Who is the Second Oldest Woman in the World in 2023 After Fusa Tatsumi’s Death?

A favorite meal can be more than just a source of nourishment and pleasure. It can also be a way of celebrating life, culture, and memories. For some people, a favorite meal can even be a part of their longevity secret. But what happens when the person who enjoys their favorite meal is also one of the oldest people in the world?

What Was the Second Oldest Woman in the World Eating When She Died?

This past Tuesday, Fusa Tatsumi, the world’s second oldest woman and Japan’s oldest person, died peacefully at the age of 116, after eating her favorite meal of bean-paste jelly. Tatsumi was born on April 25, 1907, in Yao City, Osaka Prefecture, Japan.

She was the fifth of six siblings and practiced tea ceremony, flower arrangement, and Okoto (a classical Japanese musical instrument) in her youth. She married Ryutaro Tatsumi at the age of 32 and moved to Kashiwara City, Osaka Prefecture.

She worked in a family orchard until her husband died when she was about 55 years old. She enjoyed growing chrysanthemum flowers as a hobby, but broke her femur when she was in her 70s.

She lived at home with her family until just before she was 107, and then moved to a nursing home. She became the oldest living person in Japan and Asia after the death of Kane Tanaka on April 19, 2022, and the second oldest living person in the world after Lucile Randon on January 17, 2023.

How Did Fusa Tatsumi Live So Long?

Tatsumi’s family attributed her longevity to her physical work, honesty, and appreciation of small things. She also had a sweet tooth and loved bean-paste jelly, a traditional Japanese dessert made from agar and red bean paste. She ate it almost every day and requested it for her last meal. She died at 9:25 a.m. on Tuesday, surrounded by her loved ones, according to reports. She is survived by her two grandchildren, four great-grandchildren, and two great-great-grandchildren.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by FACTS OFFICIAL _432 (@factsofficial_432)

Who is the Second Oldest Woman in the World in 2023 After Fusa Tatsumi’s Death?

With Tatsumi’s death, the title of the world’s second oldest woman now belongs to Edith Ceccarelli, an American supercentenarian who was born on February 5, 1908, in Willits, California. Ceccarelli is the eldest of the seven children of Italian immigrants and graduated from Willits Union High School in 1927.

She married Elmer Keenan in 1933 and moved with him to Santa Rosa, California. They adopted a daughter and returned to Willits in 1971.

After being widowed in 1984, she married Charles Ceccarelli in 1986 and was widowed for a second time in 1990. She danced regularly well into old age and lived independently until she turned 107 and moved into a retirement home.

She suffers from dementia, but was able to walk with a walker until her 114th birthday. She credits her old age to not smoking or drinking (except for a glass of wine with dinner), staying out of arguments, being honest, working hard and appreciating small things.

Ceccarelli is currently the oldest living person in the United States, but not the oldest living American-born person, as Maria Branyas Morera of Spain is older.

Branyas Morera, who was born on March 4, 1907, in San Francisco, California, is the oldest living person in the world and the only living person verified to have been born in 1906.

She moved to Spain with her family when she was a child and has lived there ever since. She has three children, 11 grandchildren, and 13 great-grandchildren. She survived the Spanish flu pandemic of 1918, the Spanish Civil War of 1936-1939, and the COVID-19 pandemic of 2020-2021. She is still mentally sharp and active on social media.

What makes these women so remarkable and resilient? How do they cope with the changes and challenges of living for more than a century? What can we learn from their stories and wisdom? These are some of the questions that we may ask ourselves as we marvel at their extraordinary lives and achievements.