https://longeviquest.com/2026/01/hazel-baumberger-south-dakotas-oldest-resident-dies-at-109/

Hazel Baumberger, South Dakota’s Oldest Resident, Dies at 109

Hazel Susie Baumberger, a resident of Fort Pierre, South Dakota, USA, passed away on 30 December 2025, at the age of 109 years, 335 days.

Hazel Baumberger was born in Pierre, South Dakota, on 29 January 1916. During her younger years on the family farm, she enjoyed attending social gatherings and community outings.

She met her future husband, Art Baumberger, at a dance in Okobojo—now a ghost town near Onida, South Dakota. The couple married on 31 December 1936, in Gettysburg, South Dakota. Art and Hazel farmed and raised cattle together. After Art’s passing in 1966, she continued to work and remain active on the farm well into her 80s.

When asked about the factors contributing to her long life, Baumberger credited her many years of regular exercise, a healthy diet, and an optimistic outlook on life rooted in her faith in God.

Rest in peace Me Baumberger.