Hager Washington Young, 115, of Demopolis passed away Friday morning.

Young, who turned 115 in October, was formerly the oldest living person in the United States.

At Young’s 115th birthday, the Guinness Book of World Records recognized her as the 12th oldest person in the world.

Hager Washington, Young’s youngest daughter, said her mother suffered a stroke shortly after her birthday in October, which led to a disruption in her mother’s eating.

“The last five days or so, she just wouldn’t eat anything,” she said. “She even refused the medicine the nurses would try to give her for pain.”

Washington said her mother sensed her time was coming and told her that not only was she ready, she knew where she was headed.

“She told me, ‘I know where I’m going’,” Washington said. “And I asked her how she knew that. She said, ‘Because God told me’.”

Washington then asked if she would one day join her mother and Young stated the same advice she’d given to everyone else as a key to living a long and happy life.

“She told me I’d have to find that out for myself,” she said. “She said, ‘Love everybody. Treat them right and Love the Lord.’ That’s what she told everybody.”

Funeral Services will be held today at Petty Memorial A.M.E. Church in Demopolis.