George Rene Francis, whose life touched three centuries and listed as America's oldest man, died Saturday aged 112, of congestive heart failure at a nursing home in Sacramento.

Born in New Orleans on 6th June 1896, Francis, an African-American, grew up in the South. In a recent interview, he told of the pride with which he had voted for Barack Obama, who takes office on 20th January 2009, as the States first black president.

Leaving school after sixth grade, Francis was a boxer for a brief time, before moving to California in 1949, working as a chauffeur, auto mechanic and barber. Josephine his wife for 46-years, died in 1963, however, Francis is survived by four children, 19-grandchildren and over 30-great-grandchildren.

Walter Breuning, 112, a Montana resident, becomes the country's oldest man after Francis's death, while Gertrude Baines of Los Angeles is America's oldest woman at
114.

According to the Gerontology Research Group, the world's oldest living person is Maria de Jesus, 115, of Portugal, born 10th September 1893.