor of meeting was at the Griffith Observatory wile working on a Monday night to a private event for the Air Force. I met two Doolittle Raiders! The first gent I met was in the 7th B-25 and the second man I met was Doolittle’s co-pilot! We chatted about the B-25 a little; he was rather impressed with my knowledge of the plane. We chatted and shook hands and I just mentioned to him of the extreme privilege it was to meet him and the others; he was touched.

These people are just so fun to talk to! They can teach us many things and give us more of a personal look into the past, what a treat it is to meet them and to hear their stories.

 

[Guttersnipe]

My great grandmother, she was born in 1885 and passed away just shy of 101 in 1986. She was a tough lady who survived 1906 SF earthquake, the 1919 flu epidemic, and according to family legend, distilled bootleg gin in on a rather large scale during prohibition (but hey, she had a son to put though collegelol).

When I think about all the changes she was witness to I am in awe!

 

[LizzieMaine]

My great-grandmother was born in 1887, but died when I was a year old, so pretty much the only memory I have of her is going to her funeral (my earliest memory, in fact.) My mother has a four-generations snapshot of us, though, where great-gran seems to be commenting unfavorably on the size of my ears.

The oldest person I actually *knew* was probably our family doctor, who was born in the 1880s, and was still practicing in the late 1970s. Every time I saw him he seemed to get smaller and smaller, and crotchetier and crotchetier. No doubt the fate that awaits us all.

 

[Atticus Finch]

I almost forgot about Lucius...

Lucius was an African American gent who was my grandfather's best friend. Lucius always believed that people on TV could see him through the television tube as well as he could see them...so he always dressed nicely to watch TV.

Lucius was as cheerful a person I ever met, but he was disabled and suffered from chronic lung infections as long as I knew him. He had been badly gassed in the trenches of WWI.

AF

 

[Paisley]

The earliest born person I ever knew was my grandfather, born 1894. But he was in such poor health that he wasn't, I am told, the person he had been.

My parents and a few friends are nearly the age my grandfather was when I knew him. They're in much better health--in fact, one is an avid dancer. They all just seem like regular people to me.

 

[Miss Neecerie]

My Great Grandmother was either 96 or 97 when she died. She lived in 3 or 4 different countries over her lifetime, coming from Russia/Turkey as a young child, then moving to Mexico to farm for many years (my great grandfather is buried there) and then finally back up to Los Angeles.

I was probably 12 or so....so spent my childhood with her.

She was part of 3 different 5 generations of women pictures, and only the 'youngest' picture included a son...before that, they were all 5 generations of 'oldest daughters' pictures.

D...who comes from a very matridominant family.....very strong women all marrying weak 'useless' (thats my grandmothers word for it) men....


Edited to add....some of my Great Grandmothers sisters (there were 5 of them) outlived her by many years...so I suspect they were actually -older- then her....possibly Aunt Anna (who for my entire childhood I pondered why she was called after the thing that made the TV get channels) or Aunt Lucy

 

[Maguire]

A family friend named William Geary died a few years back (2004 or 05 i believe) and he was 106 i believe. He was part of the first class of Gardai Siochana in Ireland when the free state was formed. He took daily long walks and despite bad hearing was completely lucid without a hint of dementia or anything of the sort. .

 

[Shangas]

Knew? My maternal grandmother. Died age 93, just a couple of years ago.

Oldest person I know still living? My paternal grandmother, born May 1914, now aged 95.

 

[AtomicEraTom]

My Great-Grandfather was born in 1902 and I was very close with him. I reminded him of my father when he was a child. He ran a speakeasy on Clark St. in Milwaukee and his sister ran one a couple of blocks away. He was one of 12 children and his folks came here from Poland. He was a great man and I miss him very much

My dad talks about my great-great-grandfather who was born in 1875 and died in 1975. He ran a large trucking company on 3rd and Reservoir by Schlitz Brewery in Milwaukee. Did a lot of trucking for Wrigleys. He lived in the same house all his life and saw his neighborhood go from small, to large, to a ghetto-like area. A charachter I could go on for days about, a rather mean man whom my great-grandfather (his son-in-law) tried to kill once.

 

[Dinerman]

My paternal great grandmother died at 106, my maternal at 100.

My great granduncle died at 102, which is incredible considering the life he lived. He was head photographer for the National Geographic from the '20s through '60s, spending the majority of that time out in the field. Smoked, drank, lead a hard life. He was sharp as a tack right up until about the end.

 

[LaMedicine]

I've had a few patients over 100. The oldest right now is 103, and she is sprightier than her 80 year old son.
The oldest patient in the past was a man who died at 104.
It all comes with my territory
In my personal family, my paternal grandmother died just a few days shy of 90, and my oldest aunt will be 90 come New Year, and my mother is 85, approachingi the age my father died.

 

[Ghostsoldier]

My brother-in-law's mother; she died 5 years ago at 103 years of age....and my grandfather, who just turned 92....

Ah, the things they have seen!
Rob

 

[miss_smith]

I think I might have a great-great aunt somewhere on my mom's side, but the oldest person I've known is my boyfriend's grandfather. He is now in his late 90's. Unfortunately he's rather senile so I've never been able to get any information from him, but he has a great record collection!

 

[Maguire]

My paternal great grandmother died at 106, my maternal at 100.

My great granduncle died at 102, which is incredible considering the life he lived. He was head photographer for the National Geographic from the '20s through '60s, spending the majority of that time out in the field. Smoked, drank, lead a hard life. He was sharp as a tack right up until about the end.

Well unless you live on fast food, drugs and alcohol you've got a long life ahead of you then, judging from your stock. Bravo!

 

[Caity Lynn]

Ms. Mary. She was at least 96, I think 98 when we moved. I can't remember how old she was when she passed, looking back,I wish I would have talked to her more about her past. Shame I was so young.

 

[Zig]

Probably the oldest person I knew was my Great Grandfather (1870-1968)on my Mother's side. He was the son of a Confederate soldier, that fought at Gettysburg. All 4 of my grandparents were born in the 1890's. My Grandfather (1890-1970) knew Buffalo Bill Cody. (And didn't think much of him). His wife was my Mom's mom (1893-1973), and one of her sisters died at age 101 in 2002. I knew her well also.

There was a fellow here in town that I knew (now deceased) that rode with Pancho Villa, and later ran alchohol for Al Capone. He was shot twice and stabbed three times. He was age 18 when he rode with Pancho Villa, and passed away about 15 years ago.

I also have a number of friends that are in their late 80's- and 90's, WWII Vets.

 

[Audrey Horne]

My great grandpa was 97 when he died. He still lived in the tiny town he grew up in and we used to drive a few hours to go visit him. He lived alone but he never seemed lonely. He completely took care of himself and his house. I remember him mowing the lawn with a push mower (the metal kind), hunting and making deer jerky, and watching baseball with the sound way up.

He was an amazing man. Unfortunately I don't remember meeting him until he was in his late 80s, and I was still a kid, so I never got to hear any old stories from his past. Frankly I wasn't particularly interested at the time anyway. I wish I could go back and ask him now! I always think about how he was born in 1901, the same year as Gary Cooper and Clark Gable.

Here's a picture of us when I was 16 and he was 97