The oldest person in the state of Minnesota, a woman who lied about her age so she could get a Facebook page, passed away Sunday after a life that spanned more than 114 years.
Anna's son Harlan Stoehr said she died in her sleep Sunday morning at her senior apartment in Plainview, her mind and speech clear until early last week.
"I don't think mother intended to live forever," Harlan Stoehr told KARE. "She just got farther than most."
Anna was born near Manning, Iowa. She lived alone on her farm in Potsdam, Minn., until she was 112. She and her husband Ernest farmed together until he passed away in 1998 at age 97.
Anna spent the eve of her birthday last October learning how to navigate her brand new iPad. This came thanks to her new friendship with a local Verizon sales rep, who learned of her social media needs when Harlan came into his shop last summer to buy his first smartphone.
"I just sold him the iPhone and he was talking about his mother and I realized Harlan was 85 years young and I was just astounded," recalled Joseph Ramireza, who became one of Anna's regular visitors.
When Facebook failed to recognize Anna's birth date as valid, she typed in her age as 99. Ramireza then took dictation for her snail-mail letter to Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg.
"I'm still here," Anna dictated. But the curious centenarian has departed after all. Anna Stoehr's funeral will be held at Immanuel Lutheran Church in Potsdam on Saturday.
Harlan said Anna's obituary will list among her survivors the two apple trees she planted at age 105.
