Erna Zahn was born in Winnebago County, Wisconsin, USA on 14 April 1908. She was one of four siblings born to parents Henry and Olga (née Kloehn) Miller. Her father was a rural mail carrier for 15 years, and owned Miller’s Store in Pickett for 36 years. Growing up, her hobbies included horseback riding, sewing, and swimming. She attended Ripon High School, taking a train from Pickett to Ripon every day to attend school. Prior to high school, she attended a one-room schoolhouse in her hometown. Because both her parents worked, she was often responsible for taking care of her younger sisters.

After graduating from high school in 1926, she attended Oshkosh Business School, and was later employed as a secretary for Giant Grip, a company that made iron products. She also worked as a stenographer. On 27 July 1935, she married Meilahn Zahn, who was head of the Martin Luther College music department from 1962 to 1975. The couple would have six children, and were married for 47 years until Meilahn’s death in 1982.

Erna Zahn died in New Ulm, Minnesota, USA, on 9 August 2022, at the age of 114 years, 117 days. At the time of her death, she was among the 10 oldest living people in the world.