Weaver
became the oldest person in the world after the death of a 117-year-old
Japanese woman last week, according to records kept by the Los
Angeles-based Gerontology Research Group. Weaver was born in 1898.
The
Williams Funeral Home confirmed Weaver died just after 10 a.m. Monday
at the Silver Oaks Health and Rehabilitation Center in Camden, about 100
miles southwest of Little Rock.
Camden Mayor Marie Trisollini chatted with Weaver last week when the supercentenarian's roommate celebrated her 100th birthday.
"She
was a really sweet lady. She was relatively perky and coherent when I
talked with her before the party," Trisollini said. "When you asked for
advice on how to live a long life she would say, 'Use a lot of skin
moisturizer, treat everyone nice, love your neighbor and eat your own
cooking. Don't eat at fast food places.'"
The
Research Group was able to verify Weaver's age using census records and
a marriage certificate from 1915 that listed her age as 17. Other
records pointed to a possible April birthday, but since those could not
be confirmed, the group used the day Weaver had always celebrated her
birthday — July 4.
Trisollini said the nursing home and several members of the community had been making plans for Weaver's 117th birthday party.
Weaver,
who was born in southwest Arkansas to sharecropper parents, told
nursing home staff last week that she wanted to invite President Barack
Obama because she had voted for him twice.
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