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Walter Breuning
Walter Breuning (September 21, 1896 – April 14, 2011) was an American supercentenarian who lived for 114 years and 205 days and was, up to the time of his death, the oldest living man in the world and the third-oldest verified man ever, behind Christian Mortensen and Emiliano Mercado del Toro.
Walter Breuning was born in Melrose, Minnesota. He was the son of John and Cora (née Morehouse) Breuning, and had two brothers and two sisters. In 1901, when he was 5, his family moved to De Smet, South Dakota, where he went to school for nine years until his family broke up in 1910. Breuning referred to this time as "the dark ages", as his family lived without electricity, water, or plumbing. Apart from his parents, who died at 50 and 46, longevity runs in Breuning's family. His paternal and maternal grandparents lived into their 90s and his siblings lived to ages 78, 85, 91, and 100. His only surviving family at the time of his death were 1 niece and 3 nephews (all in their 80s), plus great-nieces and great-nephews.
In 1910, aged 14, Breuning dropped out of school and began scraping bakery pans for $2.50 weekly. He joined the Great Northern Railway in 1913. During his early years, Breuning commented that he would have to hide from owner James J. Hill, as Hill did not want any railway employees under the age of 18 (Breuning was first hired at age 17). Breuning worked for the Great Northern Railway until age 66, and was also a manager/secretary for the local Shriner's club until age 99. During World War I, he signed up for military service, but was never called up. When World War II began, he was too old to serve. He moved to Montana in 1918, where he continued working as a clerk for the Great Northern Railway. There, he met Agnes (Sharpe) Twokey, a telegraph operator from Butte. He was married to her from 1922 until her death in 1957. They had no children, and it was believed that Breuning never remarried, as he stated that "Second marriages never work; even first marriages don't work today." However, after his death, a marriage certificate was located, revealing that he married Margaret (Daniels) Vanest on October 5, 1958; she died on January 15, 1975.
Breuning was a Freemason, and a member of Great Falls Lodge No. 118, Great Falls, Montana, for over 85 years. He held the 33rd Degree of the Scottish Rite.
Breuning lived at the Rainbow Retirement and Assisted Living Center in Great Falls, Montana, for 32 years, moving in when it was The Rainbow Hotel in 1979 when he was 83. The Rainbow Hotel turned into Rainbow Assisted Living Center in 1996, the year he turned 100.
Breuning was a lifelong cigar smoker, but said in an interview at age 110 that he quit in 1999, when he was 103, saying they had become too expensive. However, aged 108, he briefly started smoking again, encouraged by gifts of cigars from as far away as London. Breuning retained a sharp memory. For example, he could remember his grandfather talking about his experiences in the American Civil War when he was three years old, and remembered the day President William McKinley was shot as the day "I got my first haircut."
On his 112th birthday in 2008, Breuning said the secret to long life is being active: "If you keep your mind busy and keep your body busy, you're going to be around a long time." On April 24, 2009, Breuning was interviewed on CBS by Steve Hartman for Assignment America. When Hartman asked if he would do a second CBS interview in four years, Breuning said, "well hell you sure can!" However, he died two years later.
On his 110th birthday, in September 2006, Breuning was declared the oldest living retired railroader in the United States. Then-Governor of Montana, Brian Schweitzer, and the city mayor attended his celebration.
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Walter Breuning
Walter Breuning (September 21, 1896 – April 14, 2011) was an American supercentenarian who lived for 114 years and 205 days and was, up to the time of his death, the oldest living man in the world and the third-oldest verified man ever, behind Christian Mortensen and Emiliano Mercado del Toro.
Walter Breuning was born in Melrose, Minnesota. He was the son of John and Cora (née Morehouse) Breuning, and had two brothers and two sisters. In 1901, when he was 5, his family moved to De Smet, South Dakota, where he went to school for nine years until his family broke up in 1910. Breuning referred to this time as "the dark ages", as his family lived without electricity, water, or plumbing. Apart from his parents, who died at 50 and 46, longevity runs in Breuning's family. His paternal and maternal grandparents lived into their 90s and his siblings lived to ages 78, 85, 91, and 100. His only surviving family at the time of his death were 1 niece and 3 nephews (all in their 80s), plus great-nieces and great-nephews.
In 1910, aged 14, Breuning dropped out of school and began scraping bakery pans for $2.50 weekly. He joined the Great Northern Railway in 1913. During his early years, Breuning commented that he would have to hide from owner James J. Hill, as Hill did not want any railway employees under the age of 18 (Breuning was first hired at age 17). Breuning worked for the Great Northern Railway until age 66, and was also a manager/secretary for the local Shriner's club until age 99. During World War I, he signed up for military service, but was never called up. When World War II began, he was too old to serve. He moved to Montana in 1918, where he continued working as a clerk for the Great Northern Railway. There, he met Agnes (Sharpe) Twokey, a telegraph operator from Butte. He was married to her from 1922 until her death in 1957. They had no children, and it was believed that Breuning never remarried, as he stated that "Second marriages never work; even first marriages don't work today." However, after his death, a marriage certificate was located, revealing that he married Margaret (Daniels) Vanest on October 5, 1958; she died on January 15, 1975.
Breuning was a Freemason, and a member of Great Falls Lodge No. 118, Great Falls, Montana, for over 85 years. He held the 33rd Degree of the Scottish Rite.
Breuning lived at the Rainbow Retirement and Assisted Living Center in Great Falls, Montana, for 32 years, moving in when it was The Rainbow Hotel in 1979 when he was 83. The Rainbow Hotel turned into Rainbow Assisted Living Center in 1996, the year he turned 100.
Breuning was a lifelong cigar smoker, but said in an interview at age 110 that he quit in 1999, when he was 103, saying they had become too expensive. However, aged 108, he briefly started smoking again, encouraged by gifts of cigars from as far away as London. Breuning retained a sharp memory. For example, he could remember his grandfather talking about his experiences in the American Civil War when he was three years old, and remembered the day President William McKinley was shot as the day "I got my first haircut."
On his 112th birthday in 2008, Breuning said the secret to long life is being active: "If you keep your mind busy and keep your body busy, you're going to be around a long time." On April 24, 2009, Breuning was interviewed on CBS by Steve Hartman for Assignment America. When Hartman asked if he would do a second CBS interview in four years, Breuning said, "well hell you sure can!" However, he died two years later.
On his 110th birthday, in September 2006, Breuning was declared the oldest living retired railroader in the United States. Then-Governor of Montana, Brian Schweitzer, and the city mayor attended his celebration.