Gertrude Noone
Encyclopedia
Gertrude Evelyn Noone was an American supercentenarian
and also the oldest American military veteran until she died in September 2009. At death, she was the oldest military veteran in the world, having served in World War II as a clerk in Fort Myer
, an army base in Virginia
.
Gertrude Noone was born in Ansonia
, Connecticut on December 30, 1898. She was the ninth of her family's ten children.
Noone, who never married, worked as an insurance policy clerk for The Travelers. She left her job to enlist in 1943 in the Women's Army Corps
during World War II when she was 44 years old. While enlisted in the Corps, Noone became the chief clerk of the dispensary at Fort Myer
, near Washington D.C. She rose within the Corps to the rank of sergeant first class
by the time she left the United States Army in 1949.
She returned to the private sector, where she worked as an administrative assistant at a psychiatric hospital in Stamford
, Connecticut, until her retirement in 1962.
The honorary title of oldest known living military veteran passed to Gertrude Noone on July 25, 2009, following the death of British World War I veteran Harry Patch
.
Gertrude Noone died at the Carriage Green assisted living facility in Milford
, Connecticut, on September 10, 2009, at the age of 110. She was buried with full military honors at Mount St. Peter's Cemetery in Derby
, Connecticut.
Supercentenarian
A supercentenarian is someone who has reached the age of 110 years. This age is achieved by about one in a thousand centenarians....
and also the oldest American military veteran until she died in September 2009. At death, she was the oldest military veteran in the world, having served in World War II as a clerk in Fort Myer
Fort Myer
Fort Myer is a U.S. Army post adjacent to Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington County, Virginia, across the Potomac River from Washington, D.C. It is a small post by U.S...
, an army base in Virginia
Virginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
.
Gertrude Noone was born in Ansonia
Ansonia, Connecticut
Ansonia is a city in New Haven County, Connecticut, United States, on the Naugatuck River, immediately north of Derby and about northwest of New Haven. The population was 19,249 at the 2010 census. The ZIP code for Ansonia is 06401. The city is serviced by the Metro North railroad...
, Connecticut on December 30, 1898. She was the ninth of her family's ten children.
Noone, who never married, worked as an insurance policy clerk for The Travelers. She left her job to enlist in 1943 in the Women's Army Corps
Women's Army Corps
The Women's Army Corps was the women's branch of the US Army. It was created as an auxiliary unit, the Women's Army Auxiliary Corps on 15 May 1942 by Public Law 554, and converted to full status as the WAC in 1943...
during World War II when she was 44 years old. While enlisted in the Corps, Noone became the chief clerk of the dispensary at Fort Myer
Fort Myer
Fort Myer is a U.S. Army post adjacent to Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington County, Virginia, across the Potomac River from Washington, D.C. It is a small post by U.S...
, near Washington D.C. She rose within the Corps to the rank of sergeant first class
Sergeant First Class
Sergeant First Class is the seventh enlisted rank in the U.S. Army, above Staff Sergeant and below Master Sergeant and First Sergeant, and is the first senior non-commissioned officer rank...
by the time she left the United States Army in 1949.
She returned to the private sector, where she worked as an administrative assistant at a psychiatric hospital in Stamford
Stamford, Connecticut
Stamford is a city in Fairfield County, Connecticut, United States. According to the 2010 census, the population of the city is 122,643, making it the fourth largest city in the state and the eighth largest city in New England...
, Connecticut, until her retirement in 1962.
The honorary title of oldest known living military veteran passed to Gertrude Noone on July 25, 2009, following the death of British World War I veteran Harry Patch
Harry Patch
Henry John "Harry" Patch , known in his latter years as "the Last Fighting Tommy", was a British supercentenarian, briefly the oldest man in Europe, and the last surviving soldier to have fought in the trenches of the First World War...
.
Gertrude Noone died at the Carriage Green assisted living facility in Milford
Milford, Connecticut
Milford is a coastal city in southwestern New Haven County, Connecticut, United States, located between Bridgeport and New Haven. The population was 52,759 at the 2010 census...
, Connecticut, on September 10, 2009, at the age of 110. She was buried with full military honors at Mount St. Peter's Cemetery in Derby
Derby, Connecticut
Derby is a city in New Haven County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 12,391 at the 2000 census. With of land area, Derby is Connecticut's smallest municipality.The city has a Metro-North railroad station called Derby – Shelton.-History:...
, Connecticut.
See also
- List of verified supercentenarians who died in 2009
- LongevityLongevityThe word "longevity" is sometimes used as a synonym for "life expectancy" in demography or known as "long life", especially when it concerns someone or something lasting longer than expected ....
- SupercentenarianSupercentenarianA supercentenarian is someone who has reached the age of 110 years. This age is achieved by about one in a thousand centenarians....