Hryhoriy put his long life down
to the fact he never married
Hryhoriy
Nestor, a bachelor who was thought in his lifetime to
be the oldest person in the world, has died at the age
of 116 in Ukraine.
Mr Nestor died in his sleep on Friday night in the village
of Stary Yarychev, in the western region of Lviv, the
Kiev newspaper Segodnya reports.
He
died before proof of his age was submitted to Guinness
World Records.
The
world's recognised oldest living person is currently Edna
Parker of the United States, who turned 114 in April.
Just
a few close relatives and neighbours gathered for Mr Nestor's
funeral, Segodnya writes.
In
accordance with his wish that there should be no crying,
a hearty meal was served of his favourite dishes: warm
potato and herring, and cabbage with home-made sausage.
Active
life
Oksana,
one of the relations with whom he lived, said he had led
an active life to the last, helping around the house,
whether it was making dumplings or tending the chickens.
He was no different on Friday, though he doused his head
with cold water that evening - something he had often
done before, complaining of headaches.
"His
death came as a surprise to us, he just didn't wake up
again," Oksana said.
"After
his master's death, his favourite cat Murchik didn't go
into his corner like he usually did but lay down on his
bed," she added.
Born,
according to family documents, on 15 March 1891, Mr Nestor,
a former farm labourer, put his long life down to the
fact that he never married.
"He
didn't find himself a mate because he was a short man
and never had money," Oksana believes.
He
also led a healthy life, she says.
He
loved to get outside and would run barefoot through the
grass. Vodka he drank in moderation, and his favourite
food was simple country fare with his greatest luxury
a slice of sausage in a bread roll.
