Carl Berner-He was a German-born American supercentenarian, civic activist, and former toymaker. He was the second-oldest living verified American man behind James McCoubrey. He had also been the oldest living man in New York City for at least the last two years of his life. At the time of his death he was the second-oldest verified German-born man ever, behind Hermann Dörnemann, who lived for 111 years and 279 days. Carl Berner was born in Stuttgart, then in the Kingdom of Württemberg in the German Empire, on January 27, 1902. After his parents died from tuberculosis, his maternal grandmother moved him to France. In 1912, his paternal grandmother moved him back to Germany. In school, Carl studied mechanical manufacturing, among other things. In 1928, he left Germany and moved to the United States. His first job in the United States was as the Night Building Superintendent at the Chrysler Building. He enjoyed his job despite the amount of work that was involved in it. He was offered by the U.S. government to become a foreign agent in 1933, but he rejected their offer. During the Great Depression, Berner created a toy-making business which later became a large success. Businesses and younger workers sought advice from him in regards to toy-making throughout his career. Berner married Margaret (February 22, 1915-June 1987), a woman of Scandinavian descent, in 1936, and had a daughter named Emily (born September 23, 1943), who lived with her father. In 1938, Berner and Margaret moved to Middle Village, where he lived when he died. Berner has been an active participant in the Juniper Park Civic Association for over 60 years. Berner walked two miles daily on average, which he said, along with his willingness to help others, was the secret to his longevity. Berner died in New York City on January 7, 2013, a few weeks before his 111th birthday.
His obituary-
Carl Berner, Queens supercentenarian and civic leader, dies at 110
Berner, who helped found Middle Village civic group, was cited by City Hall for his anti-litter efforts
Carl Berner, the Middle Village resident who championed his community and set a new benchmark for staying active well past his tenth decade, died at his home on Monday just weeks before his 111th birthday.
Berner, a toymaker by trade, was known for walking the neighborhood with a trash can and broom. In 2006, Mayor Bloomberg and the Sanitation Department honored him during an anti-litter campaign.
"He would never give up," said Robert Holden, president of the Juniper Park Civic Association. "He instilled in me a fighting spirit that if you believe in your cause your goal could be accomplished with persistence."
Berner helped to establish a civic group in 1938 that eventually morphed into the Juniper Park Civic Association.
Holden said he believed Berner was the oldest living man in New York City.
Berner was born in Germany in 1902 and came to the United States in 1928. He and his wife, Margaret, moved to Middle Village.
After Margaret died in 1987, Berner continued to live in the house with their only child, Emily.
"I'll miss him every day," said Theresa Riley, who lived across the street from Berner for 20 years. If anyone in the neighborhood needed anything, he was there."
Riley remembered watching Berner help fix a neighbor's roof about 10 years ago.
"He was 100 years old!" she said. "I was yelling at him to come down."
Friends said Berner shunned doctors and medicine. When a Daily News reporter asked him the secret to longevity several years ago, he shrugged.
"I have no secret," said Berner. "I live a normal life."
He started every day with a bowl of oatmeal.
"He could have done a commercial about oatmeal," said Lorraine Sciulli, vice-president of the Juniper Park Civic Association. "He never stopped. Maybe that was the secret."
Berner's health declined rapidly over the past year, family members said. His daughter told friends there would be no funeral and he would be cremated, according to his wishes.
Sciulli said along with his strong work ethnic, Berner had a sharp sense of humor.
"When Carl was about 106, I wanted to introduce him to a vibrant, older woman who was a few years younger than him," she recalled. "He said, ‘She's too old for me!'"
His obituary-
Carl Berner, Queens supercentenarian and civic leader, dies at 110
Berner, who helped found Middle Village civic group, was cited by City Hall for his anti-litter efforts
Carl Berner, the Middle Village resident who championed his community and set a new benchmark for staying active well past his tenth decade, died at his home on Monday just weeks before his 111th birthday.
Berner, a toymaker by trade, was known for walking the neighborhood with a trash can and broom. In 2006, Mayor Bloomberg and the Sanitation Department honored him during an anti-litter campaign.
"He would never give up," said Robert Holden, president of the Juniper Park Civic Association. "He instilled in me a fighting spirit that if you believe in your cause your goal could be accomplished with persistence."
Berner helped to establish a civic group in 1938 that eventually morphed into the Juniper Park Civic Association.
Holden said he believed Berner was the oldest living man in New York City.
Berner was born in Germany in 1902 and came to the United States in 1928. He and his wife, Margaret, moved to Middle Village.
After Margaret died in 1987, Berner continued to live in the house with their only child, Emily.
"I'll miss him every day," said Theresa Riley, who lived across the street from Berner for 20 years. If anyone in the neighborhood needed anything, he was there."
Riley remembered watching Berner help fix a neighbor's roof about 10 years ago.
"He was 100 years old!" she said. "I was yelling at him to come down."
Friends said Berner shunned doctors and medicine. When a Daily News reporter asked him the secret to longevity several years ago, he shrugged.
"I have no secret," said Berner. "I live a normal life."
He started every day with a bowl of oatmeal.
"He could have done a commercial about oatmeal," said Lorraine Sciulli, vice-president of the Juniper Park Civic Association. "He never stopped. Maybe that was the secret."
Berner's health declined rapidly over the past year, family members said. His daughter told friends there would be no funeral and he would be cremated, according to his wishes.
Sciulli said along with his strong work ethnic, Berner had a sharp sense of humor.
"When Carl was about 106, I wanted to introduce him to a vibrant, older woman who was a few years younger than him," she recalled. "He said, ‘She's too old for me!'"
