Death of world's oldest woman has Indiana tie

Lola Susano said playing the harmonica kept her healthy.

The recent death of a woman who lived to be 124 years old has a loose tie to Shelbyville, Indiana.

Lola Francisca Susano, a Filipino woman believed to be the oldest person in the world, recently died at age 124. She lived in the province of Negros Occidental, Philippines.

“It is with sadness in our heart when we received the news that our beloved Lola Francisca Susano passed away,” the city government posted on Facebook. “Her official declaration as the oldest person in the world at 124 years old is currently validated by Guinness World Records.”

According to CNN Philippines, her cause of death has yet to be determined. She reportedly was not showing any symptoms of the Covid virus.

Lola was born on Sept. 11, 1897, according to local records. Her secret to her long life was attributed to a diet that consisted primarily of vegetables, with little meat and no pork, and no alcohol. She also played the harmonica every morning, which she claimed kept her lungs strong and healthy.

Did you know that Indiana claims its own World's Oldest Woman? Edna Ruth Scott was born in 1893 on a farm in Morgan County. She attended Franklin Senior High School, then took classes at Franklin College to obtain a teaching certificate. She taught at a two-room schoolhouse in Smithland for a few years, until she married her next door neighbor, Earl Parker, on April 12, 1913. Earl died on Feb. 23, 1939. They had two sons, Clifford and Earl Jr.

In January 2007, Edna became the oldest person in the United States, and seven months later, following the death of Yone Minagawa of Japan, she became the oldest person in the world.

World's Tallest Woman Sandy Allen helped Edna Parker celebrate her 115th birthday.

What are the chances of two world record holders living in the same nursing home?

Edna lived in the Heritage House Convalescent Center in Shelbyville, the same facility as Sandy Allen, at 7 feet 7 1/4 inches certified by Guinness World Records as the tallest living woman. Sandy held the title minus one year from 1976 until her death on Aug. 13, 2008.

Parker died in the nursing home seven months after her birthday on Nov. 26, 2008, aged 115 years 220 days. She is buried in Shelbyville's Miller Cemetery.