Mary Kelly

Martha Kelly (better known as Mary Kelly) (7 June 1851 – 30 December 1964) was the fourth person ever to hold the title of oldest living person, taking it from James Henry Brett Jr. at age 109 on 10 February 1961, when he died at the alleged age of 111 years, 200 days. Kelly died on 30 December 1964 in California, aged 113 years, 206 days. Her place of birth is uncertain; Wikipedia reports it as Iowa, U.S., but a newspaper report states that she was born in Southfield, Michigan. Shown above at her 110th birthday party in 1961 in Long Beach General Hospital, Kelly was noted at that time to still be cheerful and positive, despite spending increasing amounts of time sleeping. Her immediate family was reported to have died by that time, even though Kelly still received visits from other relatives and birthday cards from public figures. At the time of her death, she was the second-oldest authenticated person on record, dying just eight days from being the oldest person ever, a title held for over 50 years by Delina Filkins, age 113 years 214 days.