worked as a maid in Ohio State University dormitories until her retirement , and lived at the Los Angeles convalescent home for more than 10 years . Last November , she became the oldest African-American to vote for President Obama and received a letter from him on her 115th birthday , Guinness World Records said . Witt said Baines planned to vote for Obama again in 2012 . Asked why she voted for Obama , Baines said it was because `` he 's for the colored people , '' according to footage from The Los Angeles Times . She said she never thought a black man could become president . `` Everybody 's glad for a colored man to be in there sometime , '' Baines said . `` We all are the same on the skin . It 's dark , and theirs is white . '' Baines had few complaints , her doctor said . She fussed about the bacon not being crisp enough and the arthritis in her knees , Witt said . The smooth skin on Baines ' face belied her 115 years , but she did n't attribute that to any anti-wrinkle cream or miracle
LOS ANGELES , California -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Gertrude Baines , the world 's oldest person , has died in Los Angeles , California , at the age of 115 , according to the home where she lived and Guinness World Records said Saturday . Gertrude Baines said she attributed her longevity to not drinking or smoking . Gertrude Baines passed away at the Western Convalescent Hospital at 7:25 a.m. -LRB- 10:25 a.m. ET -RRB- Friday , Guinness World Records said . Born in 1894 , Baines became the world 's oldest person in January after the death of another 115-year-old , Maria de Jesus , from Portugal , Guinness World Records said . At her 115th birthday party in April , Baines shook her head in disbelief when presented with the certificate saying she was now in the Guinness Book of World Records as the world 's oldest person . `` She told me that she owes her longevity to the Lord , that she never did drink , never did smoke , and she never did fool around , '' her doctor , Dr. Charles Witt , said in April . Baines , whose grandparents were slaves ,