When you’re one of the world’s oldest people, your birthday isn’t just an international news story, it’s worthy of a royal visit.

That was the case for Ethel Caterham (UK), the world’s oldest woman and overall oldest person, who recently had King Charles III pop by her care home to wish her a happy 116th birthday.

In a picture shared on the Royal Family’s X account, the King is seen bending to shake Ethel’s hand, with the birthday card he sent her proudly displayed in the background.

In the UK, people receive a birthday card from the reigning monarch when they turn 100, 105, and every year thereafter.

So, Ethel has got a bit of a collection going.

And today, Ethel – and her male counterpart, the world’s oldest man João Marinho Neto (Brazil) – have another reason to celebrate.

It’s the International Day of Older Persons.

To mark the occasion, we’ve checked in on Ethel and João with the help of supercentenarian database keepers LongeviQuest, who recently helped us understand why the oldest person is hardly ever a man.

As well as her own personal royal visit, Ethel celebrated her big day on 21 August with a party at her care home.

In these new pictures shared by her care home and LongeviQuest, she’s seen being serenaded by a Frank Sinatra impersonator.

Her family members were all in attendance at her party, and she also tucked into her favourite meal, chicken curry, which was cooked up for her by her care home director Inder Hanzra, followed by some lemon drizzle cake.

Ethel is the first British person to ever turn 116, and as of today she’s the 29^th oldest person to have ever lived.

Therefore, I feel like the current number of living supercentenarians in Brazil is really 140 or as much as 165.

America? We probably have maybe 200 🙂

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.lavanguardia.com/vivo/longevity/20250107/10262432/angelina-torres-superabuela-catalana-persona-mas-mayor-espana-111-anos.amp.html

https://pt.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coronel_Ezequiel

EDIT: Or kept dark hair until late in life, as most people over 110 will have at least SOME white hair. My apologies for the improper phrasing. 

For males:

- Clarence Glauner, had mostly dark hair at 108

- Faustino Vargas Pérez, hair stayed dark on the sides

- Hilario Orozco Lemus, hair has stayed dark on the sides

- Anton Geisler, hardly any white hair at 102

- Horacio Celi Mendoza, had at least 50% dark at 114

- Juan Vicente Pérez Mora, almost no white hair a few months before turning 60, but his hair turned white by the time he was in his 70s

- Javier Pereira, claimant possibly over 100 with no white hair

- Carlos Julio Rincon Garzon, if his possible age of 108 is correct, he had hardly any white hair in his late 50s

For females:

- Shigeyo Nakachi, hardly any white hair at age 106, at least 60% dark at age 115

- Elizabeth Francis, mostly dark hair till around 111/112 years old

- Violet Brown, picture of her on her 100th birthday, looks like she still has mostly dark hair

- Francesca Celsa dos Santos, no white hair in her 70s, at least 3/4 of her hair was still dark at age 101

- Marie Louise Meilleur, had about 50% dark hair in her 70s/80s (photo is undated), and hardly got any more white hair by 117

- Maria Lucimar Pereira, claimant likely over 100, no white hair

Current public records indicate that a Victoria Rozelle, born in "Jun 1913" (sometimes these are off), resides in Hudson, MI and is associated with her son and his daughter. Searching past census records, we find a "Victoria A Rogelle", age 36, born in New York, living in Hudson, Michigan in the 1950 census. Similarly, the 1940 census yields a "Victoria A Rozelle", age 26, born in New York, living in Hudson, Michigan. Searching for marriages between a "Lewis Rozelle" and a "Victoria", we find a "Victoria Ann Morgan", daughter of Joe Morgan and Stella Morres, marrying Lewis Curtis Rozelle on 2 Jan 1935 in Hudson, Michigan. Searching obituaries for a "Victoria Rozelle", we find several obituaries of siblings that mention a Victoria Rozelle of Hudson, Michigan. These confirm her name at birth was some variant of "Moczarski". Searching for previous records in New York under that name, we locate the 1920 census return, with a "Victoria Mokeski", age 7, born in New York, in Syracuse, New York with her parents Joseph and Stella Mokeski. Using the information in the 2016 article, we can locate her immigration document and place of origin in Poland. Finally, searching for a record in Poland, we find a match in Wizna, Poland, confirming a 1913 birth.

2020 inclusion in list of supposed "dead" voters in Michigan

2016 sister Phyllis Cartwright's obituary: Phyllis E. Cartwright, of St. Johns, died Sunday, June 12, 2016 at the age of 93. She was born May 26, 1923 in Jackson, MI the daughter of Joseph and Stella (Chmielwska) Moczarski. Phyllis enjoyed fishing, bowling, playing bingo and loved spending time with her family. In her younger years she liked going to dances.  On May 23, 1942 she married William Cartwright and he preceded her in death in August 2006. She was also predeceased by four sisters and five brothers. Surviving is one son, Joseph (Karen) Cartwright of Jackson, MI; two daughters, Wanda Hill and fiancée Bill Wilson of Jackson, TN and Charlotte (John) Jolly of Falmouth, MI; nine grandchildren; 22 great grandchildren; three great great grandchildren and one sister, Victoria Rozelle of Hudson, MI. 

