Nationwide — Hester Ford, a Black woman from North Carolina who was the oldest living person in the United States, sadly died in her home on April 17th at the age of at least 115.Ford was confirmed as the oldest living American by the Gerontology Research Group in 2019, apparently being born on August 15, 1905. But her family said Ford was actually born on August 15, 1904, making her lifespan 116 years.
“It is overwhelming, yet an awakening experience to realize my grandmother wasn’t just an ordinary woman, she was E-X-T-R-A-ordinary,” Ford’s great-granddaughter, Tanisha Patterson-Powe told CNN.
Ford was born in Lancaster, South Carolina and moved to North Carolina during the 1950s. She was married to John Ford and gave birth to 12 children. She currently has 48 grandchildren,108 great-grandchildren, and around 120 great-great-grandchildren.
Her family said when Ford was still alive during her last years, she would eat breakfast with half a banana, listen to gospel music, and solve puzzles.
“She never ‘fit into a one size fit all box’ as she was a master inventor and innovator — a trailblazer setting her own trends within the community and her home,” Patterson-Powe added.