World's oldest person | Besse Cooper

Metro Atlanta

World's oldest person | Besse Cooper

Besse Cooper celebrates her 113th birthday at Walton Regional Medical Center Nursing Home in Monroe, Ga. On Tuesday, Dec. 4, 2012, Cooper died in a Georgia nursing home at age 116.

Besse Cooper, who at 114 years and five months old is the oldest person alive, sits in her room at a nursing home Tuesday, Feb. 1, 2011, in Monroe, Ga. On Tuesday, Dec. 4, 2012, Cooper died in a Georgia nursing home at age 116.

Besse Cooper, who at 114 years and five months old, is the world's oldest person according to the Los Angeles-based Gerontology Research Group, sits in her room at a nursing home Tuesday, Feb. 1, 2011, in Monroe, Ga.

Besse Cooper, right, 114 years and five months old, talks with her son Sid Cooper in her room at a nursing home Tuesday, Feb. 1, 2011 in Monroe, Ga. Cooper is now the world's oldest person, according to the Los Angeles-based Gerontology Research Group.

Besse Cooper, who at 114 years and five months old, is the world's oldest person according to the Los Angeles-based Gerontology Research Group, sits in her room at a nursing home Tuesday, Feb. 1, 2011, in Monroe, Ga. She died in a nursing home on Tuesday, Dec. 4, 2012 She was 116.

Rev. Andrew Erwin, right, New Hope At Between United Methodist, delivers a prayer for Besse Cooper, at her birthday celebration.

Frances Clark, 81, holds the hand of her friend Besse Cooper as Cooper celebrates her 113th birthday.

Sidney Cooper, 74, of Monroe, gives his mother Besse Cooper a kiss after she blows out the candles on her cake.

Besse Cooper gets a hug from her daughter-in-law Edith Cooper after blowing out the candles on her birthday cake.

Besse Cooper blows out the candles on her cake. When asked the secret of her longevity Ms. Cooper said " I mind my own business and I don't eat junk food."

Besse Cooper, who loves balloons, is presented with 113 of them to celebrate her 113th years on this earth.

Cooper moved to Georgia during World War I to become a school teacher at Between School in Between.

Besse Cooper is all smiles as she arrives at Walton Regional Medical Center Nursing Home in Monroe, Ga. for her 113th birthday celebration with her daughter-in-law Edith Cooper. At the time Cooper was the world's 12th oldest and Georgia's oldest person. Now, two years later she is the world's oldest person. She was born on Aug. 26, 1896 in Sullivan County, Tenn. She died in a nursing home on Tuesday, Dec. 4, 2012 She was 116.

1/12

Besse Cooper, who at 114 years and five months old is the oldest person alive, sits in her room at a nursing home Tuesday, Feb. 1, 2011, in Monroe, Ga. On Tuesday, Dec. 4, 2012, Cooper died in a Georgia nursing home at age 116.

Today's Gallery Headlines

Ice storm warning

PHOTOS: Scenes from icy winter storm in Metro Atlanta

As storm inches closer to Georgia, metro Atlanta braces for ice threat

PHOTOS: Georgia readies for incoming ice storm

01202026 day of protests

PHOTOS: Metro Atlanta ICE protest join national effort

MLK service at Ebenezer

PHOTOS: MLK Day service 2026

More Galleries

World Cup draw party TKTKT

PHOTOS: Fans attend 2026 World Cup draw party in Atlanta

Randy Beck

'No body' homicide cases in Georgia

Stitch rendering 2025

PHOTOS: Renderings of Stitch project over Atlanta's Downtown Connector

People are silhouetted against a huge Pride flag before the start of the Atlanta Pride Parade on Sunday, Oct. 12, 2025. (Ben Gray for the AJC)

Photos: Atlanta Pride Parade 2025