Fred Hale, born Dec. 1, 1890, died Nov. 19, 2004.

At the age of 113, the American supercentenarian, Fred Hale Sr., lived through 21 US presidents, and was in his 70s when Neil Armstrong landed on the Moon.

In 1890, there were only forty-three stars on the American flag when he was born in New Sharon, Maine.

On Friday, twelve days before his 114th birthday, the Maine native died in his sleep at his home in Syracuse, New York.

Fred Hale was born December 1, 1890. In 1910, he married Flor Mooers. They had five children together. She passed away in 1979. He outlived three of his five children. He and Flor had nine grandchildren, nine great-granchildren and eleven great-great grandchildren.

Hale lived in Maine until he was 109. Just a few years ago, he moved to Syracuse, New York to be close to his eighty-two year-old son, Fred Jr.

On March 5, 2004, Fred Hale Sr. became recognized as the oldest man alive after Joan Riudavets Moll, of Spain, passed away at the age of 114.

His death leaves Germany's Hermann Dornemann, 111, as the oldest living man. A woman from Belarus, Hanna Barysevich, is said to be 116.

Hanna Barysevich has said that she had never thought of applying for recognition to the Guinness World Records Book. Perhaps now she will.

So did he have any secrets to such longevity? Well, yes, in fact he did.

Fred Hale's Secrets to a Long Life

When you drive to Maine, there are signs that say, "Maine...The Way Life Should Be." Mr. Hale obviously took this heart.

The railway postal worker and beekeeper, who retired 50 years ago, "had a routine and he rarely broke it because anyone else was around," Hale III said.

Until he suffered from a bout of pneumonia, Mr. Hale was generally physically healthy.

While he was nearly deaf and got around in a wheelchair, he had his wits about him until his death.

"It's hard for the family, but it's nice for him," grandson Fred Hale III told The Post-Standard newspaper in Syracuse.

At 103, Hale was still living on his own - and shovelling the snow off his rooftop.

Hale also was a Guinness record-holder for the oldest driver.

At 104, he had his driving license renewed. However, he stopped driving four years later, at the age of 108, because he found slow drivers annoying.

He ate three full meals a day - at the same time each day.

Once in a while, he would make an exception and have a slice of pizza.

He enjoyed gardening, canning fruits and vegetables and making homemade applesauce.

He ate at least a teaspoonful of honey and bee pollen every day - washed down with the occasional breakfast nip of whisky, the Guinness Book of Records says - but never smoked and only rarely drank alcohol.

His grandson said, "He didn't need a lot to be happy."

Hale was a patient man, a very, very patient man.

He waited eighty-six years to watch his lifelong favorite team, the Boston Red Sox, win another World Series.

Mr. Hale, while your body is buried in Farmington, Maine, I hope your spirit is up in Heaven celebrating the Red Sox win with my grandmother, who was also from a Maine, and one of the biggest die-hard BoSox fans that ever lived.

May you both rest in peace knowing the Red Sox won the 2004 World Series!

Here's to healthy, adventuresome, soulful and long, long, long living!

Inspire & Be Inspired (R).

~ Jennifer Carolyn King