[knewheart]

107-Year-Old WWI Vet Dies
Robley Rex Last WWI Veteran In Ky.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. -- Kentucky's last surviving World War I veteran has passed away.

Robley Rex died Tuesday. He was 107 years old.

Rex has been honored by the governor for his volunteerism and as a Bell Award winner and Hometown Hero

Many believe Rex was the last living WWI veteran in the country.

He enlisted in the United States Army in 1919 and served for three years.

His wife, Grace, passed away in 1992. They had no children, but his friends and fellow veterans were family to him.

At the VA hospital, Rex received the respect and admiration reserved for a five star general.

After his time in the military, Rex dedicated his life to helping fellow veterans. He began volunteering nearly 40 years ago. He was always decked out in white VFW ball caps as he zipped around the hospital, running errands, dropping off mail and stopping to visit.

Throughout the years, Rex was a fixture at veterans' events.

"Mr. Rex's capacity for serving his fellow citizens was truly an inspiration to all who knew him. He was a caring individual who consistently went out of his way to help others. His thoughtfulness, cheerfulness and sense of humor were treasures to those of us who had the privilege of knowing and/or working with him," director of the Louisville VAMC Wayne Pfeffer said in a release Tuesday.

Last year at his 107th birthday party, Rex was honored with the Governor's Award for Outstanding Volunteer Service.

"You've all heard the Psalm, 'God will take care of you.' Now you see the fellow that God has taken care of, it's me, Robley Rex," Rex said at the time.

Rex died peacefully in his sleep, just four days before his 108th birthday.