A 108-year-old New Jersey woman died from the coronavirus at a nursing home over the weekend, according to a report.
Ollie Edwards, a great-great-grandmother who lived in Newark for more than 70 years, died Saturday while surrounded by relatives at the Delaire Nursing Home in Linden, NJ.com reports.
“It was a true blessing to have her as my grandmother,” granddaughter April Edwards-Thompson told the outlet. “Over 108 years, she was phenomenal force in our family. Her house was where we all gathered together, enjoying each other’s company and her cooking, especially her cakes and pies.”
Edwards — a native of Crawfordville, Georgia, who was raised on a farm and picked cotton during the Jim Crow era — is believed to be among the oldest New Jersey residents to die after contracting COVID-19.
A New Jersey Department of Health spokeswoman, however, declined to comment when asked to confirm that claim, saying the agency cannot provide “private” medical information.
Relatives said Edwards — who raised nine children, including a granddaughter, with her husband, Jessie Edwards — was quick to remind them of her role as the family’s matriarch, despite a host of worsening health ailments, including dementia.
“I’m the captain of this ship, you are just a passenger, sit back and take a ride,” Edwards would tell her kids, according to the report. “I may be old, but I ain’t cold.”
Edwards previously underwent a series of hip surgeries and was dealing with hearing and vision loss in her advanced age. Her paternal grandmother was a member of the Cherokee tribe who lived to be 121 years old, NJ.com reports.
One of Edwards’ great-granddaughters, a police officer in Clifton, has promised to “forever carry” on the family’s last name.
“Great grandmother, when I took my oath of honor, you were so proud of me,” Tan Edwards said. “In the oath, I honor to protect and serve, and I am so brokenhearted that I was not able to protect you from COVID-19.”
Edwards is survived by three children, 15 grandchildren, 37 great-grandchildren and an unspecified number of great-great-grandchildren and other relatives, NJ.com reports.
