KSLA News 12 Shreveport, Louisiana |Record-breaking Thornton Sisters

Record-breaking Thornton Sisters

By Jeff Ferrell – bio|email

MINDEN, LA (KSLA) –  Hundreds of people turned out Sunday afternoon (Nov. 8, ’09) at the Minden Civic Center to recognize some very special sisters in Louisiana.  Their long lives are drawing lots of attention.

Her name:  Maggie Mae Thornton Renfro.  And when she turns 114 years old next Saturday (Nov. 14) it will be her day in Louisiana – as proclaimed by Gov. Bobby Jindal.  She is already recognized as the oldest woman in the state.

"Aunt Sugar," as she's fondly called, shared the spotlight with her sisters, Carrie Thornton who is 107-years old , and Rosie Warren, who's now 103.  They are a combined age of 324 years. 

Robert Young with Guinness World Records traveled to Minden for the ceremony.  He told us, "this is (the) oldest combined age of three living siblings." 

In all, at least four hundred friends, family and many others from Minden and beyond, not to mention a few state dignitaries, all turned out to recognize these three remarkable women.  Cultural Crossroads hosted the event. 

Chairwoman Chris Broussard smiled, "to have this kind of turnout of all kinds of people from every walk of life to come here and celebrate them is huge."

And this giant birthday bash was a way to tell all three sisters, ‘congratulations.’  "I'm so proud that I now know them and call them my sister,” laughed Broussard. 

While the U.S. Census puts “Aunt Sugar” at 114 years of age by next Saturday, she and other relatives insist she’ll actually turn 115.  Either way, Guinness now recognizes her as the oldest black woman in the country. 

What's the sisters’ secret(s) to long life?  "What they needs to live this long is love and care and so that's what we give them, love and care.  That's what it take," confided Lovie Warren, Rosie's daughter.

And yes, the next generation plans to live just as long.  "Yeah, and don't ya'll go too far because we going to need ya," joked Warren.

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