George Francis, oldest man in the United States, dies at 112

SACRAMENTO, Calif. -- The nation's oldest man has died at 112.

The son of George Francis said his father died Saturday of congestive heart failure at a nursing home in Sacramento.

The son, 81-year-old Anthony Francis, said his father was born June 6, 1896 in New Orleans, and that his only wife, Josephine Johnson Francis, died at age 63 in 1964.

UCLA gerontologist Dr. Stephen Coles, who maintains a list of the world's oldest people, said Francis was the oldest man living in the U.S., at 112 years and 204 days. Coles said the oldest living person in the world is Maria de Jesus of Portugal, who is 115 years and 109 days old.