Dallas woman, 114, says she lived cleanly, kept to herself 3rd-oldest human celebrates 114th birthday Thursday 12:00 AM CST on Saturday, March 8, 2008 By DAVID FLICK / The Dallas Morning News dflick@dallasnews.com There are 6.7 billion people on Earth younger than Bell Ewing. Only two persons are older. [Click image for a larger version] MICHAEL AINSWORTH/DMN MICHAEL AINSWORTH/DMN 'I don't know why God left me here so long,' says Bell Ewing. Mrs. Ewing, of South Dallas, who will turn 114 on Thursday, is the second-oldest living American and the third-oldest human being. Edna Parker of Indiana will be 115 next month, and Maria de Jesus of Portugal turned 114 in September. Relatives say she has a simple prescription for longevity – live cleanly and keep to yourself. "She told me once that the secret to a long life is she spends six months minding her own business and six months leaving other people alone," said Ruby Perkins Williams, 55, a great-niece. Family members plan to celebrate Mrs. Ewing's life today at Ervay Cedar Baptist Church in South Dallas, and Dallas Mayor Tom Leppert will join staff members at Grace Presbyterian Village for the main celebration on Thursday – her actual birthday. Hopefully, things will go better than last year. She was celebrating at a relative's home when she fell and broke her hip, relatives said. She went into rehabilitation, and, at age 113, moved into a nursing home for the first time in her life. Her age has been verified using U.S. census records by the Gerontology Research Group, an organization of gerontologists based at the University of California at Los Angeles. The organization's list of the world's oldest people is considered definitive by, among others, the Guinness Book of Records. Mrs. Ewing will be one of fewer than 70 people in history who have been verified as 114 years old, according to Robert Young, who researches claims for the group. The longest unambiguously documented life was that of Jeanne Calment of France (1875-1997), who lived 122 years and 164 days, according to the organization's Web site. Arbella Perkins Ewing was born on a Freestone County farm, one of 12 children whose great-grandparents had been slaves in Mississippi. A younger sister, who will be 104 this year, still lives in Streetman, near the family farm. Mrs. Ewing's earliest memory, she said, is of chopping cotton. Although farm work was hard, she told relatives that she enjoyed it. Other memories were less pleasant. "She always said there were racial problems," Ms. Williams said. "She had a cousin who was lynched, and she told us that was a reason she moved to Dallas." In 1936, she and her husband, Frank, settled into a house on Bradshaw Street in South Dallas. She lived there until she was 106. Relatives described her as a church-going woman with a sense of humor who cooked food for sick neighbors. She never had a driver's license and walked each day to the home of a wealthy South Dallas family where she worked as a maid. Her husband and only daughter both died in the 1970s. "She always liked to keep her house very clean," said Evelyn Sheffield, 67, one of Mrs. Ewing's godchildren. "When she couldn't do it anymore, we brought someone in. She didn't like the way they did things at all, but she finally got used to it." Ms. Williams said her great-aunt has felt the loss of her independence keenly. "She's been a little down lately; she was used to her own home," she said. "She gets a little grumpy these days, but she's such a sweet person." In an interview Thursday at the southeast Dallas nursing home, Mrs. Ewing, who is nearly deaf, answered inquiries with shakes of her head or single-word sentences. She didn't expect to live so long, she said, and has no advice. The first president she remembers is William Howard Taft, who took office nine days before her 15th birthday. She has followed the current presidential election but is undecided about whom to support. Until recently, staff workers said, she was an avid fan of Oprah Winfrey, Wheel of Fortune and the Dallas Cowboys. She's been healthy most of her life, Ms. Sheffield said. "She had surgery a long time ago. She was in her 60s, and we all wondered if she was too old. But she came through," she said. "She had high blood pressure, but when she got older, it seemed like it just went away." Otherwise, her life habits were exactly what your doctor is always telling you. "She always said it was because of good living – eating right and not staying out late," Ms. Williams said. "She said, 'I never drank or smoked. I never ran out to clubs or anything like that.' "She said, 'I was always God-fearing.' " A niece, Ozelner Martin, 87, said that