Edna Parker

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Edna Parker

Edna Parker in 2007 at age 114
Born April 20, 1893
(&0000000000000115.000000115 years, &0000000000000050.00000050 days)
Morgan County, Indiana, United States
Residence Flag of Indiana Shelbyville, Indiana, United States
Education Franklin College
Occupation Teacher
Known for Oldest recognized person in the world (August 13, 2007 – present)
Spouse Earl Parker
(married 1913,
died 1939)

Edna Scott[1] Parker (born April 20, 1893) is an American supercentenarian and currently recognized as the oldest person in the world following the death of Yone Minagawa of Japan on August 13, 2007.[2] Parker became Indiana's present day oldest living person on April 7, 2005 (following the death of then almost-112-year-old Minnie Kearby, who was just six days older at the time) and the state's all-time recordholder on January 19, 2007, surpassing Mary Parr. She became the oldest living American on February 14, 2007, following the death of Corinne Dixon Taylor of Washington, D.C.[3] Parker entered the top 30 verified oldest people ever in November 2007, and, as of April 2008, aged 115, she ranks among the top twenty-five recorded oldest people ever.

Contents

[edit] Biography

Parker was born on a farm in Morgan County, Indiana, and raised eating a typical farm diet of meat and starch. She attended Franklin High School (Indiana)|Franklin High School, then took classes at Franklin College to obtain a teaching certificate. Parker taught at a two-room schoolhouse in Smithland for several years, until she married her next door neighbour, Earl Parker, on April 12, 1913.[4] Earl died on February 23, 1939. They had two sons, both of whom she has outlived.[5] As of April 2008, she has five grandchildren, fourteen great-grandchildren and thirteen great-great-grandchildren.

[edit] Later years

Edna Parker lived alone on a farm on Blueridge Road after her husband died when she was 45. She remained there until age 100, when, still in very strong health, she moved in with her son. One winter night, she was left alone while her son and his wife went to a basketball game. When they returned, she was in the back yard, unconscious, in the snow, and visible in the poor light only because she was wearing her favorite red sweater. Her family feared her death, but medics arrived and she made a full recovery except for only mild injuries. Afterwards it was decided that she needed to move to a nursing home.[6]

[edit] Current life

Parker currently lives at Heritage House Convalescent Center, a retirement community in Shelbyville, Indiana. She is still in good health and able to walk.[5] In April 2007, at the age of 114, she met with the second-oldest Indiana inhabitant and then fifth-oldest living person in the world, Bertha Fry. Fry, who lived in Muncie, was 113 at the time, which set the highest combined age for a meeting of two supercentenarians, at 227 years and 142 days. Parker lives in the same retirement center as Sandy Allen, the second tallest living woman verified by Guinness World Records.[7] She enjoys reading and reciting poetry, especially the works of James Whitcomb Riley, and according to family likes to quote his poetry to visitors.[6] She reads the newspaper every day, enjoys cards from well-wishers, and often sends autographs to people asking for them. She received a letter from President George W. Bush on her 114th birthday.[6]

The Heritage House Convalescent Center planned two separate birthday parties to celebrate her 115th birthday. At each one they released one hundred fifteen multicolored balloons, because she enjoys watching balloons float into the sky. The public celebration was on April 18, 2008, while the private family one was on April 20, her actual birthday. She is one of only twenty-four people validated to have reached 115 years of age.

On May 20, 2008, one of four peregrine falcon chicks nesting atop of a downtown Indianapolis high rise was named after Edna. A live nest cam of this bird and family is available on the Indy Star Falcon Blog.[8] A video clip of the naming announcement during banding day is available on YouTube.[9]

[edit] See also

[edit] References

  1. ^ Governor meets with country's two oldest, both Hoosiers
  2. ^ World's oldest person, Yone Minagawa, dies at 114 - Japan News Review.
  3. ^ Validated Living Supercentenarians
  4. ^ Source Citation: Title: Shelby County, Indiana, Index To Marriage Record 1856 - 1920 Inclusive Vol, W. P. A. Original Record Located: County Clerk's O; Book: 21;Page: 243
  5. ^ a b "Indiana Woman Now World's Oldest Person", 2007-08-14. 
  6. ^ a b c Denied:1up! Software
  7. ^ Governor pays weekend visit to honor Edna's 114th birthday
  8. ^ "Peregrine Falcon Named in Honor of Edna Parker", 2007-08-14. 
  9. ^ "Banding Day on YouTube", 2007-08-14. 

[edit] External links

Preceded by
Yone Minagawa		 Oldest Recognized Living Person
August 13, 2007 – present		 Succeeded by
Incumbent