RHINEBECK, N.Y. >> Vera Van Wagner, the oldest person in both Dutchess County and New York state, died Friday at the age of 113, according to The Baptist Home at Brookmeade in Rhinebeck, where she lived.
“The Brookmeade community mourns the loss of our resident and dear friend,” company CEO Karen Zobel said in a prepared statement. “Mrs. Van Wagner was full of spirit and joy. May she rest in peace.”
GALLERY: Photos of Vera Van Wagner when she turned 113
Van Wagner was the second-oldest person in the United States and the 20th oldest is the world, The Baptist Home said, citing the Gerontology Research Group. The group’s website says the oldest person in the United States is 114-year-old Delphine Gibson, who lives in Pennsylvania.
Van Wagner lived in her own home in Poughkeepsie until about 2004, at the age of 100, when she moved to The Baptist Home, according to the Freeman’s archives.
Dutchess County Executive Marc Molinaro, who knew Van Wagner, said in a prepared statement that he was “deeply saddened” to learn of her passing.
“As Dutchess County’s oldest resident, Vera led a remarkable life and was witness to more than a century of history,” Molinaro said. “A treasured friend and loved one to so many, Vera leaves a legacy of dignity, grace and a life well-lived. Our thoughts and prayers are with Vera’s family and friends.”
The Dutchess County Office for the Aging previously identified Van Wagner as the county’s first “supercentenarian,” a person reaching the age of 110. She was a fixture at the Office of the Aging’s annual “Celebration of Aging” event, and Molinaro said she “was an inspiration to all in attendance.”
Born May 24, 1904, Van Wagner attended Poughkeepsie High School and later oversaw the Information Bureau and Message Center at Vassar College in Poughkeepsie, The Baptist Home said.
Her family operated Schrauth’s Ice Cream at 149-151 Main St. in Poughkeepsie.
* * *
Editor’s note: This story was updated at 6 p.m. Sept. 8, 2017, to correct the day on which Van Wagner died.
