Iowa woman is now oldest person in the world

With the recent death of a Georgia woman aged 116, another person has earned the distinction of being the oldest person in the world.

The Des Moines Register reported that Dina Manfredini, 115, of Johnston, Ia., has now assumed the title of being the oldest in the world from Besse Cooper, who died Tuesday in Monroe, Georgia, according to the Gerontology Research Group.

The newspaper reports Manfredini was born in Italy in 1897 and immigrated to the United States in 1921. She worked to help her family -- which included four children -- when her husband was injured while employed at a coal mine in Des Moines in the '40s. Manfredini continued to work in her 90s to earn additional money.

The previous title holder, Besse Cooper, was declared the world's oldest person in January 2011. In May 2011, Guinness World Records learned that Maria Gomes Valentin of Brazil was 48 days older. Valentin died the next month.

The oldest known person of all time was Jeanne Calment, a French woman who lived to be 122 years old and died in 1997.

[Bush-cheney-R-Terrorists]

I've noticed that all of the previous world's oldest people have died shortly after they were named to the honor. This lady may want to reconsider.

[mahovictor]

What wisdom can she teach me? I want to live to be a thousand years old. As long as I retain my mind. Life is pretty cool...and I live in poverty. Uh oh. Something is not right. Have we all been fooled? 1897. Wow! WWI, WWII, and The Internet. What has she concluded in her observation of 116 years? I would hate to grow old in a world surrounded by patronizing relatives.

[joshuamb2]

Depends, if you want the 116 year old woman to teach you some sort of wisdom you might have to do some research (examining her brain, heart, etc.) because she is dead. If you want the newest oldest woman in the world (who is only 115) then you might just be able to ask. :)

[jabailo]

This trick let's her look like a woman of 106!

[apk44]

can she prove it ?