At Age 111, NJ's Oldest Woman, Who Shared Memories Of 1918 Pandemic, Dies In Maplewood

MAPLEWOOD, NJ — Edith Hodes Rose, a 111-year-old resident of the Winchester Gardens retirement community in Maplewood — and the oldest person in New Jersey — passed away on Jan. 11.

In the year before her death, she shared memories with friends about how her mom tried to protect her and her seven siblings during the flu pandemic back in 1918. READ MORE: Maplewood Woman Remembers 1918 Pandemic, Enjoys 110th Birthday

In the end, though, Rose's body began to give out. She died at home earlier this month, her obituary says.

She was the oldest person in New Jersey, reports say, and among the 30 oldest people in the country.

The oldest person in the United States is currently Thelma Sutcliffe of Nebraska, born in 1906, who is 115 (and a third) years old, says the website Gerontology.com.

She did not die of COVID, said a friend, but as she saw signs of her body giving out, she had time to say goodbye to those she knew.

Recalling Her Youth

In 2020, Rose's longtime friend, Gale Kobray of Millburn, spoke with Patch about what Rose had told her about the past — including that her mother sewed camphor packets for her children to wear around their necks during the 1918 pandemic.

Back then, people thought camphor — a strong-smelling ingredient extracted from trees — would ward off the virus.

People are not above sharing "miracle" cures for today's COVID pandemic as well, but the camphor did end up having a medical use: It's an ingredient in Vick's VapoRub.

In any case, Edith survived the pandemic as well as two world wars, and enjoyed birthday celebrations in Maplewood each year, including in 2020.

Born in Newark in 1910 to parents Fanny and Hyman Hodes — Russian immigrants — Edith eventually married husband Joe, a lawyer, and moved. The couple relocated to Union and then to Maplewood.

They raised three kids in Maplewood and retired in Brick. After Joe passed away at 95, Edith moved to the Maplewood retirement home in 2004.

Edith's parents lived into their 70s, but she and several of her siblings lived into her 90s, she had said. Her family actually participated in scientific studies about longevity, according to a recent story on NJ.com.

In 2020, Gale Kobray wrote this tribute to her friend, published in Patch:

A supercentenarian is someone who has reached the age of 110. This age is achieved by about one in 1,000 centenarians. It is estimated that there are about 300 living people in the world who have reached the remarkable age of 110. The true number is uncertain, as not all supercentenarians are known to researchers at a given time, and some claims cannot be validated. One of the valid claims belongs to Edith Hodes Rose. She lives independently in Winchester Gardens, a retirement community in Maplewood.

Kobray added, "Aside from how extraordinary it is to live to the age of 110, Edith has done
this with style and a joie de vivre. She sees no reason to fuss over this birthday, and felt likewise since she turned 100."

She quoted Edith as saying, "It's just a number and if I wake up in the morning, it's another day to appreciate the fortunate life I enjoy."

Kobray said that she first met Edith, along with Edith's sister Pearl, when Kobray's mom was in the home.

"Towards the end of my mom's life," Kobray explained in 2020, "when she had developed dementia, Edith lovingly attended to her and was a strong support during this painful time. After my mom's passing, a beautiful friendship grew quickly between us, as though our 40-year age difference was no obstacle at all. Edith has had many passions throughout her amazing life."

Many of Edith's longtime friends, as well as her seven siblings and son Marc, predeceased her, Kobray noted, but she still had a tight-knit family who visited her often, including daughter Joan, son Chuck, son-in-law Bill, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, nieces, nephews, and others.

"Those who know her will attest to her delightful personality and healthy approach to life, especially regular exercise and eating moderately. She was only in a wheelchair briefly after gall bladder surgery at age 103!"

More people are living to be 100 these days, said an article this week, noting that half of kids born today may reach that milestone.

Read more of Edith Rose's obituary on Village Green here.

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