The 2nd Oldest-Living Minnesotan Celebrates 110th Birthday
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- Only one in five million people reach super-centenarian status.
And we have one who reached that mark right here in Minnesota -- making her the second-oldest living person in the state.
Evelyn Klein celebrated her 110th birthday Tuesday. In her 12 decades on earth, Evelyn has never missed a beat.
"Just a lovely spirit and I just feel so blessed that she's a part of my life and I'm a part of her life," said Evelyn's great niece, Joanie Anderson. "We're kind of a team."
Joanie made sure family and friends filled the Great Room at the St. Anthony Health Center to help her celebrate.
"Thank you everybody for being so thoughtful to me and being so kind to me, and I love you," Evelyn said.
She was born in northeast Minneapolis in 1907 to Swedish immigrants, and was raised in Columbia Heights. There were five children in her family: four girls -- Ester, Ruth, Adeline and Evelyn -- who were all two years apart. Her brother, Leonard, was born five years later.
Through pictures, she shared more than a century of memories.
"It's hard to believe that she is 110, and I think sometimes I forget that she's actually 110, especially when she's beating me in a game of cribbage," Joanie said.
She says Evelyn, who loves to play cards, credits her long life to good living.
"She attributes her longevity in life to clean living," Joanie said. "She never drank, she never smoked and she just kept herself out of trouble."
Evelyn calls Joanie her angel. The two shared a song, which they sing whenever they part -- a testament of the love they have for one another.
Evelyn never took medications until she was in her late 90s, and did not stop driving until she was 99.
Her advice to all of us young people is just have fun and enjoy being with one another.
