Woman celebrates 106th birthday in Fresno

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- A Valley woman enjoyed a special celebration on Saturday. Viola Braa and friends celebrated her 106th birthday at the Windham retirement home on Spruce near Millbrook in Northeast Fresno. She was born in Buffalo, N.D., in August 1909 and lived on a farm for many years.

"We told Dad we want to do some work so we can go to college. So we did a lot of things that a boy would do; that didn't hurt us one bit," Viola said.

Viola did go to college and ended up being a school teacher in the Tulare County town of Woodlake. Several of her co-workers from Woodlake High School were there for the celebration. Action News photojournalist Alex Ruiz -- a Woodlake High alum -- was out there to cover the event, so it was also sort of an impromptu school reunion.