Woman, 116, Listed as 'World's Oldest' Dies in Ga.

[struggle4progress]

... Besse Cooper died peacefully Tuesday afternoon in Monroe, according to her son Sidney Cooper. Monroe is about 45 miles east of Atlanta.

Cooper said his mother had been ill recently with a stomach virus, then felt better on Monday. On Tuesday he said she had her hair set and watched a Christmas video, but later had trouble breathing. She was put on oxygen in her room and died there about 2 p.m., Cooper said.

"With her hair fixed it looked like she was ready to go," he said.

Besse Cooper was declared the world's oldest person in January 2011. In May 2011, Guinness World Records learned that Maria Gomes Valentin of Brazil was 48 days older. Valentin died the next month.

http://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/woman-116-listed-worlds-oldest-dies-ga-17880031

[TwilightGardener]

1. Got her hair done first--a true lady. RIP.

[jberryhill]

2. The "world's oldest person" does every couple of months, btw

The real record to shoot for is how long one can hold the title. She hung in there for longer than most, since it is typically just a few months.

I've been fascinated by this ever since I first made the record for "world's youngest person" briefly many years ago.

[Fridays Child]

3. Imagine living in three centuries.

That's amazing.

Besse's son, Sidney, must be up in years, too.

[AverageJoe90]

4. Bless her soul.

At least she lived long enough to see our president, Barack Hussein Obama II, elected for a second term. I hope she's enjoying herself up there in that great place in the sky.....