when Mrs. Ewing was told she was among the oldest people in the world, she reacted with surprise. "She said, 'I don't know why God left me here so long.' " ====================================================================== Family's 'diamond' turning 111 S. Dallas: 8 generations of relatives, friends celebrate woman's life 12:00 AM CST on Monday, March 13, 2006 BY JON NIELSEN / The Dallas Morning News Arbella Perkins Ewing has her roots planted in three centuries, and like the flowers in her garden, they weather the changes. [Click image for a larger version] LAWRENCE JENKINS/Special Contributor LAWRENCE JENKINS/Special Contributor Lurlene Lacy (left) hugged Arbella Perkins Ewing during her 111th birthday celebration Saturday. 'She's a diamond to this family,' said Terrance Perkins, her great-great- great grand- nephew. 'She's a precious jewel that we have to cherish and try to keep polished.' She lived through the Great Depression. She was in her 60s during the height of the civil rights movement. And as Mrs. Ewing was approaching 100 years old, computers became a household necessity. Today, Mrs. Ewing turns 111 years old. The South Dallas woman celebrated the occasion Saturday with friends and eight generations of family. Sitting next to her at the party was her sister, 100-year-old Annie Lee Perkins. While Mrs. Ewing's hearing has faded, and she no longer lives alone – she was independent until she was 106 – she still manages to get around with her walker. She picks fruits and vegetables from the grocery store and sometimes prepares her meals. Her secret to life as a supercentenarian? "I really don't know. I don't know what the Lord is leading me for," Mrs. Ewing said. The Gerontology Research Group keeps a database of supercentenarians, those who live to be 110 years or older. The group estimates there are 300 to 450 worldwide and 60 to 75 in the U.S. In December, the Guinness Book of Records recognized Maria Esther Capovilla of Ecuador as the oldest living person at 116 years. Those close to Mrs. Ewing attribute her long life to positive thinking. "She doesn't let negativity rule her life," said Hayward McMurray, a former case manager for the Texas Department of Human Services and now a family friend. "She doesn't have many negative thoughts. When she hears of bad things happening in the world, she says 'It's just one of those things.' " Mrs. Ewing doesn't let the world around her dictate how she lives her life, said her longtime South Dallas neighbor, Ken Smith. Although times have changed, Mrs. Ewing manages to live in a structured and organized environment. Mr. Smith said when he goes into her house, it's always in immaculate condition. "She keeps the house that never has a speck of dirt or paper or trash ever. It's as neat as neat can be," he said. Relatives keep her front lawn manicured, Mr. Smith said. When spring arrives, the flowers bloom, displaying Mrs. Ewing's many years of gardening. "There are trees and flowers growing out of there. It's always colorful," Mr. Smith said. "The representation of being neat and clean, I really think that's part of her longevity." When Mr. Smith introduced new neighbors to the area, he always told them about Mrs. Ewing. "We'd say that's Mrs. Ewing right there, she doesn't play. So you've got to keep it down and do the right thing because she's always looking." Relatives say Mrs. Ewing's daily routine has helped her live long and healthy. She takes no prescription drugs, but takes vitamins every day. She watches The Oprah Winfrey Show, the news and Wheel of Fortune. And she never smoked or drank alcohol. Mrs. Ewing was born March 13, 1895, in Freestone County, the fourth of 12 children. She grew up in Streetman, Texas, and married Frank Ewing in 1915. In 1936, the couple moved to Dallas, where she worked as a housekeeper until her retirement in the late 1960s. In retirement, she devoted time to her hobbies, gardening and fishing. Every Sunday she walked to her church, Porter Temple C.M.E. Church in South Dallas, where she served on several boards. Her husband died in 1977, and their only daughter, Claudia, died in 1970. But with hundreds of relatives – eight generations worth – family has always been close. "She's a diamond to this family," said Terrance Perkins, her great-great-great grandnephew. "She's a precious jewel that we have to cherish and try to keep polished. "We try to go by and keep her spirits up and encourage her and thank her for the life and the legacy for the lifestyle she's lived before us all." E-mail jnielsen@dallasnews.com ======================================= http://snunes.blogspot.com/ The oldest person in Texas, Arbella Perkins