William A. Mohr, 108 year-old World War II Veteran Who Met President Obama Last Month Dies With Santa by his Side

MEDIA RELEASE (with photos)

For Immediate Release – December 21, 2016

Media Contact:

Debbie Goetz

dgoetz@dgmediaconnections.com

215-630-5408

William A. Mohr, 108 year-old World War II Veteran Who Met President Obama Last Month Dies With Santa by his Side

Hatboro’s Oldest Resident lived a life of duty fulfilled, love shared and obstacles overcome

(HATBORO, Pa.) William A. Mohr of Hatboro passed away on Sunday, December 18 of natural causes. At 108 years of age, Mohr was one of the oldest surviving World War II veterans in the U.S. and the oldest resident of Hatboro, Pa. He died with a smile in his heart, surrounded by his loving family, his caregivers, an Irish priest from his family’s hometown and Santa, who visited him at the hospital during his final hours.

Mohr was born in Philadelphia on October 22, 1908 to Louise and William Mohr and was preceded in death by his twin brother Joseph, his sister Mildred and his half-sister Louise. He married Josephine (Josie) DeCarlo on July 31, 1943. Josephine died in 2015 at the age of 98. They were married for 72 years.

Mohr’s maternal grandfather was John Quinn, born in County Mayo, Ireland and raised in the home Lucretia Mott of Philadelphia. Mott was the famous Quaker abolitionist and suffragette. John Quinn came to America as a starving ten year-old Irish boy and Lucretia Mott changed his life.

When Mohr was three years-old, his father died in a workplace accident, when a printing press crushed him. Mohr’s mom was unable to provide for her children and placed him with his twin brother Joe in Mrs. Callahan’s Orphanage in Philadelphia. Mohr’s sister, Mildred was given to a relative. After a few years, Mohr’s mother remarried and the family was re-united.

When Mohr was a toddler, he suffered a “medical” accident. During the lancing of an infected gland, the ligaments of his tongue were damaged. This incident caused Mohr to suffer a severe speech impediment and swallowing difficulties.

Sister Donata, of Mohr’s grade school, Incarnation of Our Lord, in the Olney section of Philadelphia, arranged for Mohr to take a scholarship exam for Saint Joseph Preparatory School. Mohr passed and won a four-year scholarship to the school.

At St. Joseph’s Prep, he met Father Walsh, who worked with him each day for two hours after school to help him improve his speech. After two years, Mohr was able to be understood when he spoke. Unfortunately, financial hardships caused by the Great Depression prevented Mohr from continuing his studies at the school and he dropped out of high school. When Mohr turned 105, he was awarded a diploma from St. Joseph’s Prep.

In 1940, Mohr enlisted in the Army where he attained the rank of sergeant. He was a member of the 381st Replacement Company European Front, 45th Infantry from 1943-1945. Mohr served in North Africa, Italy, France and Germany. He was awarded the Legion of Honor, Chavelier, by the French government for his service in the Invasion of St. Tropez in August of 1945. He participated in the invasions of Anzio and Salerno in Italy. Mohr’s unit also marched up the Rhine River Valley and helped liberate the Dachau Concentration Camp.

Mohr was honorably discharged from the Army in 1946. Unfortunately, he was plagued with back problems due to injuries he suffered in the war. The removal of several shattered vertebrae didn’t alleviate his suffering, yet he was too proud to accept help from the Veterans Administration. Mohr felt that others needed help from the agency more than he did.

He and his wife Josie settled in Hatboro after the war in a home that Bill built. They had four children, William T., Joanne (Jodie), Gary and Richard (Rick). In addition, they had two grandchildren, Christopher and Connor Mohr; three step-grandchildren, Jim, Suzanne and Scott Hartshorne; one great-grandchild and two great-great grandchildren.

Mohr and twin brother Joe owned a landscaping business in Hatboro called Mohr Brothers’ Nursery. When Mohr was 63 years-old, he went to work for Pressure Products as a lathe operator and worked on cutting expensive pieces of metal with great accuracy. His work was done with such precision that it was used on nuclear submarines and in power plants around the world. He worked full time until he was 93 years-old and drove a car until he was 97 years-old.

Mohr’s interests included reading, poetry and crossword puzzles. He was a great storyteller and one such story involved watching over the cows on his Uncle Harry Kitten’s farm. The farm was located in Northeast Philadelphia and Mohr and his brother would lead the cows across Roosevelt Boulevard to graze on a property that would become the Sears and Roebuck Building. It proved to be a challenge to get the cows across the trolley tracks each time they needed to graze. He also loved to write poetry and when Mohr was 90 years-old, a book of his poems was published.

On November 11, 2016, Mohr made national headlines when he was invited to be a guest at the 2016 Veterans Day Breakfast at the White House. He was given a patriotic send off the previous day by family members, friends, representatives from his alma mater St. Joseph's Prep, local veterans and his State Representative Thomas Murt (R 152nd District).

Once in Washington, Mohr visited the World War II Memorial and received a hero’s welcome from DC area veterans, dignitaries and congressional staff who escorted him around the Memorial. While visiting the Atlantic tower of the Memorial to throw a good luck coin into the fountain, Mohr was approached by a number of tourists and students who were thrilled to meet him and pose for photos. He also met another World War II veteran who was visiting the memorial for the first time. Their exchange was featured on the national news.

The White House breakfast was an experience of a lifetime for Mohr last month. Not only did he and his children Jodie and Rick meet other veterans, current members of the military and House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, they had the privilege of meeting President Barack Obama and taking photographs with him in the Blue Room of the White House. When the president asked Mohr for the secret to his longevity, Mohr responded that he eats Campbell’s Chicken Noodle Soup every day. The president laughed and also expressed his love of Campbell’s soup. This exchange was captured by White House Photographer Pete Souza and was featured in news outlets across the country.

Mohr’s family issued a statement, “Meeting a sitting President was the fulfillment of a lifelong dream for our father, who was a true patriot. We would like to thank all the veterans who supported my dad in his final days. Greatest thanks go to his team of caregivers who would never leave his side. They made his life and his final days so joyful.” His daughter Jodie added, “My dad was an inspiration to all who knew him. A few moments in his presence would melt your heart. Always a smile; always a kind word.”

Mohr’s life was not just marked by mere longevity—it was a life of duty fulfilled, love shared and obstacles overcome.

In lieu of flowers, the family asks that contributions be made to Veterans of Foreign Wars Foundation, 406 West 34th Street, Kansas City, MO 64111. To donate online visit http://www.vfwfoundation.org/

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Editor’s Note:

Interviews with Mohr’s children are available upon request. To schedule an interview contact Debbie Goetz of Debbie Goetz Media Connections at 215-630-5408 or by email at dgoetz@dgmediaconnections.com.

To obtain photos of Mohr’s visit to the White House on November 11, 2016, please contact the White House Photo Office.