Naomi Whitehead became the oldest living person in the United States on October 22, 2024, following the death of Elizabeth Francis.Born Naomi Washington on September 26, 1910, in rural Georgia, she spent much of her early life working on a farm, picking cotton and tobacco, alongside her siblings Douglas, Clarence, Ellen, and Viola.

At age 20, she married Sylvester Whitehead in 1930. The couple raised three sons—Parrish, Elbert, and Sylvester Jr.—over many decades.  Over time, Naomi outlived her husband (who passed in the 1980s) and all three sons, with the last surviving son, Parrish, dying in 2011.

Raised on a farm, Naomi attributes her long life to a combination of good genes, diligence, and steady habits. She never smoked or drank alcohol. She also engaged in daily physical activity during her life and held strong faith, often saying “I’ll live as long as the Lord lets me.”

Now residing at St. Paul’s Senior Living Community in Greenville, Pennsylvania, Naomi has become a living link across generations. Her story embodies resilience, family legacy, and a life lived with quiet strength and conviction.