Emma Verona Johnston
| Emma Verona Johnston | |
|---|---|
| Born |
August 6, 1890 Indianola, Iowa |
| Died |
December 1, 2004 (aged 114 years, 117 days) Worthington, Ohio |
Emma Verona Johnston (née Calhoun) (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 years 117 days. Verona 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.
Benkner's death on May 14, 2004, left Johnston the oldest documented person in the United States, and the death of Puerto Rican Ramona Trinidad Iglesias-Jordan on May 29, 2004, left her third-oldest recognized person in the world behind Ecuadorian María Capovilla and Hendrikje van Andel-Schipper of the Netherlands. She died in Worthington, Ohio on December 1, 2004.