The woman who was listed as the world’s oldest person died in a Georgia nursing home at age 116. Besse Cooper died peacefully yesterday afternoon in Monroe, according to her son Sidney Cooper. Monroe is about 45 miles (72 kilometers) east of Atlanta.

Cooper said his mother had been ill recently with a stomach virus, then felt better on Monday. On Tuesday, he said, she had her hair set and watched a Christmas video, but later had trouble breathing. She was put on oxygen in her room and died there about 2 pm, he said.