2016 mention of her: 

Victoria Rozelle

Birthday: 5-17-1913 (103 years old)

"She was born in Poland and, along with her parents, immigrated through Ellis Island in 1914. She still lives on her own, has a Chihuahua named DJ, and lives to go to the casinos."

2014 brother Felix's obituary: 

MOCZARSKI, FELIX Of Grass Lake, passed away at home under the care of his family on Thursday, November 20, 2014 at the age of 85. He is survived by his sisters, Victoria Rozelle of Hudson, MI and Phyllis Cartwright of St. Johns, MI as well as numerous nieces, nephews and loving family members. Felix was one of thirteen children born to Joseph and Stella (Chmelewski) in Jackson on May 8, 1929. He retired from GM after thirty years of service. Felix enjoyed the outdoors, working on his farm and spending time with family. Services honoring him will be held at the funeral home on Monday, November 24, 2014 at 1:00PM with Father Kurian Kollapallil officiating. The family will receive friends for visitation on Sunday from 4 until 6PM, followed by a Rosary service. In lieu of flowers contributions may be made to Allegiance Hospice.

1988 husband Lewis' obituary: 

Lewis Curtis Rozelle, age 77 years, of 113 Jay Street, Hudson, passed away Sunday, July 31, 1988, in Bixby Hospital, Adrian after a short illness.
He was born September 26, 1910, in Pittsford Township, Hillsdale County, Michigan, the son of Ira Curtis and Alma Tena (Boley) Rozelle. He lived most of his life in the Hudson area until moving to Mesa, Arizona, 19 years ago, returning to Hudson recently. He attended Hudson area schools.
Mr. Rozelle was manager of the former Kreible Feedmill in Hudson for 35 years before his retirement when the mill closed.
He married the former Victoria A. Moczarski on January 2, 1935 at Hudson. She survives. He is also survived by one daughter, Mrs. Fred (Charlene) King of West Liberty, Iowa; by two sons Rex Rozelle of Hudson and Lewis Junior Rozelle of Prudenville, Michigan; by eight grandchildren; eight great-grandchildren; five sisters, Mrs. Ruth Aldrich of Hudson, Mrs. Paul (Emily) Adams of Addison, Mrs. Leo Mae Frantom of Hudson, Mrs. Marjorie Riddle of Gilbert, Arizona, and Miss Marian Joyce Rozelle of Tecumseh, and by three brothers, Donald L. Rozelle of Hudson, Charles R. Rozelle of Casa Grande, Arizona, and Ira Junior Rozelle of Vandercook Lake, Michigan. He was preceded in death by his parents, a brother in infancy and by one sister, Mrs. Gladys Irene Dear.

1950 census record: 

1940 census:

1935 marriage record:

1920 census record:

1914 immigration record:

Name	Wiktorya Mocarska
Gender	Female
Ethnicity/ Nationality	Polish
Marital Status	Single
Age	8/12
Birth Date	abt 1913
Birth Place	Russia
Other Birth Place	Wizna
Last Known Residence	Wirna, Russia
Departure Port	Antwerp, Belgium
Arrival Date	9 Apr 1914
Arrival Port	New York, New York, USA
Residence Place	Russia
Final Destination	Syracuse, New York
Money in Possession	25
Person in Old Country	Konstanty Mocarska
Person in Old Country Residence	Neyki Lonza
Person in US	Josef Mocarska
Person in US Relationship	Husband
Spouse	Josef Mocarska
Ship Name	Kroonland

This matches the name (Wiktorya = Victoria, Mocarska = Moczarski), location of origin (Wizna is in Łomża County, Podlaskie Voivodeship, Poland), final destination (they are next recorded in the 1920 census), as well as family (she is recorded with "Stefania Mocarska", Stella is a not uncommon Americanization of Stefania), and as having a "Josef Mocarska" in the US (her father)

Geneteka search extract:

Rok	Akt	Imię	Nazwisko	Imię ojca	Imię matki	Nazwisko matki	Parafia	Miejscowość	Uwagi
1913	116	Wiktoria	Mocarska	Józef	Stefania	Chmielewska	Wizna	Wizna

This matches the location reported in the US document (Wizna), as well as the parents names; Jozef Mocarska & Stefania Chmielewska (her maiden name mentioned in sister's obit, among other documents for siblings). There is no specific birth date mentioned, but it is given as act 116. There are 282 total acts for the year 1913 in Wizna, which puts it at about 41%, which fits very well with a May birth (5/12 = 41%). 

Is it possible to find records for Gertruda Gorecka and Rose Girone too?

The memories will carry on forever, and you will remain in our minds.

Kane Tanaka was the WOLP at the time that I began my interest in Supercentenarians. 

Rest in Peace