Naomi Whitehead

Naomi has lived through more than a century of history. © Longeviquest Instagram

The American woman who just turned 116 surrounded by four generations and is the second oldest in the world.

Story by El Mundo

Naomi Washington was born on September 26, 1910 of African American descent in rural Georgia to Douglas and Pauline (née Young) Washington, where she grew up on a farm picking cotton and tobacco.^[3] She lived in Patterson, Georgia, in her youth with her older siblings Douglas Jr., Clarence, Ellen, and Viola.^{[4] Noami had three children}Elbert T. Whitehead Parrish L. Whitehead Arch Sylvester Whitehead Jr. – Search

I can’t imagine how it must feel to outlive your life partner and all three of your children. She’s been through what most people couldn’t even fathom. Kudos to her

Whitehead, in her adult years, moved to West Salem in Mercer County, part of Greater Pittsburgh. She didn’t move into assisted living until 2011, when she was 101 years old.^[5] She has stated that she never smoked or drank alcohol. She told reporters, “I’ll live as long as the Lord lets me.”^[6]

Several of her grandchildren accredit her long life to her belief in God.^[5] Whitehead lives at St. Paul’s Senior Living Community in Greenville, Pennsylvania.^[1][7] Naomi Whitehead celebrated her birthday surrounded by between 80 and 90 family members: “She has always been the pillar of our family”. Naomi Whitehead turned 116 on September 26 and continues to be the oldest known living person in the United States.

Whitehead became the nation’s oldest living person in October 2024, at 114, following the death of Elizabeth Francis, This past February she moved into second place globally, trailing only 117-year-old Ethel Caterham of the United Kingdom, after the death of France’s Marie-Rose Tessier.

The American, who resides in Greenville, Pennsylvania, also holds the second place among the world’s oldest people, only behind the British Ethel Caterham, who is 117 years old, according to the records of LongeviQuest and the Gerontology Research Group (GRG).

Born in Georgia in 1910, Whitehead spent part of her childhood on a family farm, where she helped with the cotton and tobacco harvest. In 1930, she married Sylvester Whitehead and had three children.

Her 116th birthday was celebrated in Greenville with a family gathering attended by between 80 and 90 people, including descendants from several generations. Two of her grandchildren organized the party, where relatives wore blue shirts with pictures of Whitehead and the number 116. The honoree also posed for photographs with her family members.

Over the years, Whitehead has attributed her longevity to some personal habits: she never smoked, rarely drank alcohol, and maintained a deep religious faith.

Her family also highlights the importance she has had for them. Her great-granddaughter Neely Whitehead told The Blackshear Times that Naomi “has always been the pillar of our family” and that when she thinks of her, she does so in terms of “honor, legacy, faith”.

During the celebration, a great-niece also collected family memories and anecdotes. The meal included chicken, ham, green beans, macaroni and cheese, and other dishes prepared for the attendees.

Second oldest person in the world

Whitehead became the oldest known American in October 2024, following the death of Elizabeth Francis, who was 115 years old. Since February 2026, she holds the second position in the verified international longevity rankings, behind Ethel Caterham.

Specialized organizations verify these ages through historical documents such as birth certificates, censuses, and marriage records. Therefore, positions can change when a person included in the ranking passes away or a new case is documented.

Key takeaways

Milestone Birthday: Naomi Whitehead turned 116 on September 26, celebrated with 80–90 family members across four generations in Greenville, Pennsylvania.
Global Ranking: She is the oldest known living American and the second oldest person in the world, behind 117-year-old Ethel Caterham.
Longevity & Legacy: Attributes her long life to never smoking, rarely drinking, and strong religious faith; regarded as the pillar of her family, inspiring honor, legacy, and faith.

Naomi Whitehead, the oldest living person in North America, celebrated her 115th birthday this week at her nursing home in Greenville.© Wikipedia

In 1910, the world was a very different place. Horse-drawn transport was still commonplace, there were fewer than 20 aircraft in the entirety of the US, and American women were still ten years away from getting the vote.

Into this strange world, Naomi Whitehead was born on a farm in the state of Georgia. Having witnessed two world wars, the Moon landings, and the dawn of the internet, Naomi is celebrating her 115th birthday.

“I’ll live as long as the Lord lets me,” she says.

She’s the oldest living person in the United States, and the third-oldest worldwide. The current record-holder is Hampshire, England’s amazingly well-preserved 116-year-old Ethel Caterham.

Naomi says that her astounding longevity is down to three factors: avoiding alcohol and cigarettes and a lifetime of hard work. Her early years saw long hours of gruelling field work – picking cotton and tobacco. At the age of 113, she still recalled being afraid of getting kicked by horses on the farm.

Her grandson, Daniel Whitehead, says that Naomi had always been “a good girl” and avoided temptation: “She didn’t drink, she didn’t smoke. She eats right and eats light and she believes in God.”

Dozens of Naomi’s descendants gathered to celebrate her 115th birthday© WKBN/CBS Newspath

Naomi, born Naomi Washington, married Sylvester Whitehead in 1930, and the couple went on to welcome three sons Sylvester Jr., Parrish and Elbert. Naomi has not only outlived her husband, but all three of her children.

However, she has a network of loving grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and nieces and nephews who visit her regularly at the St. Paul’s Senior Living in Greenville Pennsylvania, where she has lived since turning 101 in 2011.

Her granddaughter, Stacia Talbert, said Naomi’s extraordinarily long life had come thanks to. “God, faith, family, and hard work.”

Naomi’s lifelong avoidance of booze and cigarettes will have been a major contributing factor. Experts say that drinking alcohol increases the risk of cardiovascular disease, pancreatitis, liver problems and multiple types of cancer.

Research published in leading medical journal The Lancet, based on the study of 600,000 drinkers, estimated that having 10 to 15 alcoholic drinks every week could shorten an average person’s life by between one and two years.

While some studies had previously suggested that the polyphenols in red wine can have a beneficial effect on drinkers’ hearts, scientists have recently suggested these benefits may be exaggerated.

Tim Chico, professor of cardiovascular medicine at the University of Sheffield, told the BBC: “This study makes clear that on balance there are no health benefits from drinking alcohol, which is usually the case when things sound too good to be true.

“Although non-fatal heart attacks are less likely in people who drink, this benefit is swamped by the increased risk of other forms of heart disease including fatal heart attacks and stroke.”

The dangers of smoking are already well-established – the habit is known to increase the risk of heart disease, stroke, and cancer, as well as respiratory conditions such as COPD.

A sedentary lifestyle also increases the risk factors of almost all of those conditions, and Naomi’s long life of physical hard work, along with her avoidance of alcohol and cigarettes, can only have boosted her chances of a record-breaking long life.

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