Emma Verona Johnston
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Emma Verona (Calhoun) Johnston (August 6,1890-December 1,2004), recognized as the "oldest living American" from May 2004 until her passing, was born in Indianola, Iowa as one of a large family. She was the oldest living graduate of Drake University, where she was a member of the Class of 1912.
At age 98 she moved to Worthington, Ohio to live with her daughter and son-in-law. She continued to be in good health even when she attained supercentenarian age, able to walk up steps and alert and able to engage in conversations.
By March 2004 she became the fourth-oldest documented person in the world and second-oldest documented in the United States, but still not the oldest in Ohio since that state was also home to Charlotte Benkner. She is the longest-lived native Iowan.
Mrs. Benkner's death in May 2004 left Mrs. Johnston the oldest documented person in the United States, and that of Ramona Trinidad Iglesias-Jordan later that month left her second oldest recognized in the world.
External links
- AP obituary at CNN (http://www.cnn.com/2004/US/12/03/obit.johnston.ap/)pl:Emma Verona Johnston