Carl Berner-He was a German-born American supercentenarian, civic activist, and former toymaker. He was the second-oldest living verified American man behind James McCoubrey. He had also been the oldest living man in New York City for at least the last two years of his life. At the time of his death he was the second-oldest verified German-born man ever, behind Hermann Dörnemann, who lived for 111 years and 279 days. Carl Berner was born in Stuttgart, then in the Kingdom of Württemberg in the German Empire, on January 27, 1902. After his parents died from tuberculosis, his maternal grandmother moved him to France. In 1912, his paternal grandmother moved him back to Germany. In school, Carl studied mechanical manufacturing, among other things. In 1928, he left Germany and moved to the United States. His first job in the United States was as the Night Building Superintendent at the Chrysler Building. He enjoyed his job despite the amount of work that was involved in it. He was offered by the U.S. government to become a foreign agent in 1933, but he rejected their offer. During the Great Depression, Berner created a toy-making business which later became a large success. Businesses and younger workers sought advice from him in regards to toy-making throughout his career. Berner married Margaret (February 22, 1915-June 1987), a woman of Scandinavian descent, in 1936, and had a daughter named Emily (born September 23, 1943), who lived with her father. In 1938, Berner and Margaret moved to Middle Village, where he lived when he died. Berner has been an active participant in the Juniper Park Civic Association for over 60 years. Berner walked two miles daily on average, which he said, along with his willingness to help others, was the secret to his longevity. Berner died in New York City on January 7, 2013, a few weeks before his 111th birthday.
His obituary-
Carl Berner, Queens supercentenarian and civic leader, dies at 110
Berner, who helped found Middle Village civic group, was cited by City Hall for his anti-litter efforts
Carl Berner, the Middle Village resident who championed his community and set a new benchmark for staying active well past his tenth decade, died at his home on Monday just weeks before his 111th birthday.
Berner, a toymaker by trade, was known for walking the neighborhood with a trash can and broom. In 2006, Mayor Bloomberg and the Sanitation Department honored him during an anti-litter campaign.
"He would never give up," said Robert Holden, president of the Juniper Park Civic Association. "He instilled in me a fighting spirit that if you believe in your cause your goal could be accomplished with persistence."
Berner helped to establish a civic group in 1938 that eventually morphed into the Juniper Park Civic Association.
Holden said he believed Berner was the oldest living man in New York City.
Berner was born in Germany in 1902 and came to the United States in 1928. He and his wife, Margaret, moved to Middle Village.
After Margaret died in 1987, Berner continued to live in the house with their only child, Emily.
"I'll miss him every day," said Theresa Riley, who lived across the street from Berner for 20 years. If anyone in the neighborhood needed anything, he was there."
Riley remembered watching Berner help fix a neighbor's roof about 10 years ago.
"He was 100 years old!" she said. "I was yelling at him to come down."
Friends said Berner shunned doctors and medicine. When a Daily News reporter asked him the secret to longevity several years ago, he shrugged.
"I have no secret," said Berner. "I live a normal life."
He started every day with a bowl of oatmeal.
"He could have done a commercial about oatmeal," said Lorraine Sciulli, vice-president of the Juniper Park Civic Association. "He never stopped. Maybe that was the secret."
Berner's health declined rapidly over the past year, family members said. His daughter told friends there would be no funeral and he would be cremated, according to his wishes.
Sciulli said along with his strong work ethnic, Berner had a sharp sense of humor.
"When Carl was about 106, I wanted to introduce him to a vibrant, older woman who was a few years younger than him," she recalled. "He said, ‘She's too old for me!'"
His obituary-
Carl Berner, Queens supercentenarian and civic leader, dies at 110
Berner, who helped found Middle Village civic group, was cited by City Hall for his anti-litter efforts
Carl Berner, the Middle Village resident who championed his community and set a new benchmark for staying active well past his tenth decade, died at his home on Monday just weeks before his 111th birthday.
Berner, a toymaker by trade, was known for walking the neighborhood with a trash can and broom. In 2006, Mayor Bloomberg and the Sanitation Department honored him during an anti-litter campaign.
"He would never give up," said Robert Holden, president of the Juniper Park Civic Association. "He instilled in me a fighting spirit that if you believe in your cause your goal could be accomplished with persistence."
Berner helped to establish a civic group in 1938 that eventually morphed into the Juniper Park Civic Association.
Holden said he believed Berner was the oldest living man in New York City.
Berner was born in Germany in 1902 and came to the United States in 1928. He and his wife, Margaret, moved to Middle Village.
After Margaret died in 1987, Berner continued to live in the house with their only child, Emily.
"I'll miss him every day," said Theresa Riley, who lived across the street from Berner for 20 years. If anyone in the neighborhood needed anything, he was there."
Riley remembered watching Berner help fix a neighbor's roof about 10 years ago.
"He was 100 years old!" she said. "I was yelling at him to come down."
Friends said Berner shunned doctors and medicine. When a Daily News reporter asked him the secret to longevity several years ago, he shrugged.
"I have no secret," said Berner. "I live a normal life."
He started every day with a bowl of oatmeal.
"He could have done a commercial about oatmeal," said Lorraine Sciulli, vice-president of the Juniper Park Civic Association. "He never stopped. Maybe that was the secret."
Berner's health declined rapidly over the past year, family members said. His daughter told friends there would be no funeral and he would be cremated, according to his wishes.
Sciulli said along with his strong work ethnic, Berner had a sharp sense of humor.
"When Carl was about 106, I wanted to introduce him to a vibrant, older woman who was a few years younger than him," she recalled. "He said, ‘She's too old for me!'"
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