The oldest man in the United States has died at the age of 112. George Francis lived through both world wars, man's first walk on the moon and the election of the first black president. He died on Saturday of congestive heart failure at a nursing home in Sacramento, his 81-year-old son, Anthony Francis says. George Francis was born on June 6, 1896 in New Orleans, and that his only wife, Josephine Johnson Francis, died at age 63 in 1964. "He lived four years in the 19th century, 100 years in the 20th century, and eight years in the 21st century. We call him the man of three centuries," said the younger Francis. UCLA gerontologist Dr Stephen Coles, who maintains a list of the world's oldest people, says Francis was the oldest man living in the United States, at 112 years and 204 days. With Francis' death, Walter Breuning of Montana, who is 112 years and 98 days old, becomes the oldest man living in the US. At 114, Gertrude Baines of Los Angeles is the nation's oldest living person. Coles says the oldest living person in the world is Maria de Jesus of Portugal, who is 115 years and 109 days old and the oldest man is Tomoji Tanabe of Japan , who is 113 years and 101 days. Francis in his prime barely weighed more than 45kg. As an African-American in the South, he felt the sting of the Jim Crow-era segregation laws in his early life. His son said Francis tried to enlist in the US Army during World War I but was turned down because of his stature. "We always attributed his longevity to his mental and physical toughness," Anthony Francis said. George Francis quit school after the sixth grade, became an amateur boxer as a young man and later worked as a chauffeur, an auto mechanic and a barber. He and his wife, Josephine Johnson Francis, had a son and three daughters. Josephine died of cancer in 1964. Even in his waning days, Francis never lost his passion for politics, his family said. He voted for Franklin Roosevelt in the 1930s and for Barack Obama in 2008. In an interview with The Associated Press after Obama's victory, Francis, who used a wheelchair, said he felt like jumping up and down. "He is going to give black men a break in the world, and give them a better opportunity to live and make more money," he said. "For people who say voting doesn't matter, I think that's crazy." Anthony Francis said his father was devoted to his family and that he attributed his longevity to them. "He said 'My children and my friends, I live off of them'," he said. Besides his four children, Francis is survived by 18 grandchildren, 33 great-grandchildren and 16 great-great grandchildren. http://nz.news.yahoo.com/a/-/world/5236 ... -dies-112/ I don't think it would be very fun living to be that old.. don't you? But the idea of a natural death is pretty much awesome
Man...he has so many grand children. Im really impressed that he lived that long but with the modern technology these days I'm sure people like him will start turning up. The estimated life span is continuingly increasing.
Very interesting. It's amazing how some people live so long... However, I don't fully think people should be able to live as long as over a hundred. I think it adds to our overpopulation. But that's my opinion. I mean it's great when people do live that long. But I don't think it would be fully natural.
@Cheeto i find that funny how you bring up modern tech, cause now they teach old people how to play the wii at senior centers ^^
Naturally, it should be like that at all. From my vague impression, people are 30yr average in the Middle Ages. (correct me if im wrong)
Yep the human life span has been increasing, not to be racist or anything but asia country especially the chinese people, they live some what long =/