Six sisters from Missouri have been officially recognized as the world record holders for the highest combined age of six living siblings, as confirmed by Guinness World Records to “Good Morning America.”
These remarkable women, hailing from the Overall family in Farmington, include Norma Jacob, 101, Lorene Kollmeyer, 98, Maxine Cole, 97, Doris Griffith, 94, Margaret Norton, 90, and Elma Jennings, 88. Together, their ages add up to just under 571 years and still counting.
Guinness World Records verified their ages on March 6, 2024, noting that the sisters’ combined age was 570 years and 40 days at that time.
In an interview with “GMA,” Maxine Cole shared that the idea to apply for the record came from her nephew, Dean, the son of her eldest sister, Norma Jacob.
Cole shared that “He just decided that sounded like we might be, you know, eligible.
To qualify for the record, the sisters needed to submit more than 100 documents such as birth certificates, marriage certificates, school records, and photographs to authenticate their ages and backgrounds.
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Cole, who currently lives in Missouri, shared with “GMA” that she and her sisters were raised during the Great Depression and shared numerous impactful life experiences.
“We have a wonderful relationship. We’ve always been close,” Cole said.
“As time went on … some of us moved out of town,” she continued, adding, “I’ve lived here all my life. And, three other sisters are here. And we just got along famously.”
Cole shared that she and her sisters began taking trips together as they grew older, visiting destinations such as Washington, D.C., and even enjoying outings to theme parks like Silver Dollar City in Branson, Missouri.
Despite their varying living situations now, influenced by individual needs and health concerns, Cole emphasized that they continue to maintain “a good relationship.”
When asked about the secret to their enduring closeness over the years, Cole attributed it to their upbringing and the values instilled by their parents.
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“We all were raised in the church. We belong to the First Baptist Church here in Farmington, and our mother and dad took us to Sunday school in church [growing up],” she said.
“They’ve taught us to observe the Golden Rule and be kind to each other and love each other. And, in fact, in our daily lives, we’ve tried to do that. And I think that has been a wonderful thing that happened to us. We had wonderful parents.”
Cole expressed gratitude for her and her sisters’ world record achievement, stating, “I feel really blessed to be a part of that.”
Reflecting on their journey, she emphasized, “so thankful for the opportunity.”
She went on to share, “We just feel so blessed that this happened,” she added. “It just opened up a new world for us.”
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