Bookmarks 100 : Maria Gomes Valentim

Maria Gomes Valentim
Maria Gomes Valentim (9 July 1896 – 21 June 2011) was a Brazilian supercentenarian who died at the age of 114 years 347 days.



She was the oldest verified living person in the world from the time her age was validated on 18 May 2011 until her death a little more than a month later.Valentim was also the only validated supercentenarian from Brazil, and was one of the 30 verified oldest people in history at the time of her death.

Maria Gomes da Silva was born in Carangola, Minas Gerais, Brazil and lived there her entire life.In 1913, she married João Valentim, who died in 1946.[4][2] Valentim had 1 child, a son, who died at 75, and furthermore had 4 grandchildren, 7 great-grandchildren and 5 great-great-grandchildren.

She used a wheelchair and was cared for by her granddaughter.[She died of multiple organ failure on 21 June 2011, at the age of 114 years 347 days; 18 days shy of her 115th birthday. Valentim attributes her life’s longevity to a healthy diet. She eats a full roll of bread every morning with coffee, fruit and the occasional milk with linseed. Acknowledging her “strong hands,” she is still able to eat completely on her own and treats herself with an occasional glass of wine.

Guinness World Records Editor-in-Chief, Craig Glenday, said:  “To receive a claim from a woman born during the reign of Queen Victoria – before the Ford Motor Company was formed, or before even George and Ira Gershwin, were born – is remarkable in itself, but for that woman to be Brazilian makes it extra special. Never has a successful claim for longevity emerged from Brazil – until now.”

10 verified oldest women

      Deceased       Living       Age disputed

Rank	Name	Birth date	Death date	Age	Country of death
1	Jeanne Calment	21 February 1875	4 August 1997	122 years, 164 days	France
2	Sarah Knauss	24 September 1880	30 December 1999	119 years, 97 days	United States
3	Lucy Hannah	16 July 1875	21 March 1993	117 years, 248 days	United States
4	Marie-Louise Meilleur	29 August 1880	16 April 1998	117 years, 230 days	Canada
5	María Capovilla	14 September 1889	27 August 2006	116 years, 347 days	Ecuador
6	Tane Ikai	18 January 1879	12 July 1995	116 years, 175 days	Japan
7	Elizabeth Bolden	15 August 1890	11 December 2006	116 years, 118 days	United States
8	Carrie C. White	18 November 1874	14 February 1991	116 years, 88 days[1]	United States
9	Kamato Hongo	16 September 1887	31 October 2003	116 years, 45 days[2]	Japan
10	Maggie Barnes	6 March 1882	19 January 1998	115 years, 319 days	United States