Ewing, 114, has died, nine days after she celebrated her birthday. She was the second-oldest American and the third oldest in the entire world: Although Mrs. Ewings lived alone for many years in their home on Bradshaw Street, eight generations of her family kept a watchful eye on her. "We try to go by and keep her spirits up and encourage her and thank her for the life and legacy for the lifestyle she lived before us all," her great-great-great-grandnephew, Terrance Perkins, said at the time of her 112th birthday two years ago. "She's a diamond to this family," he said. "She's a precious jewel that we have to cherish and try to keep polished." Mrs. Ewings took pride in being able to care for herself and her home well after she turned 100. "She was absolutely meticulous about everything: her home, her clothes, her yard," said Ken Smith, a longtime South Dallas neighbor. "Dirt just could not light anywhere near her. It wasn't allowed." She was known for the gardenias she kept in her front yard, the juicy hamburgers she served up from the grill and her sense of humor. As members of the family passed away, she would simply shrug and say, "It was time," Mrs. Williams said. She has a sister who is 103. ======================================= http://www.examiner.com/a-1296394~Oldest_Texan_Dead_at_114.html Oldest Texan Dead at 114 Mar 23, 2008 3:37 AM (1 day ago) AP DALLAS (Map, News) - A 114-year-old woman, considered the oldest person in Texas, has died at a Dallas retirement home. Arbella Perkins Ewings celebrated her birthday March 13 with a proclamation from Mayor Tom Leppert and speeches by friends and family. She blew out all 114 candles on her birthday cake. But during the party, she warned those attending that she wouldn't be around much longer. Ewings died Saturday at Grace Presbyterian Village, according to a spokeswoman for Evergreen Funeral Home. "She was telling everyone, 'It's time to meet my maker,'" Sabrina Porter, the retirement home's executive director, told The Dallas Morning News. "It was a blessing that she went so peacefully." At the time of her death, Ewings was the oldest person in Texas, the second-oldest American and the third-oldest person in the world, according to the Gerontology Research Group, a California group that tracks the world's oldest people. As of March 1, the organization had validated 81 "supercentenarians" who were 110 years or older. The oldest, Edna Parker of Indiana, will turn 115 in April, and the second-oldest, Maria de Jesus of Portugal, turned 114 last September. Ewings was born March 13, 1894, the fourth oldest of 12 children whose great-grandparents had been slaves in Mississippi. She married Frank Ewings in 1915, and they moved to South Dallas in 1936, where she worked as a housekeeper until the 1960s. Frank Ewings died in 1977, and the couple's only daughter, Claudia, died in 1970. "She told me once that the secret to a long life is she spent six months minding her own business and six months leaving other people alone," said Ruby Perkins Williams, a great-grandniece. Ewings was proud of being able to care for herself and her 900-square-foot home well after she turned 100. She was forced to move into the retirement home after she fell and broke her hip at a family party to celebrate her 113th birthday. Her only surviving sibling, Annie Lee Perkins, is 103. ======================================= http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/dn/obituaries/stories/032308dnmetewingsobit.2fe78e4.html 114-year-old South Dallas woman dies nine days after birthday celebration 08:28 PM CDT on Saturday, March 22, 2008 By SHERRY JACOBSON / The Dallas Morning News sjacobson@dallasnews.com Arbella Perkins Ewings blew out all 114 candles on her birthday cake on March 13 and quietly took part in the celebration that comes with being the third-oldest person in the world. There was a proclamation from Dallas Mayor Tom Leppert, speeches by friends and family, TV cameras and a roomful of well-wishers. Ms. Ewings died Saturday at Grace Presbyterian Village. COURTNEY PERRY/DMN Ms. Ewings died Saturday at Grace Presbyterian Village. But the people who knew the South Dallas woman as "Aunt Bell" could see that her heart wasn't in the celebration. Her words often did not match the festive occasion, although she was alert and greeting most people by name – even neighbors she had not seen in a long time. Throughout the party, she warned her guests that she wasn't going to last much longer. On Saturday, nine days after the birthday celebration, Mrs. Ewings died at Grace Presbyterian Village, a retirement community where she had lived for almost a year. Officials said she had