Nationality Italian Occupation Miner, businessman | Name Arturo Licata | |
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Born 2 May 1902 Enna, Italy Known for Verified oldest living man from 13 September 2013 to 24 April 2014 Spouse(s) Rosa Licata (died 1980) Children Four sons and three daughters Died April 24, 2014, Enna, Italy | ||
Arturo Licata (2 May 1902 – 24 April 2014) was an Italian supercentenarian, who lived until the age of 111 years, 357 days. Licata was recognized as the world's oldest verified living man, following the death of 112-year-old Salustiano Sanchez on 13 September 2013, until his own death on 24 April 2014.
Life
Licata was born on 2 May 1902 into a family of four brothers and two sisters. At the age of nine he went to work in the mines, and later served in the Italian military, including during the 1936 Italian invasion of Ethiopia. When he was young, Licata walked 22 kilometers (14 miles) every day, due to the lack of cars in his area. He worked as a miner in dangerous working conditions, and later worked at an anti-tuberculosis dispensary and as a businessman. Licata's career lasted for over sixty years. He had seven children: Paolo, Salvatore, Rosario, Concettina, Giuseppina, Lucia and Gaetano (who died in 2000). Licata also has eight grandchildren and four great-grandchildren. His wife Rosa died in 1980, when Arturo was 78 years old. Licata lived in Enna, Sicily, Italy. Aside from poor hearing and eyesight, he remained in good health until May 2013 when his health began to decline.
He died on 24 April 2014, a week shy of turning 112. Following his death, Alexander Imich was recognized by Guinness World Records as Licata's successor as the oldest man in the world.
