Hester Ford Dies at 115

Oldest Living Woman

Dies at 115 in Her Charlotte Home

Hester Ford was the oldest living person in the U.S. until she died in her home in Charlotte on April 17, 2021. She was 115 (or maybe even 116) years old.

By John Burton Jr.

She was such a special woman to the Queen City that Charlotte Mayor Vi Lyles previously declared August 15 as Mother Hester Ford Day, and the Charlotte skyline was lit up in purple on the evening of April 28, to honor this mighty woman who died on April 17 at 115 years old.

Until her death a few months ago, Ford held the record as the oldest living American. According to a survey conducted by the Centers for Disease Control, the average life expectancy for Americans is currently 77.8 years, 75.1 years for men and 80.5 years for women. Hester Ford not only met the average, she surpassed it.

Even that number has been the subject of debate, since some say Ford was born in 1904, which would have made her 116 years old. Regardless of the dates, Ford’s place as America’s oldest was still accurate. This supercentenarian, someone over 110 years old, experienced much in her lifetime, from the Flu Pandemic of 1918 to the current global Coronavirus Pandemic.

Born on a farm in Lancaster County, S.C., Ford was a sharecropper who arduously worked in the cotton fields. At age 14, Ford married her husband John and at 15 gave birth to the first of their 12 children, four of which are still living today. The couple purchased a farm and began raising their family where they lived until they relocated to Charlotte around 1960. Ford found employment working as a nanny. Sadly, three years after their move, John passed away at 57.

Still, Ford resided in the family home, living independently, until she was 108. It was after bruising her ribs in a fall in her bathtub that the family intervened, getting her in-home assistance.

During her lifetime, Ford had the privilege of experiencing countless firsts — the invention of the television, space travel, cell phones and the election of the first Black president of the U.S., Barack Obama and first Black vice present, Kamala Harris.

President Obama held a special place in Ford’s heart. “She never thought she would see a Black man elected as president,” Tanisha Patterson-Powe, Ford’s great granddaughter told NPR. Her admiration swelled when she received a letter from the Obamas on her 111th birthday extending their well wishes. "Your story is an integral part of the American narrative, and you have witnessed the best of what our nation can accomplish when we work together in pursuit of a brighter tomorrow,” the Obamas wrote.

During her lifetime, Ford was keenly aware of the importance of voting, since there was a period of her life when she was not allowed to vote because of the racist practice of denying Black people the right to vote in the U.S.

Even during the pandemic, Ford made her way to the polls to vote in last year’s presidential election. “She got fully dressed. You would have thought she was going to church,” Patterson-Powe said. Dressed in a tan dress, trimmed in white, with sequins, hat and her white sneakers, Ford cast her vote.

According to Patterson-Powe, people often inquired as to the secret to her great grandmother’s long life. She believed Ford’s only secret was being disciplined in her faith and praying multiple times daily. Her grandmother’s daily regimen involved having breakfast, which always included half a banana, a trip outside for fresh air and sitting in her recliner looking at family photos, doing puzzles and listening to gospel music.

When Ford celebrated her final birthday in 2020, a host of friends and family, produced a drive-by parade in her honor. Scores of cars honked and waved at Ford as she watched in amazement.

“She was a pillar and stalwart to our family and provided much needed love, support and understanding to us all," Patterson-Powe, said in a statement on Facebook.

The Gerontology Research Group now lists Thelma Sutcliffe, who is 114 years old, as the oldest American. The oldest person in the world is Kane Tanaka of Japan who is 118 years old and was born in 1903, according to the Gerontology Research Group.

Although Ford’s oldest living accolade is gone, her legacy lives on in her children, 68 grandchildren, 125 greatgrandchildren and at least 120 great-great-grandchildren. P