Fred H. Hale, Sr.
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Fred Harold Hale, Sr. (December 1, 1890 in New Sharon, Maine - November 19, 2004 in Jamesville, New York) became the oldest documented man in the United States on the death of John Ingram McMorran, and in the world on the death of Joan Riudavets.
A retired railroad postal worker and beekeeper, Mr. Hale married Flora Mooers in 1910, the year their first child was born. Recognized by the Guinness Book of World Records as the oldest licensed driver at age 108 (his pet peeve was slow drivers) he was still living by himself at age 103. At age 109, he moved to Liverpool, New York to be near his youngest son. He moved again to nearby Baldwinsville. At age 113 he played cards, and after cataract operations at ages 109 and 110, still had vision unusually good for a supercentenarian.
In 2004 he and his son moved to another Onondaga County community, Jamesville, within the town boundaries of De Witt, New York. In his last year he attracted media attention for being the world's oldest fan of the Boston Red Sox, who, for the first time since 1918 - when Mr. Hale was 27 - won the 2004 World Series.
Mr. Hale traveled much more extensively after his 95th year than most people do in a lifetime. He visited his grandson in Japan, stopping by Hawaii on the return trip where he tried surfing. After turning 100, he visited Europe with his oldest son (Norman Dyer Hale - deceased December 29, 2004) and daughter in law to visit the locales of his son's military service during World War II.
Mr. Hale had a large family, spread out over the entire country. Of five children, two were still living at the time of his death (Norman Dyer Hale - deceased December 29, 2004, and Fred Hale Jr.). Three children had preceded him in death (Robert - deceased 1918 during influenza epidemic, Muriel - deceased 1971?, and Carrie - deceased 1992). Mr. Hale had numerous grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and great-great grandchildren.
Mr. Hale was the oldest retired railray postal worker ever, the oldest retired U.S. government employee ever, and the oldest registered beekeeper ever, among other honors and records. He often related the true story of his last successful deer hunt at age 100 in Missouri.
Mr. Hale credited his longevity to bee pollen and honey he ate each day, along with the occasional nip of whiskey.de:Fred Hale fr:Fred Hale nl:Fred Hale pl:Fred Hale