'America’s Grandmother' turns 115: Meet the oldest living person in the US, Elizabeth Francis

The oldest person in the United States, Elizabeth Francis, is adding another year to her life as she celebrates her 115th birthday Thursday.

Francis, who lives in Houston with her family, became the oldest living person in the U.S. earlier this year in February, following the death of 116-year-old Edie Ceccarelli of California, who passed away on Feb. 22, according to LongeviQuest, an organization that monitors and tracks the oldest people in the world. She is the fourth-oldest living person in the world, LongeviQuest said, adding she is among the 25 longest-lived people in American history.

Francis’s granddaughter Ethel Harrison, 69, told The Washington Post the family plans to celebrate with a large floral-covered sheet cake in vanilla cream, her favorite flavor, and that her grandmother can have as many slices as she'd like.

LongeviQuest Chief Executive Ben Meyers told USA TODAY Thursday Francis is feeling great and enjoying life.

Want to live up to 114?Oldest person in the US says 'speak your mind'

Born in Louisiana, raised in Texas

Francis was born on Jul. 25, 1909 in Louisiana, according to her profile on LongeviQuest. Following her mother's death, she and her five siblings were sent to different homes and Francis ended up in Houston, where she was raised by her aunt and has lived since.

She gave birth to her only child, Dorothy Williams, in 1928, whom she raised as a single mother, operating a coffee shop at ABC 13 News in Houston to support herself and her daughter. She ran the place for almost 20 years, retiring in 1975. In 1999, she moved in with her daughter and continues to live with her.

LongeviQuest dubbed Francis the oldest person in the world living at home, and she's visited daily by friends and family, with Harrison being her primary caregiver.

Harrison told the Post her grandmother has slowed down in recent months, sleeps more and speaks only in a faint whisper. However, Harrison added that Francis has not lost her spark, continues to speak her mind "and doesn’t hold back."

Francis' secret to living a long life

Francis had earlier credited her longevity to her faith in God, speaking her mind and eating whatever she wants. The supercentenarian only began requiring a wheelchair for mobility when she was almost 108.

“If the Good Lord gave it to you, use it! Speak your mind, don’t hold your tongue," Francis told LongeviQuest when asked the secret behind her long life.

On her birthday party in July 2022, Francis told KHOU in Houston that she credits her long life to eating whatever she wanted. She also said she doesn't smoke or drink, except for the occasional glass of wine.

Harrison had earlier told The Washington Post in August 2023 that her grandmother led a very simple life and never learned how to drive, relying on the bus and friends to take her around.

“She never learned to drive, so she took the bus to work or people in the family would give her a ride,” Harrison told the Post. “She also did a lot of walking, so maybe that explains some of her longevity.”

“Her life was always pretty simple: early to bed, early to rise, work hard, then come home and make a nutritious meal and be with family,” Harrison added.

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From World I to Hurricane Beryl

Having lived for more than a century, Francis has witnessed it all: World War I, the Great Depression, the adoption of the 19th Amendment that granted women the right to vote, the first female Vice President, COVID. Most recently, she also experienced the full impact of Hurricane Beryl, when her house was hit by the storm.

“Elizabeth Francis is America’s Grandmother. She is beloved by her family and community and admired worldwide," Meyers said in a statement. "She has seen some things in her 115 years: she grew up during World War I and just weeks ago her house was directly hit by Hurricane Beryl."

"But none of it has seemed to rattle her. Her story is about faith, fortitude, and family more than it is about longevity,” said the executive who last met Francis in April.

Francis is not the only one in her family to live a long life. Her older sibling Bertha Johnson lived to the age of 106 before passing away in 2011, according to LongeviQuest, making them "one of the oldest sibling pairs".

Saman Shafiq is a trending news reporter for USA TODAY. Reach her at sshafiq@gannett.com and follow her on X @saman_shafiq7.