New York’s oldest person, Louise Jean Signore, celebrated her 112th birthday this week and revealed that her secret to longevity is never getting married or having kids. Louise, a lively 4-foot-5 resident of the Bronx’s Co-op City, attributes her long and happy life to being smoke-free, booze-free, and free of a spouse and children. “That’s why I am living. That’s why I am OK because I didn’t get married … no marriage, no children. I’d rather be single,” she told The Post on Friday, two days after her historic birthday. “When you are married you have a lot of trouble.”
The vibrant supercentenarian also credited “good living” for her extended lifespan, saying, “I don’t smoke, I don’t drink.”
For her 112th birthday, Signore received a special gift: a $5 scratch-off card. To her delight, she won $50. Her neighbor, Francis Perkins, who bought her the ticket, said she was thrilled with the win. “She was so happy,” Perkins said.
Signore, who worked for the MTA for 39 years, celebrated her birthday with homemade pasta from her nephew, cake, and visits from friends. Born in 1912, when a copy of the New York Post cost 3 cents, she has lived through significant historical events, from the Great Depression to the sinking of the Titanic. Reflecting on her past, Signore noted that the world felt safer during her youth. “Things were OK. It was during the Second World War. My brothers were in the war. They all came home,” she recalled. “It was safer then. Not today … today it’s not safe.”
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The spry centenarian also offered advice to younger generations, urging them to listen to their parents and elders. “What they should do is listen to their parents, listen to what their parents tell them,” she advised.
Born in Harlem in 1912 as the eldest of five siblings and the daughter of Italian immigrants, Signore moved to the Bronx with her family at age 12. She attended Richmond High School and had a passion for ballroom dancing and swimming. All of her siblings have since passed away. “I’m the oldest, and I am the only one left,” she said.
Signore is New York’s oldest resident and America’s eighth oldest person, according to longeviquest.com. The oldest person on the planet is 117-year-old María Branyas Morera of Spain.
Over the years, Signore has maintained an active lifestyle, a strict routine, and listened to her body’s needs. “You know, I’m systematic. I do the same thing every day at the same time. I don’t change. If I take a nap at 8 o’clock, I don’t change, I take a nap,” she said. “It’s my body. Nobody tells me what to do. I do what I think is best. It works.”
In June 2022, Signore fell and broke her hip, undergoing the first surgery of her life. She has since recovered with light exercise. Perkins noted, “When she can’t go outside, she uses her walker to walk back and forth in the hallway to get her exercise. It’s a privilege to know her.”
Signore also follows a healthy diet rich in Italian food and typically enjoys a light breakfast. “I don’t have much, I have eggs, I have bread with jam and tea, but that’s it. No coffee, I don’t drink coffee,” she said. She now lives a simple life, enjoying TV sitcoms like “The Jeffersons,” going outside, and watching neighborhood kids play ball. “I enjoy when it’s a nice day and the aides take me out. … I am too old to do anything special,” she said. “I’m just living.”
After a chat with The Post, Signore concluded the interview, asserting her control over her life: “The interview is over,” she declared, and asked her aide to take her back upstairs.
