World’s Oldest Person Passes Away

Today Misao Okawa passed away, just three weeks after celebrating her 117^th birthday.  Okawa was the world’s oldest person, and ironically described her life as “rather short.”  The Japanese woman died of heart failure according to an official at her nursing home.  “She went so peacefully, as if she had just fallen asleep.  We miss her a lot.” 

Since Okawa’s death, the world’s oldest person is now Gertrude Weaver from Arkansas.  Weaver was born in 1898 and will turn 117 on July 4^th. 

See Jessica Durando, The World’s Oldest Person Dies at 117, USA Today, Apr. 1, 2015.

Special thanks to Adam Hirsch (University of San Diego School of Law) for bringing this article to my attention.