The Top 10 Oldest Iowa Residents in History
In terms of life expectancy, the state of Iowa fares better than over half of its peers, with an average lifespan of 77.5 years per individual in the Hawkeye State.
That being said, throughout the state's history, some Iowans have lived so long that it almost defies conventional belief. In fact, the oldest Iowan of all only recently passed away in January of this year.
Here's a look a the ten oldest Iowans of all time.
According to the Gerontology Wiki Website, these are the ten oldest Iowans who ever lived:
| Rank | Name | Sex | Birth | Death | Age |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bessie Hendricks | F | 7 Nov 1907 | 3 Jan 2023 | 115 years, 57 days |
| 2 | Neva Morris | F | 3 Aug 1895 | 6 Apr 2010 | 114 years, 246 days |
| 3 | Olivia Patricia Thomas | F | 29 Jun 1895 | 16 Nov 2009 | 114 years, 140 days |
| 4 | Emma Verona Johnston | F | 6 Aug 1890 | 1 Dec 2004 | 114 years, 117 days |
| 5 | Anna Stoehr | F | 15 Oct 1900 | 21 Dec 2014 | 114 years, 67 days |
| 6 | Merle Barwis | F | 23 Dec 1900 | 22 Nov 2010 | 113 years, 334 days |
| 7 | Gertrude Croker | F | 12 Jul 1881 | 26 Nov 1994 | 113 years, 137 days |
| 8 | Flossie Eckard | F | 25 Jul 1888 | 25 Aug 2001 | 113 years, 31 days |
| 9 | Olive Alleshouse | F | 7 Jun 1882 | 13 May 1995 | 112 years, 340 days |
| 10 | Letitia Lawson | F | 10 Apr 1896 | 22 Feb 2009 | 112 years, 318 days |
There are a couple of very interesting facts pertaining to this list. First off, every single person in the top ten is a female. Secondly, eight of the ten passed away in the past twenty years, providing evidence that humans are living longer than in years past.
Not only is Bessie Hendricks the oldest Iowan in history, but she was also the oldest living American until her death in January of this year. Bessie was born in Iowa's Calhoun County, was a mother of three, and a teacher in a one-room schoolhouse.
To see the full list of the top 10 oldest people to ever live in each state, check out the article from Gerontology Fandom Website.
Story Source: Gerontology Fandom Website, CBS News Website
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