Besse Berry Cooper (August 26, 1896 – December 4, 2012) was an American woman who was, 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 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.