BRATTLEBORO, Vt. (AP) – A woman believed to be oldest Vermonter has died.

Gretchen Cross, who was 110 years old, died Monday at the Thompson House Nursing Home, just a short time after it was determined she appeared to be the oldest Vermonter.

Vermont does not keep official track of who might be its oldest resident, but a search by a Burlington man showed that Cross appeared to hold that title.

Chuck Perkins had been curious if there was anyone in Vermont older than his 108-year-old mother, Florence Perkins. The Burlington Free Press featured a story on his search in March.

“I figured with a story in the paper on my mom that someone else would come forward who’s older,” Chuck Perkins said.

Gretchen Cross was born in Glenwood Springs, Colo., on Sept. 23, 1892, one of 13 children.

She married her neighbor and they had one son.

In 1988, her grandchildren moved her to Vermont to live in an assisted care home in Brattleboro.

Cross had a disabling stroke at the age of 107.

Her tenacious personality helped her survive, her granddaughter said.

A few weeks ago Cross’ granddaughter, Cherie Cross, received a call from a friend in Burlington who’d seen the article on Florence Perkins.

“We had actually just been talking about my grandmother,” Cherie Cross recalled, “and then my friend called and told me about this woman in Burlington, Florence Perkins.”

AP-ES-05-27-03 0844EDT

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