Mamie Rearden, Oldest US Citizen, Dies At 114

A South Carolina woman who was listed as the oldest living US citizen has died at the age of 114.

Mamie Rearden of Edgefield, who held the title as the oldest person in the country for about two weeks, died at a hospital in Georgia Wednesday, according to two of her daughters. Rearden inherited the title after Dina Manfredini, who was 115 years old, died — oddly, also about two weeks after she inherited the title from the previous owner, Besse Cooper.

Rearden’s daughter, Sara, said Saturday that her mother broke her hip after a fall three weeks ago.

Mamie Rearden was born in September 1898, and her birth was recorded in the 1900 census, according to Robert Young of the Gerontology Research Group. The GRG keeps a current list of supercentenarians — people who have reached the age of 110 — on its website, and verifies the age information for Guinesss World Records. Rearden’s death was the first of 2013 and, as of January 4, there were 61 supercentenarians — 57 females and four males — in the world.

Of the 61 supercentenarians, 36 percent — 22 people — live in Japan. Twenty-one percent — 13 people — live in the United States.

In 2012, there were 60 supercentenarian deaths, with Cooper being the oldest.

Rearden is survived by 10 children, 15 grandchildren, 10 great grandchildren and one great-great-grandchild.

The title of oldest living US citizen will now go to Elsie Thompson of Florida. Thompson was born on April 5, 1899, and is 113 years old. The title of oldest living person in the world is still held by Jiroemon Kimura of Japan, who was born April 19, 1897, and is 115 years old.