Nicholas Samuel

The (Stuart, Fla.) News

STUART, Fla. — William Mohr, one of the oldest World War II veterans in the U.S., died last month in Pennsylvania of natural causes.

He was surrounded by his family, caregivers, an Irish priest from his family's hometown and Santa, who visited him at the hospital in Hatboro, Pa., according to the release from Debbie Goetz Media Connections.

"He was still smiling when he took his last breath," said his daughter, Jodie Hartshorne, of Palm City.

Mohr made national headlines when he was invited to attend the 2016 Veterans Day Breakfast at the White House, where he and his family met President Obama.

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Obama asked Mohr the secret to his longevity, and Mohr said that "he eats chicken Campbell noodle soup every day."

Mohr enlisted in the Army in 1940 as a sergeant and was a member of the 45th Infantry from 1943 to 1945, serving in North Africa, Italy, France and Germany, the release states.

Mohr became the oldest person to throw a ceremonial first pitch in March 2015 at a New York Mets spring game against the Houston Astros at Tradition Field in Port St. Lucie.

Mohr and his wife, Josephine, who died in October 2015 at 98 years old, were married for 72 years.

Mohr leaves behind four children and two grandchildren.

A memorial service will be at Harbor Place sometime in February, Hartshorne said.