Gerontology Wiki
Dumitru Comanescu
Dumitru Comanescu
Dumitru Comănescu at the age of 111
Birth: 8 November 1908 O.S./21 November 1908 N.S.
Provița de Jos, Prahova County, Kingdom of Romania (now Romania)
Death: 27 June 2020
Bucharest, Bucharest, Romania
Age: 111 years, 219 days
Country: RomaniaROU
Validated

Dumitru Comanescu [Romanian: Dumitru Comănescu] (8 November 1908 O.S./21 November 1908 N.S. – 27 June 2020) was a Romanian supercentenarian whose age has been validated by Guinness World Records (GWR) and the Gerontology Research Group (GRG). He was originally recognized as the world's oldest living man from the death of 112-year-old Bob Weighton on 28 May 2020, but it was later revealed that Emilio Flores Marquez and Tomas Pinales Figuereo were older. At the time of his death, he was the oldest validated person ever from Romania, however, his age was later surpassed by Ilie Ciocan on 16 January 2025.

Biography

Dumitru Comănescu was born in the village of Drăgăneasa (now Provița de Jos), Prahova County, Romania, on 21 November 1908 (8 November 1908, according to the Julian calendar, which was in use in Romania at the time). He was one of six siblings. His parents, Ion and Susana, were 37 and 35 years old, respectively, when he was born. At university, he studied mathematics and agronomy and graduated in 1933. After college, Comănescu moved to Târgoviște, where he met his wife, who was a pediatrician and a primary cousin of nuclear physicist Horia Hulubei. They got a son and a daughter. During the World War II, as an agronomist engineer, he was mobilized to work behind the front lines, contributing to the country’s food supply. After the death of his wife in 1990, Comănescu moved to his daughter and son-in-law in Bucharest.

Comănescu was an agronomist engineer and one of the most valuable phytopathologists, being the disciple of the founder of the Institute of Agronomic Research, Gheorghe Ionescu Siseşti. Initially, he enrolled in the Faculty of Mathematics, having as a teacher one of the greatest mathematicians, Gheorghe Ţiţeica. He would then find his vocation in the world of plant research. Comănescu worked for over 70 years until 2003. When he was 86, a competition for agricultural experts was organized in Bucharest. He took part in it and, out of dozens of candidates, he took 5th place in the country.

At the age of 108, Comănescu had a hip fracture but no hospital was able to operate on him. Eventually, he went to the Foisor Hospital where he was considered ‘a local attraction’ for both doctors and patients.

Celebrating his 110th birthday in November 2018, Comănescu became the first known documented supercentenarian ever recorded in Romania.

Dumitru Comănescu died in Bucharest, Romania, on 27 June 2020, at the age of 111 years, 219 days. Three days before his death, he was awarded the Patriarchal Cross, the highest ecclesiastical honor of the Romanian Orthodox Church. He has been the oldest validated person ever from Romania, until his age was surpassed by Ilie Ciocan on 16 January 2025.

Longevity Records

National Records

On 18 May 2014, following the death of 108-year-old Traian Grancea of Sibiu, Comănescu became the oldest known living man in Romania.

On 16 May 2016, at the age of 108 years, 177 days, Comănescu surpassed the final age of Gheorghe Covaci (1905–2014) of 108 years, 176 days, becoming the oldest validated man ever in Romania.

On 16 May 2017, following the death of 108-year-old Sofia Vrabie of Bacău, Comănescu became the oldest known living person in Romania.

On 4 November 2018, at the age of 109 years, 348 days, Comănescu surpassed the final age of Elena Lungoci (1895–2004) of 109 years, 347 days, becoming the oldest validated person ever in Romania.

Balkans Records

On 1 October 2016, following the death of 110-year-old Jovan Jovanović of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Comănescu became the oldest known living man in the Balkans.

On 29 October 2018, following the death of 110-year-old Nina Valjalo of Croatia, Comănescu became the oldest living person in the Balkans.

European and Worldwide Records

On 28 May 2020, following the death of 112-year-old Bob Weighton of the United Kingdom, Comănescu became the oldest living man in Europe. At the time, it was assumed Comănescu also succeeded Weighton as the world’s oldest living man, and he was recognized by Guinness World Records on 28 May 2020. However, it was later revealed that both Tomás Pinales Figuereo (1906–2020) of Dominican Republic, and Emilio Flores Márquez (1908–2021) of Puerto Rico were older than he was.

Gallery

References


Europe's Oldest Living Man Titleholders (VE)

Geert Adriaans Boomgaard • Unknown • Matthias DodenhoffFrederick StabbinsWilliam MugfurSven ErikssonJean-Pierre DupontWilliam WalkerBening Arnold • Hans Schaftner-BurginFranciszek MichalakJohan Svanstrom • Erik JanssonFrancesco CubaddaThomas PopeJohn FrancklowKarl Nilsson • Constant De LichteAntonio Marchi • August KarlssonKarl GlocknerAnders JonassonMathias Hansen SaetherJan KipWillem Kostering • Francesco Paba • John Mosley Turner • Antonije MladenovicFriedrich Wedeking • Frederick Butterfield • Jean Teillet • Pasquale CappelloGiuseppe Arena • Luigi SabaIngebrigt Johansen • Victor Guillot • Andrei Kuznetsoff • Herman Smith-Johannsen • John Evans • Henri PerignonDomenico Minervino • Josep Armengol Jover • Pablo Roy • Emile Fourcade • Bernard Delhom • Valentino StellaGregorio Merino Calvo • Antonio Baldo • Antonio Urrea Hernandez • Antonio Todde • Joan Riudavets MollHermann Dornemann • Jerzy Pajaczkowski-Dydynski • Maurice Floquet • Henry AllinghamHarry Patch • Stanley Lucas • Jan Goossenaerts • Francisco Fernandez • Arturo Licata • Rezso GallaiPhilippe Vocanson • Harold Bracher • Francisco Nunez Olivera • Gustav GernethBob Weighton • Dumitru Comanescu • Saturnino de la Fuente Garcia • Stanislaw Kowalski • Andre BoiteGeorges ThomasJohn TinniswoodIlie Ciocan


Romania's Oldest Living Person Titleholders (VE)

Mihaly MartonNicolae DumitrescuIleana CardosGheorghe CovaciTraian GranceaMargit Szemenyei • Elena SireteanuSofia Vrabie • Dumitru ComanescuVasile StamateanuIoan LascauMaria MihaiIlie Ciocan


Romania's Oldest Living Man Titleholders (VE)

Mihaly MartonNicolae DumitrescuNicolae PasculescuGheorghe CovaciTraian GranceaDumitru ComanescuVasile StamateanuIoan LascauIlie Ciocan