New Jersey

New Jersey's Oldest Resident, Whose Secret to Longevity Was Alcohol, Dies at 112

Agnes Fenton was prescribed alcohol by a doctor for a benign tumor in 1943

What to Know

  • Agnes Fenton was born in Holly Springs, Mississippi, in 1905 and owned a restaurant in Tennessee before moving to NJ with second husband
  • She was prescribed alcohol by a doctor for a benign tumor in 1943
  • She took heed, drinking Miller High Life and Johnnie Walker Blue Label daily for decades

New Jersey's oldest resident, who once claimed beer and whisky kept her spry, has died at the age of 112.

Agnes Fenton, of Englewood, died Thursday morning, according to The Record.

Fenton was born in Holly Springs, Mississippi, in 1905 and owned a restaurant in Tennessee before moving to New Jersey with her second husband.

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Fenton was prescribed alcohol by a doctor for a benign tumor in 1943. She took heed, drinking Miller High Life and Johnnie Walker Blue Label daily for decades. When interviewed on her 110th birthday, Fenton credited the routine for her longevity.

Although old age forced her to quit drinking, friends say Fenton remained mentally sharp. Fenton always reminded those close to her of the importance of having God in their lives.

She's not the only one to credit alcohol for longevity. Florence Bearse, a 100-year-old woman who recently celebrated her birthday in Maine, says her secret is wine. 

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Copyright AP - Associated Press
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