OLDEST AMERICAN MS. ADELE CELEBRATES 114 YEARS

Adele Dunlap of Pittstown, New Jersey resides at the Country Arch Care Center where she celebrated her 114th. Dunlap, who has been a resident of New Jersey her entire life, became the oldest living American approximately six months ago. 

Adele Dunlap, who assumed the title of oldest American five months ago, marked her 114th birthday Monday with a balloon bouquet and a "Happy Birthday" serenade from fellow residents of the Hunterdon County care center where she has lived since age 99.

But Dunlap made clear through her facial expressions and her answers to questions that she didn't appreciate the fuss. Asked what she was thankful for, Dunlap said, "Gee, how should I know?" And asked what her birthday wish was, she responded, "I've never thought of such a thing. I don't wish for anything."

She also declared that it was her 105th birthday. It's her habit to shave about a decade off her age, according to nursing home staff and her family.

Dunlap was born in Newark on Dec. 12, 1902. Her birth date has been validated by the Gerontology Research Group, which tracks "supercentenarians," or people older than 110. Among the documents attesting to her astonishing age is her diploma from South Side High School in Newark. It is dated June 27, 1921 — 95 1/2 years ago.

There are believed to be several hundred supercentenarians in the world. In addition to being the oldest American, Dunlap is the world's ninth-oldest person. The oldest, according to the Gerontology Research Group database, is an Italian woman, Emma Morano-Martinuzzi, who marked her 117th birthday on Nov. 29. The next-oldest American is Meta Dishman of Virginia. She turned 113 on June 1. Of the world's 46 oldest people in the Gerontology Research Group's database, 44 are women.

Dunlap moved up to oldest American when Goldie Michelson of Worcester, Mass., died on July 8, one month shy of her 114th birthday. She said at the time that being the oldest American didn't make her feel any different.

On Monday morning at the Country Arch Care Center in Pittstown, Dunlap sat in a wheelchair with a blanket from the Tewksbury Women's Club over her lap and moccasins on her feet. She had her usual oatmeal for breakfast and then attended the "coffee club" in the dining room, where staffers and a dozen other residents sang "Happy Birthday" to her. That was the extent of the celebration. Country Arch recognizes birthdays en masse, and the 15 residents with December birthdays were feted last Wednesday.

The center has 111 residents, including five centenarians. The other four are more than a decade younger than Dunlap.

"Ms. Adele has requested that the celebrations become fewer because she says we are all important, and that speaks volumes about who she is," said Susan Dempster, Country Arch's marketing director. READ MORE