World's Oldest Woman Turns 116

The keys to living a long life are minding your own business and not eating junk food. That’s Besse Cooper’s theory, at least, and since she’s the oldest human being in the entire world, she has unique insight into the matter.

The great-great grandmother was born on August 26, 1896 in Tennessee, a little more than one month before F Scott Fitzgerald. In 1917, she began working as a schoolteacher in Georgia, later marrying and having four children with her first and only husband. Poor Luther Cooper probably thought he had a good run when he died in 1963 at the age of 68, but miraculously, his wife has now outlived him by more than two thirds of his entire life.

Celebrating her one hundred and sixteenth birthday on Sunday, Besse became only the eighth person to ever reach the age, and more than likely, the first ever to have a bridge named after her. According to The Walton Tribune, Walton County Chairman Kevin Little officiated a ceremony to name the bridge on New Hope Church Road in her honor, and while Besse didn’t attend, she did release a statement saying she was glad they got around to naming the bridge.

Pop Blend’s congratulations go out to Besse on the landmark birthday and the bridge. Here’s to hoping we’re able to write another story four years from now when she hits the magic 1-2-0.