This is a story about a 100-year-old Illinois woman who apparently lived a frugal life and planned to give her estate to her alma mater, Lake Forest College. Almost nobody knew that she had $180 worth of stocks from where she worked in 1935 that had "split many times over the next seven decades, [and] reinvested the dividends". It became $7 million, and when she died on January 19, 2010, all of it was given to Lake Forest College. The news article is below:

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/n...8355,full.story

I know she was "barely just a centenarian" but she was in the news for another reason, and not this information makes it any better, but she appeared to be a twin as well. A "feel-good" story, basically.

* CalvinTy

There are members of my church older than this. Just to give some idea: 1,235 Americans born in the year 1910 have died in the first six weeks of 2010...some other numbers from the SSDI:

born 1909: 917
born 1908: 579
born 1907: 399
born 1906: 256
born 1905: 149
born 1904: 99
born 1903: 56
born 1902: 27
born 1901: 9
born 1900: 13
born 1899: 3
born 1898: 1
born 1897: 1
born 1896: 0
born 1895: 1
born 1894: 0

To me, we are studying SUPERcentenarians, not mere centenarians. Look at how common persons aged 100, 101, 102, 103 are. I don't feel like we are really getting to a sort-of-elite level until age 107. Just my opinion.

That's very true. This was more of a off-topic news (just like the death of the oldest death row inmate at age 94 that I also read earlier).

I knew, by age, this wasn't even close to a honorable mention. Just sharing news about a centenarian that was in the news, but *not for* her longevity. We don't really seem to have an appropriate forum, or the Lounge would be the correct one, I guess.

Cheers,

* CalvinTy

yeah i watched the video too.

she's really an inspiration to her townmates imagine living a simple lifestyle for 80 years or so because she wants to share it at the end of her life?

I also oppose the way the media "brainwashes" the public with these stories...they are basically saying that if you "live frugally" you can get rich. They are also saying don't be selfish and donate your money to charity.

Reality:

1. This woman had stocks, and made her money through INVESTMENTS, NOT living frugally alone.

2. There is no mention of a family...I'm sure if she had one, she would have given some money to them?

3. While I like the idea of wealthy investors donating to scientific research, to just give money to a college, in general, is a waste. Without a specific requirement, the money will just go to the general budget and be absorbed by inefficient costs such as "maintenance", payroll, administration, etc. I doubt if the learning outcomes of anyone will be affected. I think a much better use would have been to create a scholarship fund for students, or to fund a research foundation for a particular cause.

The bottom line: women like this conservatively sacrificed, but for whom?

You must go to a very lucky church if there are several people older than 100. There number you cited suggest that the odds of any one church having several centenarians is not high.

I hate to ask, but are you certain that all these people are truly over 100? Susie Brunson and various social security defrauders show us that even centenarian claims cannot always be trusted.

I have never knowingly met anyone even in their late nineties. My church certainly has no one.

I heard there was a centenarian far back in my family and maternal grandfather's parents lived into their nineties, with that great-grandmother living into her late nineties. But three of my grandparents have died before nearing 90 and my 80 year old grandmother is only in mediocre health. In fact, I only personally know one octogenarian from my church who I think stands any reasonable chance of reaching 100.

I heard that there is a 102 year old Japanese-American man in an assisted living 15-20 miles away from me (from a family friend who formerly lived there). Our friend said she tends to believe him, as he is from Japan. I agree, but cannot be sure.

There are indeed too many centenarians for us to examine all stories on them. However, someone I know reaching 100 would be a very big deal to me. I even become mildly impressed at age 90, given the vast majority of deaths from my church and my parent's circle of friends (including relatives and friends of friends happen well before age 90.

I think the oldest person I have talk to was around 92 (my grandmother friend's).
My oldest grandmother was 89. 100 is not that common, but of course in a whole country...

To be more specific: the oldest current member of the church I attend is 101 (nearing 102 this month). One in the past was 105.

As I mentioned, maybe I'm just a bit blase, but friends from my church know Dr. Denmark (112) and Geneva McDaniel (111) once lived across the street from where I worked. So, even in a "local" environment I've met a lot of super-seniors.

One nursing home in Iowa had NINE living centenarians, and I've been to several nursing homes; they often have two or three living centenarians. Julie Winnifred Bertand, 115, once had a 110-year-old at her nursing home (she was younger than 115 at the time, however).

I cannot remotely relate to any of what you are saying. I do not expect to ever meet even a centenarian and see no possibilities on the horizon.
In fact, as I said, I only know of very few healthy octogenarians. I do not think I know of any healthy nonagenarians.

Of course, if I met a claimed centenarian, I would be very skeptical and would never say a home had four (of whatever the claimed number) living centenarians unless I was shown the records.

Maybe I am just unlucky.

The oldest person I've met is 87, so 100 is a world away, let alone 110.

the oldest person i met was 100

the oldest person i met is currently 96 years old. still mobile and healthy =)

I don't think most people who are not specifically looking for it will meet centenarians regularly. Even so there are still quite a few out there, and it's obvious that happenstance will have some of them live very close to each other (and sometimes not happenstance, as some old-people-homes specialize in such care that the probability of centenarians is quite high). I still personally think "oldest this" and "oldest that" is interesting, although not in the absolute sense of their age, but what they are able to accomplish given their age, even if they are much younger than 110.

Personally I know my grandmother, currently 97 (and possibly on her way to 100), a cousin of hers (also 97) as well as the best friend of my grandmother since childhood (98). In the home of my grandmother, there is (among slightly more than 200) one older woman, just turned 100 (although a 103-year-old died just a few months ago).

I always hear age 100 is pretty common, but despite that NOONE in my family reached age 100 in about 5 different generations. So either 100 is not that common, or my family just has bad luck.

However the oldest person I have met is 110. And next week it will be 111. :P

and who would that be?

is it bernardina van dommelen?