Gladys Swetland
Encyclopedia
Marguerite Gladys Swetland (18 April 1892 – 14 December 2005) was an American
supercentenarian
and the oldest living person
in the northern part of the United States when she died. Born to Chester Allen and Kate Doud Swetland in Mills, Pennsylvania
, Gladys began her career as a teacher in 1910, and only retired at age 78. After that, she continued to substitute-teach until age 80, and she drove a car well into her 100s
.
Swetland never married, and lived on her own until age 110. She attributed her longevity
to never marrying, and she was able to play the piano even at age 113. Only in her final months did increasing frailty slow her down. She died at the Charles Cole Memorial Hospital in Coudersport
, and is buried in the Woodland National Cemetery. At 113 years and 240 days, Swetland was recognized as the ninth-oldest living person and fourth-oldest American citizen at the time of her death. She was the subject of several newspaper articles and interviews about her long life.
As of February 1, 2011, Swetland is listed in the addendum of the list of the 100 oldest women ever.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
supercentenarian
Supercentenarian
A supercentenarian is someone who has reached the age of 110 years. This age is achieved by about one in a thousand centenarians....
and the oldest living person
Oldest people
This is a list of tables of the verified oldest people in the world in ordinal rank, such as oldest person or oldest man. In these tables, a supercentenarian is considered 'verified' if his or her claim has been validated by an international body that specifically deals in longevity research, such...
in the northern part of the United States when she died. Born to Chester Allen and Kate Doud Swetland in Mills, Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
, Gladys began her career as a teacher in 1910, and only retired at age 78. After that, she continued to substitute-teach until age 80, and she drove a car well into her 100s
Centenarian
A centenarian is a person who is or lives beyond the age of 100 years. Because current average life expectancies across the world are less than 100, the term is invariably associated with longevity. Much rarer, a supercentenarian is a person who has lived to the age of 110 or more, something only...
.
Swetland never married, and lived on her own until age 110. She attributed her longevity
Longevity
The word "longevity" is sometimes used as a synonym for "life expectancy" in demography or known as "long life", especially when it concerns someone or something lasting longer than expected ....
to never marrying, and she was able to play the piano even at age 113. Only in her final months did increasing frailty slow her down. She died at the Charles Cole Memorial Hospital in Coudersport
Coudersport, Pennsylvania
Coudersport is a borough in Potter County, Pennsylvania, east by south of Erie on the Allegheny River. The populations were these: 1,530 in 1890; 3,217 in 1900; and 3,100 in 1910. The population was 2,650 at the 2000 census...
, and is buried in the Woodland National Cemetery. At 113 years and 240 days, Swetland was recognized as the ninth-oldest living person and fourth-oldest American citizen at the time of her death. She was the subject of several newspaper articles and interviews about her long life.
As of February 1, 2011, Swetland is listed in the addendum of the list of the 100 oldest women ever.
See also
- List of the verified oldest people
- LongevityLongevityThe word "longevity" is sometimes used as a synonym for "life expectancy" in demography or known as "long life", especially when it concerns someone or something lasting longer than expected ....
- Oldest peopleOldest peopleThis is a list of tables of the verified oldest people in the world in ordinal rank, such as oldest person or oldest man. In these tables, a supercentenarian is considered 'verified' if his or her claim has been validated by an international body that specifically deals in longevity research, such...
- SupercentenarianSupercentenarianA supercentenarian is someone who has reached the age of 110 years. This age is achieved by about one in a thousand centenarians....
External links
- "Gladys Swetland, 113, oldest resident of Pa." Associated PressAssociated PressThe Associated Press is an American news agency. The AP is a cooperative owned by its contributing newspapers, radio and television stations in the United States, which both contribute stories to the AP and use material written by its staff journalists...
obituary, December 19, 2005, NewsdayNewsdayNewsday is a daily American newspaper that primarily serves Nassau and Suffolk counties and the New York City borough of Queens on Long Island, although it is sold throughout the New York metropolitan area...
archive. - "Gladys Swetland Turns 112 On April 18", Planet Smethport, April 14, 2004
- "PSERS Retiree Gladys Swetland Celebrates 113th Birthday", Pennsylvania Public School Employees' Retirement SystemPennsylvania Public School Employees' Retirement SystemPennsylvania Public School Employees' Retirement System is an independent administrative board of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania that manages the public pension system for educational employees in Pennsylvania. It was established by an act of the Pennsylvania General Assembly on July 1, 1919...
newsletter, Fall 2005 - "PSERS Retiree Remembered", Pennsylvania Public School Employees' Retirement SystemPennsylvania Public School Employees' Retirement SystemPennsylvania Public School Employees' Retirement System is an independent administrative board of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania that manages the public pension system for educational employees in Pennsylvania. It was established by an act of the Pennsylvania General Assembly on July 1, 1919...
, Winter 2006, Active & Retired Member Newsletter, Publication #9321