Mary Josephine Ray
Encyclopedia
Mary Josephine Ray was the world's second-oldest verified living person at the time of her death. Following the death of Gertrude Baines
on September 11, 2009, Ray became the oldest person living in the United States.
She was the oldest recorded person ever to live in New Hampshire
, although the oldest person born in New Hampshire was Nellie Spencer (1869–1982), who lived to age 113 years 81 days. Ray was also the oldest person ever recorded born in Prince Edward Island and the third-oldest person ever born in Canada. Since the death of Maria de Jesus
from Portugal, she was also the oldest person of European descent in the world. She also ranked as one of the 35 oldest verified supercentenarians in history. Ray is the second oldest verified person to die in 2010 behind Kama Chinen (May 10, 1895 – May 2, 2010) who lived for 114 years and 357 days.
to French Canadian (Acadian
) parents, Sabin Arsenault and Lydie Anne Blanchard, Mary Josephine moved to the United States at age three. Her father died when she was 7 and her mother also died when she was 15. Mary went out on her own, working in factories in Maine
. In the 1920s she married Walter Ray (died 1967), and moved to New Hampshire. She retired to Florida
, aged 80, and lived there on her own until age 100, when her family brought her back to New Hampshire. At age 102, she moved into a nursing home when the family felt they could no longer care for her at home.
and Donald, 85, of Hinsdale, New Hampshire
. In all, she had two sons, eight grandchildren, 13 great-grandchildren, and six great-great-grandchildren.
baseball team. After watching baseball
games, she often had cake and ice cream. At her 108th birthday celebration, she was greeted with the song "Take Me Out to the Ball Game
" and a cake with the Red Sox symbol on it. Ray continued to buy Red Sox merchandise, and commented that she intended to continue doing so. Fred Hale, who lived to be 113 years 354 days old, was also a fan of the team.
Gertrude Baines
Gertrude Baines was an American supercentenarian, who became the oldest recognized living person according to Guinness World Records on January 2, 2009, until her own death on September 11, 2009, at age 115 years 158 days...
on September 11, 2009, Ray became the oldest person living in the United States.
She was the oldest recorded person ever to live in New Hampshire
New Hampshire
New Hampshire is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. The state was named after the southern English county of Hampshire. It is bordered by Massachusetts to the south, Vermont to the west, Maine and the Atlantic Ocean to the east, and the Canadian...
, although the oldest person born in New Hampshire was Nellie Spencer (1869–1982), who lived to age 113 years 81 days. Ray was also the oldest person ever recorded born in Prince Edward Island and the third-oldest person ever born in Canada. Since the death of Maria de Jesus
Maria de Jesus
Maria de Jesus dos Santos was a Portuguese supercentenarian who was the world's oldest verified living person for 37 days, until her death at 115 years 114 days. She assumed this status after the 26 November 2008 death of American Edna Parker, who was 115 years 220 days old...
from Portugal, she was also the oldest person of European descent in the world. She also ranked as one of the 35 oldest verified supercentenarians in history. Ray is the second oldest verified person to die in 2010 behind Kama Chinen (May 10, 1895 – May 2, 2010) who lived for 114 years and 357 days.
History
Born in Bloomfield, Prince Edward IslandBloomfield, Prince Edward Island
Bloomfield is an unincorporated community in Prince County, Prince Edward Island, Canada. Bloomfield Provincial Park is located here.Bloomfield is the birthplace of Mary Josephine Ray....
to French Canadian (Acadian
Acadian
The Acadians are the descendants of the 17th-century French colonists who settled in Acadia . Acadia was a colony of New France...
) parents, Sabin Arsenault and Lydie Anne Blanchard, Mary Josephine moved to the United States at age three. Her father died when she was 7 and her mother also died when she was 15. Mary went out on her own, working in factories in Maine
Maine
Maine is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States, bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the east and south, New Hampshire to the west, and the Canadian provinces of Quebec to the northwest and New Brunswick to the northeast. Maine is both the northernmost and easternmost...
. In the 1920s she married Walter Ray (died 1967), and moved to New Hampshire. She retired to Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
, aged 80, and lived there on her own until age 100, when her family brought her back to New Hampshire. At age 102, she moved into a nursing home when the family felt they could no longer care for her at home.
Family
Arsenault married Walter Ray circa 1923. The 1930 census listing for Walter Ray lists him as age 36, married at 28; and Mary Josephine as age 34 (it was in April), married at 27. Ray had two sons, both living: Robert, 86, of Pensacola, FloridaPensacola, Florida
Pensacola is the westernmost city in the Florida Panhandle and the county seat of Escambia County, Florida, United States of America. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 56,255 and as of 2009, the estimated population was 53,752...
and Donald, 85, of Hinsdale, New Hampshire
Hinsdale, New Hampshire
Hinsdale is a town in Cheshire County, New Hampshire, United States. The population was 4,046 at the 2010 census. Hinsdale is home to part of Pisgah State Park in the northeast, and part of Wantastiquet Mountain State Forest in the northwest....
. In all, she had two sons, eight grandchildren, 13 great-grandchildren, and six great-great-grandchildren.
Hobbies
Ray followed, as much as possible, the Boston Red SoxBoston Red Sox
The Boston Red Sox are a professional baseball team based in Boston, Massachusetts, and a member of Major League Baseball’s American League Eastern Division. Founded in as one of the American League's eight charter franchises, the Red Sox's home ballpark has been Fenway Park since . The "Red Sox"...
baseball team. After watching baseball
Baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
games, she often had cake and ice cream. At her 108th birthday celebration, she was greeted with the song "Take Me Out to the Ball Game
Take Me Out to the Ball Game
"Take Me Out to the Ball Game" is a 1908 Tin Pan Alley song by Jack Norworth and Albert Von Tilzer which has become the unofficial anthem of baseball, although neither of its authors had attended a game prior to writing the song. The song is traditionally sung during the seventh-inning stretch of...
" and a cake with the Red Sox symbol on it. Ray continued to buy Red Sox merchandise, and commented that she intended to continue doing so. Fred Hale, who lived to be 113 years 354 days old, was also a fan of the team.
See also
- List of Canadian supercentenarians
- List of the verified oldest people
- 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....