OMAHA — The Omaha woman who was America's oldest living person has died.

Thelma Sutcliffe was 115 years and 108 days old when she died Monday. She was born Oct. 1, 1906.

Thelma now (copy) — Thelma Sutcliffe of Omaha celebrated her 115th birthday last October as America's oldest living person. She died Monday.
COURTESY PHOTO FROM BRIGHTON GARDENS

Sutcliffe's longtime friend, Luella "Lou" Mason, said Sutcliffe "was taken care of, and hospice was with her when she passed.

"She passed very peacefully. It was just time."

In April, Sutcliffe became the nation's oldest living person and seventh-oldest in the world at 114 years and 209 days.

She quietly celebrated her 115th birthday in October at her residence, Brighton Gardens senior living center.

Young Thelma — Thelma Sutcliffe, who held the title of the oldest living person in the United States, was born Oct. 1, 1906. This is a photograph of Thelma as a young woman, possibly her engagement photo, according to her friend Luella "Lou" Mason.

According to The Gerontology Research Group, just before she died, Sutcliffe became the fifth-oldest living person in the world, behind four other women.

Maria Branyas Morera, who was born in California on March 4, 1907, becomes the oldest living American. She now lives in Spain.

Sutcliffe was born in Benson before it became part of Omaha. Her parents, August and Maude Liesche, owned a farm. At the age of 17, she married Bill Sutcliffe, who worked for the U.S. Postal Service.

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Sutcliffe called her wedding day the happiest day of her life, Mason said, and said her husband was “her best friend.”

Bill Sutcliffe died in the early 1970s.

Mason said she last had lunch with Sutcliffe a few weeks ago. They had become friends when they both lived at Elmwood Tower.

Mason has said that Sutcliffe never cared about being named the oldest living person in the United States, but she always cared about how she looked in photos and wouldn't allow one unless everything was just right.

Sutcliffe survived two bouts of cancer and chose not to worry about things she couldn't control, Mason said.

“I don’t believe in worrying at all,” Sutcliffe told her friend. “What good does it do? That’s how you live to be my age.”

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