stopped eating and then refused to get out of bed during the last three or four days. Also Online 03/08: South Dallas woman is world's third-oldest person "She was telling everyone, 'It's time to meet my maker,' " said Sabrina Porter, executive director of Grace Presbyterian. "She died very peacefully about noon Saturday. It was a blessing that she went so peacefully." Although she was a private woman, Mrs. Ewings seemed to accept the celebrity that came with her advancing age. At the time of her death, she was the oldest person in Texas, the second-oldest American and the third-oldest person in the world, according to the Gerontology Research Group, a California organization that tracks the world's oldest people. As of March 1, the group had validated 81 people as "supercentenarians," those who were 110 years or older and still alive. The oldest, Edna Parker of Indiana, will turn 115 in April, and the second-oldest, Maria de Jesus of Portugal, turned 114 last September. If there were any secrets to her longevity, Mrs. Ewings gave credit to having lived a clean life and keeping mainly to herself. "She told me once that the secret to a long life is she spent six months minding her own business and six months leaving other people alone," said Ruby Perkins Williams, a great-grandniece. Mrs. Ewings was born March 13, 1894, on a Freestone County farm, the fourth-eldest of 12 children whose great-grandparents had been slaves in Mississippi. She married Frank Ewings in 1915, and they moved to South Dallas in 1936, where she worked as a housekeeper until the 1960s. Mr. Ewings died in 1977, and the couple's only daughter, Claudia, died in 1970. Although Mrs. Ewings lived alone for many years in their home on Bradshaw Street, eight generations of her family kept a watchful eye on her. "We try to go by and keep her spirits up and encourage her and thank her for the life and legacy for the lifestyle she lived before us all," her great-great-great-grandnephew, Terrance Perkins, said at the time of her 112th birthday two years ago. "She's a diamond to this family," he said. "She's a precious jewel that we have to cherish and try to keep polished." Mrs. Ewings took pride in being able to care for herself and her home well after she turned 100. "She was absolutely meticulous about everything: her home, her clothes, her yard," said Ken Smith, a longtime South Dallas neighbor. "Dirt just could not light anywhere near her. It wasn't allowed." She was known for the gardenias she kept in her front yard, the juicy hamburgers she served up from the grill and her sense of humor. As members of the family passed away, she would simply shrug and say, "It was time," Mrs. Williams said. In recent years, Mrs. Ewings had resisted her family's attempts to help her care for her 900-square-foot home. Outsiders just didn't meet her standards of cleanliness, she complained. But eventually, Mrs. Ewings accepted help because it was the only way she could continue living at home. Finally, she was forced to move into a retirement community after she fell and broke her hip at a family party to celebrate her 113th birthday. "When we had the big party for her last week, she took her glasses off and said she wouldn't be needing those anymore," Mrs. Williams said Saturday. "I got a little teary-eyed. We know they've got to go, but it's still hard for us to accept. She was getting tired, and she just slipped away from us." In addition to eight generations of nieces and nephews, Mrs. Ewings is survived by a sister, Annie Lee Perkins, who at 103 is her lone surviving sibling. She lives in a nursing home in Streetman, Texas. Funeral arrangements are pending with Evergreen Funeral Home in Dallas. ======================================= http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/dn/obituaries/stories/DN-ewingsob_25met.ART.State.Edition2.4611d15.html Rites set for world's third oldest person 05:39 AM CDT on Tuesday, March 25, 2008 From Staff Reports Services for Arbella Perkins Ewings will be at 10 a.m. Saturday at Porter Temple C.M.E. Church, 3223 Hatcher St. in Dallas. Mrs. Ewings, 114, died Saturday of natural causes at Grace Presbyterian Village. A wake will be from 7 to 7:45 p.m. Friday at Evergreen Funeral Home, 6449 S. Houston School Road. She will be buried Saturday in Streetman, Texas, next to her husband, Frank Ewings, who died in 1977, and their daughter, Claudia, who died in 1970. Mrs. Ewings, who was known as "Aunt Bell," was believed to the third-oldest person in the world. She stopped eating and had refused to get out of bed after a March 13 birthday celebration, officials at her retirement village said Saturday. From staff reports