Besse Berry Cooper (August 26, 1896 – December 4, 2012) was an American woman who was, at the time of her death, the youngest of only 6 verified people (all of whom were women) who had become at least 116 years old, the oldest living person in the United States since Eunice Sanborn's death on January 31, 2011 and also believed to be the world's oldest living person. However, Brazilian woman Maria Gomes Valentim was on May 18, 2011 confirmed to be almost 7 weeks older, which made her the oldest living person from Frenchwoman Eugénie Blanchard's death on November 4, 2010 and Cooper the oldest living person from her death on June 21, 2011, just 18 days before her 115th birthday. Later on December 2 that year, when Japanesewoman Chiyono Hasegawa died 12 days after celebrating her 115th birthday, Cooper also became the last living person born in 1896. Cooper is (except from possibly disputed Frenchwoman Jeanne Calment) one of two people to have regained the status of world's oldest living person, with the other being Elizabeth Bolden.