Boyd Huppert

KARE-TV, Minneapolis

PLAINVIEW, Minn. – When Anna Stoehr recently created her Facebook page, she did what many youngsters have done to bypass age requirements.

Anna lied about her date of birth.

She said she was 99 years old, after her actual age bounced back as invalid.

Such is the burden on a woman about to celebrate her 114th birthday on Sunday.

"You betcha," laughed Anna, giddy as an early 20th-century school girl.

Minnesota's oldest resident is not only excited, she's wired – literally. For that she can thank her new friendship with a Verizon sales rep named Joseph Ramireza.

"So what are we doing today Anna?" asked Joseph as they met recently for breakfast at Anna's retirement community, Green Prairie Place. "She's become something of a kindred spirit," he said.

Anna was born near Manning, Iowa, before her family's home even had a phone -- or electric lights or a car. But now she's FaceTiming with her friends on her brand new iPad.

The relationship between Joseph and Anna began back in August, when Anna's son Harlan Stoehr purchased his first smart phone from Joseph, an employee at St. Francis Wireless Zone.

"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.

The obvious next question followed. "How old is your mother?"

Told Anna was approaching her 114th birthday on Oct. 15, Joseph had to meet her – and a friendship was born.

During a half-dozen drives from the Twin Cities to Plainview, Joseph taught Anna how to e-mail and Google.

On one visit Joseph typed "Susan B. Anthony" into the search engine. He laughed when he remembered Anna's response. "It started talking about Susan B. Anthony and she said to me, 'I could have told you that.'"

When Facebook failed to recognize Anna's birth date as valid, Joseph helped her write a letter to Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg on an old typewriter.

"I'm still here," Anna dictated.

Anna proved long ago she is here for the long haul. She lived alone in her farmhouse near Potsdam, Minn., until she was 112.

The Gerontology Research Group, an organization that tracks supercentenarians, lists her as the seventh oldest person in America, just two years younger than the oldest – 116-year-old Gertrude Weaver, who lives near Little Rock, Ark.

Anna's new found interest in technology comes as no surprise to her son. "That's an aspect of my mom, she's been curious about everything all her life and continues to be curious," said Harlan.

Anna's friends and family will help her celebrate her 114th birthday with a party this Sunday at the retirement community.