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Maine's oldest person passes away one month shy of her 112th birthday

According to The Hawthorne House in Freeport, Dorris passed away Monday night, May 7. Dorris was 111-years-old.

FREEPORT (NEWS CENTER Maine) — The oldest Mainer Dorris Farrar has passed away.

According to The Hawthorne House in Freeport, Dorris passed away Monday night, May 7. Dorris was 111-years-old.

Officials at The Hawthorne House say Farrar was surrounded by her family when she died.

Last year Dorris got a special visit from Maine Senator Angus King. Here is what happened:

► Maine's oldest resident is 111, says a good attitude is the key to a long life

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“You're very handsome,” Dorris told Senator King, as her nurses erupted in laughter. “Oh good! I'll tell my wife you said that,” he responded.

Dorris was born in Bar Harbor, and has lived to meet her great-great-grandchildren.

“It's just kind of amazing,” said Senator King. “And she's alert and funny. And I just said, 'I want to meet Maine's oldest resident.'” He learned about Dorris after he met her doctor.

Dorris was a bit hard of hearing, and said her sight was starting to go when we spoke to her.

“My eyes are starting to not be as good as they had been,” she said. Dorris carried around a digital camera and was taking pictures constantly.

A century of life hasn't dimmed Dorris's wit. When she was presented with an early Christmas present from Senator King, an American flag that flew over the U.S. capitol building, the first thing she noticed was that they spelled her name wrong on the certificate.

Senator King made the quick fix, and whipped out a Sharpie to add the extra “r.”

That sass, Doris says, is her key to a long life. “Take pride in it, and holler, and whistle,” she said.

Senator King says she’s taught him a lesson he can bring to Washington: a good attitude. “I think what you learn from Doris is attitude,” he said. “Just be positive. It's hard to imagine someone that's been around well over 100 years and is so positive and bright, and she's having fun with life.”

“I have to put up with whatever it is,” Dorris said. “I'll just have to take it on the chin.”

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