Jovan Jovanovic

Jovan Jovanovic (16 September 1906? – 1 October 2016) was a Bosnian supercentenarian whose claim is currently unvalidated by the Gerontology Research Group (GRG). If his age were true, he would have been the oldest person ever born in Montenegro, oldest person who passed away in Bosnia and Herzegovina and oldest ethnic Serbian man ever.

Early life
Jovan Jovanovic claimed to have been born in village Donji Brceli, Principality of Montenegro (today Montenegro) on 16 September 1906. His fathter was Pero Jovanovic. He was born in poor family. His father came from America when First Balkan War started, but disappeared during World War I. He was always interested in schooling. In 1934, he graduated literature and Russian language in Belgrade, Serbia (then Kingdom of Yugoslavia). He get his first job in Gymnasium of Berane. In December 1943, he married Zagorka and later came to live in Bosnia with her. They have no children.

War and after war
He lived in Podgorica, Montenegro during World War II. His sister Ljubica is killed during war. After war, he became Director of Gymnasium of Foce, where at same time he was professor of Russian language and philosophy. In April 1946 he was arrested and spend half year in Cetinje prisson. After that, he worked in gymnasiums in Pljevlja, again in Foca and Sarajevo. In January 1957, he went to the University Library in Sarajevo and worked there until a pension. During his life, he published 222 scientific papers. His wife passed away in 1973.

Late life
In 1992, his apartment was demolished and he spent five months living in shelters. In the shelling in March 1993, he was severely injured in his leg. In his last years, he devoted himself to studying about "Gorski vijenac". In March 1996 he moved to Gerontological Center in Sarajevo. All of his time he spend with Fahira Turkovic, who came to Center one day before him.

Jovan passed away on 1 October 2016 at claimed age of 110 years, 15 days. He was buried on 5 October 2016 on Bare Cemetery, Sarajevo.