emirates7 - For Ethel Caterham, the secret to a long life — and hers has been remarkably long — is simple: avoid arguments.
Now 115 years old, Caterham has been named the world’s oldest living person by the Gerontology Research Group, following the passing of 116-year-old Sister Inah Canabarro, a Brazilian nun and educator, on Wednesday.
“I never argue with anyone. I just listen and do what I enjoy,” Caterham said from her care home in Surrey, located in southwest London, when asked about her key to longevity.
Born on August 21, 1909, in the southern English village of Shipton Bellinger, Caterham arrived five years before World War I began. She was the second youngest among eight children.
Her life has always reflected a spirit of adventure. At just 18, she traveled to India in 1927 to work as a nanny for a British family, staying there for three years before returning to England, according to the GRG.
She later met her husband, Norman, a British Army major, at a dinner party in 1931. The couple lived in various locations including Hong Kong and Gibraltar. They had two daughters, who were raised in the U.K. Norman passed away in 1976.
Caterham now lives at Hallmark Lakeview Luxury Care Home in Camberley. The care home celebrated her milestone in a Facebook post on Thursday, sharing photos of her donning a “115” tiara and cutting a cake.
“Big congratulations to our resident Ethel for becoming the world’s oldest person! What a phenomenal achievement and reflection of a life well-lived,” read the post. “Your resilience, character, and wisdom inspire us all. We’re honored to celebrate your extraordinary life!”
The record for the oldest person in history remains with Jeanne Calment of France, who lived to the age of 122 years and 164 days, as confirmed by Guinness World Records.
Now 115 years old, Caterham has been named the world’s oldest living person by the Gerontology Research Group, following the passing of 116-year-old Sister Inah Canabarro, a Brazilian nun and educator, on Wednesday.
“I never argue with anyone. I just listen and do what I enjoy,” Caterham said from her care home in Surrey, located in southwest London, when asked about her key to longevity.
Born on August 21, 1909, in the southern English village of Shipton Bellinger, Caterham arrived five years before World War I began. She was the second youngest among eight children.
Her life has always reflected a spirit of adventure. At just 18, she traveled to India in 1927 to work as a nanny for a British family, staying there for three years before returning to England, according to the GRG.
She later met her husband, Norman, a British Army major, at a dinner party in 1931. The couple lived in various locations including Hong Kong and Gibraltar. They had two daughters, who were raised in the U.K. Norman passed away in 1976.
Caterham now lives at Hallmark Lakeview Luxury Care Home in Camberley. The care home celebrated her milestone in a Facebook post on Thursday, sharing photos of her donning a “115” tiara and cutting a cake.
“Big congratulations to our resident Ethel for becoming the world’s oldest person! What a phenomenal achievement and reflection of a life well-lived,” read the post. “Your resilience, character, and wisdom inspire us all. We’re honored to celebrate your extraordinary life!”
The record for the oldest person in history remains with Jeanne Calment of France, who lived to the age of 122 years and 164 days, as confirmed by Guinness World Records.