1. Teresa Hsu Chih, was a Chinese-born Singaporean charity worker, social worker, yoga teacher, nurse, and supercentenarian known affectionately as "Singapore's Mother Teresa", in recognition for her active lifelong devotion in helping the aged, sick, and destitutes locally.
Teresa Hsu had been a social worker in China and Paraguay and a nurse in England, before coming to Singapore to start similar non-profit charities since 1961.
Teresa Hsu had spent almost all her savings on feeding and housing the poor and the elderly, all of whom were younger than she was, while she herself led a simple and humble lifestyle.
Teresa Hsu was reportedly born on 7 July 1898, in the Shantou prefecture of China, during the reign of the Manchu Qing dynasty, although this has never been independently verified.
When Teresa Hsu was young, her father walked out on the family for another woman.
Teresa Hsu quit her job to become a volunteer, helping the injured during the Sino-Japanese War.
Teresa Hsu spent eight years in England doing nursing and another eight in Paraguay as a member of the German charity group Bruderhof, to start hospitals and homes for the aged there.
Teresa Hsu played a key role in the startup of three homes for the elderly and two homes for young girls and neglected children in Ipoh.
Ursula financed its operations with her pay, while Teresa Hsu managed it and made some extra cash by selling the harvest of 10 coconut trees and a dozen banana trees in the backyard.
The society built three blocks to house the increasing number of residents and Teresa Hsu remained the home's matron until 1980, when she was asked to retire at 83.
Teresa Hsu moved into a three-room apartment on the rooftop of the Home, built by the society.
Shortly after she retired, Teresa Hsu set up the Heart to Heart Service with Sharana Yao, her co-social worker, a non-profit, non-government aided welfare service which provides food, clothes and monthly cash contributions to those in need.
Teresa Hsu was still actively involved in charity work after turning 110.
An advocate of healthy living, Teresa Hsu often gave public talks at schools, welfare homes, and hospitals in Singapore and overseas about health and service to the needy.
Teresa Hsu picked up yoga at age 69, when she bought a book titled Forever Young, Forever Healthy.
Teresa Hsu taught yoga to the young and old at temples, associations, hospitals and schools.
Teresa Hsu ate sparely; her breakfast was a glass of water or milk.
Teresa Hsu was vegetarian since birth as she wasn't able to digest meat.
Teresa Hsu stated that her vegetarian diet consisted of raw vegetables, avocado, juice, milk, beans and raw eggs.
Teresa Hsu died at home on 7 December 2011 and was cremated on the same day without any rites, per her instructions.
Teresa Hsu was believed to be the oldest living person in Singapore at the time of her death, although later that year Fadilah Noor Abbe was reported to have been born in 1897.