On November 7th, Bessie Hendricks celebrated her 115th birthday at the care home where she lives in Lake City, Iowa. Hendricks was joined for the special occasion by her three surviving children, the oldest of whom, Joan Schaffer, 90, called it “marvelous” that their mother was still with them. Since early this year, Hendricks has had the distinction of being the oldest validated living person in the United States and is presently the fourth oldest person in the whole world.