World's Oldest Person Celebrates 115th Birthday, Obama Congratulates

The world’s oldest person celebrated her 115th birthday on Monday with music, cake and a letter of congratulation from US President Barack Obama. Gertrude Baines, who became the planet’s longest living human in January following the death of Portuguese woman, Maria de Jesus, also 115, marked her birthday at Los Angeles Western Convalescent Hospital.

Baines — who attributes her longevity to her religion and clean-living — attracted worldwide headlines last November when she became the oldest African-American to vote for Obama during the presidential election. She marked her latest milestone on Monday by declaring that she hopes to be around to vote for Obama again in 2012. Monday’s low-key ceremony saw a group of friends sing Happy Birthday to Baines before the reading of a proclamation from the Guinness Book of World Records acknowledging her as the world’s oldest person.

In an interview a while ago she told she spends most of her time "doing nothing but eating and sleeping." When CNN interviewed Baines two years ago, she was asked to explain why she thought she has lived so long. "God. Ask him. I took good care of myself, the way he wanted me to," Baines said.

Much of her long life was lived in Ohio where she worked as a "house mom" at a state university. She eventually divorced and traveled to Los Angeles, where she retired.

Born in Shellman, Georgia, she recalls that her first memory was that of being in a car ride to Canada. She later married Sam Conly at a "very young age" and had a daughter, Annabelle, who died of typhoid fever at age 18. Baines currently lives at the Western Convalescent Home in Jefferson Park, Los Angeles. She lived on her own until she was 105.

Dr. Stephen Coles of the University of California, Los Angeles, Gerontology Research Group said: "She's very healthy. Her only complaint, as far as I can tell, is arthritis in her left knee," he said. She uses a wheelchair. He described her as mentally sharp. "She doesn't forget anything," he said.

Watch video of the oldest person on earth below.