Emma Verona Johnston

Emma Verona Calhoun Johnston (August 6, 1890 – December 1, 2004) was an American supercentenarian recognized as the "oldest living American" from May 2004 until her death at age 114. Emma 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 from Iowa to Ohio in order to live with her daughter and son-in-law. She continued to be in good health even when she attained supercentenarian status, able to walk up steps and alert and able to engage in conversations.

By March 2004, she became the fifth-oldest documented person in the world and second-oldest documented in the United States, but still not the oldest person in the state of Ohio, since that state was also home to Charlotte Benkner. She is, however, the longest-lived native Iowan.

Benkner's death in May 2004 left Johnston the oldest documented person in the United States, and that of Puerto Rican Ramona Trinidad Iglesias-Jordan later that month left her third-oldest recognized person in the world. She died in Worthington, Ohio.

ee also

* List of the verified oldest people
* Oldest people
* Supercentenarian
* List of oldest people by U.S. state

External links

* [http://www.grg.org/EJohnston.htm Obituary from the Los Angeles Times]
* [http://www.lib.drake.edu/heritage/johnston/index.php Verona Johnston by Drake University]