Canadian Said to Be Oldest Person
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LONDON — A Canadian woman who has documents to prove she will be 117 years old this month is the world’s oldest person, the Guinness Book of Records said Thursday.
Marie-Louise Febronie Meilleur of Quebec succeeds to the title last held by Jeanne Calment, who died Aug. 4 in France at the age of 122.
Meilleur, who was born Aug. 29, 1880, has been married twice and has about 300 descendants. Her family said the secret of her long life is hard work and keeping active: She used to enjoy fishing and still loves the outdoors. She also is a vegetarian.
Meilleur was born Marie-Louise Febronie Chasse in the town of Kamouraska, Quebec, 95 miles east of Quebec City along the south shore of the St. Lawrence River.
The Guinness Book of Records verified Meilleur’s age through her certificates of birth and baptism, census records, two marriage certificates and other documents.
Not far behind Meilleur is American Sarah Knauss of Philadelphia, who has documents to prove she will be 117 on Sept. 24.
Staff at a Pensacola, Fla., nursing home plan to celebrate the 121st birthday of their most senior resident, Agusta Watts, today. The Guinness Book of Records, however, doesn’t recognize her evidence, Social Security records, as adequate.
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