Horace Baumer

Baumer on his 109th birthday in 2022

## Validated

**Horace Wilson "Moe/Mo" Baumer** (17 December 1913 – 30 December 2023) was an American supercentenarian who, at the time of his death, was the oldest known living man in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania, as well as the second-oldest known (undisputed) living man in the United States. His age is validated by LongeviQuest (LQ) and pending validation by the Gerontology Research Group (GRG).

## Biography

### Early Life

Horace Baumer was born in Minersville, Pennsylvania, on 17 December 1913. His father, Clifford Baumer (born 17 July 1891), died on 9 October 1918 from the Spanish flu, and his mother, Ruth Baumer Williams (born 9 August 1891), died just a few years later on 27 April 1923, from tuberculosis. Following his mother's death, Baumer was left to be raised by his paternal grandmother, Anna Eliza Baumer.

While attending Girard College in Philadelphia, a home for orphaned boys, Baumer learned a machinist's trade, leading him to work as a machinist at Bethlehem Steel's Grace Mine near Morgantown for around 25 years.

On 23 June 1940, at the age of 26, Baumer married Genevieve Petchkofski (11 January 1917 – 30 March 2002) in Minersville. They went on to have four children, but all of them died after just a few days due to a blood deficiency.

On 16 October 1940, at the age of 26, Baumer was drafted into World War II. However, due to his occupation, he ended up not being called up for his military service.

The Baumers owned a camper which they would pull using their Chevy pickup truck, and would often vacation at campgrounds in Maryland. They would remain married for nearly 62 years until Genevieve's death on 30 March 2002, at the age of 85.

### Later Life

Baumer remained active into old age, driving his truck into his 90s. He tended to a garden in his yard, and would supply his entire neighborhood with tomatoes, peppers, and eggplants. In 2013, at the age of 99, he went on a train ride which sparked up memories of coal cars and passenger trains at the Minersville Train Station.

Baumer celebrated his 100th birthday and became a centenarian in December 2013. To commemorate his 105th birthday in December 2018, he received a plaque from then-Pennsylvania Governor Tom Wolf.

Baumer continued to live independently in his own home until July 2022, when a fall left him hospitalized for two months. His health also declined and he became wheelchair-bound. At the age of 110, he was bedridden.

Upon being discharged from the hospital, Baumer moved into a nursing home in Pottsville, Pennsylvania, where he celebrated his 109th birthday in December 2022, and would later go on to celebrate his 110th birthday and become a supercentenarian in December 2023. On 30 December 2023, Baumer died at the age of 110 years, 13 days.

## Recognition

### Longevity Records

On 16 April 2022, following the death of 109-year-old Frederick Steinkirchner, Baumer became the oldest known living man in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania.

On 19 November 2023, following the death of 110-year-old Alfred Fregosi of California, Baumer became the oldest known living white man in the United States.

On 15 December 2023, following the death of 110-year-old Johnnie Collier of Mississippi, Baumer became the second-oldest known (undisputed) living man in the United States, after Otis Randall of California.

On 17 December 2023, Baumer turned 110 years old, making him the first man from Pennsylvania to become a supercentenarian since Clarence Glauner in 2020. Additionally, he is also the second-oldest known (undisputed) man ever to have resided in the state, after Glauner.

Following Baumer's death on 30 December 2023, then-109-year-old Morrie Markoff of California became the second-oldest known (undisputed) living man in the United States, as well as the country's oldest known living white man, while then-107-year-old Aloysius Klugiewicz became the oldest known living man in Pennsylvania.

### Age Validation

Baumer's age was verified by James Roberts and validated by LongeviQuest on 25 December 2023. In addition, his age is also pending validation by the Gerontology Research Group (GRG).

## Gallery

Baumer on a train ride in 2013, aged 99Baumer on his 105th birthday in 2018Baumer on his 106th birthday in 2019Baumer shortly before his 109th birthday in 2022Baumer on his 109th birthday in 2022Baumer on his 109th birthday in 2022Baumer on his 110th birthday in 2023Baumer on his 110th birthday in 2023Baumer's LongeviQuest tribute

## References

* Horace Baumer LongeviQuest
* Pending cases Gerontology Research Group
* Genevieve Virginia *Petchkofski* Baumer Find A Grave
* 99-year-old man's train ride sparks memories Republican Herald, 30 November 2013 (Paywalled)
* Happy Birthday Horace! Celebrating 105! PAhomepage.com, 18 December 2018
* Wishing a friend..Horace "Moe" Baumer a Happy 106th Birthday! Gerald Sitkus on Facebook, 17 December 2019
* Horace Baumer 109th Birthday Republican Herald, 16 December 2022
* Horace Baumer, 109, sings of a world that sleeps in heavenly peace Republican Herald (via Yahoo Finance), 17 December 2022
* Wishing Minersville resident, Horace “Moe” Baumer , a HAPPY 110th birthday! Minersville Area News on Facebook, 17 December 2023
* Wishing Moe a Happy 110th birthday today! Gerald Sitkus on Facebook, 17 December 2023
* ...celebrating Horace “Moe” Baumer’s 110th birthday... PA State Rep. Tim Twardzik on Facebook, 19 December 2023
* Horace Baumer, Pennsylvania’s Oldest Known Living Man, Turned 110 LongeviQuest, 20 December 2023
* New Validation: Horace Baumer (1913–Present) of the United States LongeviQuest, 27 December 2023
* Obituary Legacy.com, 3 January 2024
* Horace Baumer, Pennsylvania’s Oldest Known Man, Dies at 110 LongeviQuest, 3 January 2024
* PA’s oldest man, who worked in Morgantown, dies in Schuylkill Reading Eagle, 8 January 2024 (Archived)