110-Year-Old Texan Credits "Clean Life"

A Houston-area woman credits living "a clean life" for her reaching the age of 110.

A birthday celebration was planned Monday at Windsong Village Convalescent Center in Pearland for Louvenia Posey, who the Houston Chronicle reports is the oldest ward of Harris County's guardianship program.

Granddaughter of a Louisiana slave who (Posey told the Chronicle) "cooked the best corn bread you ever saw," the supercentenarian was born in Fayetteville, about 90 miles northwest of Houston, on April 5, 1900.

She learned how to cut, chop and pick cotton on her family's farm.
The Chronicle reports that before Posey was born, her father was murdered in a rowdy card game. Her mother died giving birth to twin boys when Posey was 12 years old.

Posey, whose maiden name was Womley, left school in the seventh grade to cook and clean for families. She later worked as a seamstress.

She has outlived siblings, cousins, and three husbands (including one who fought in World War I).

Posey, who is black, keeps a photo of President Barack Obama on her bulletin board at the nursing home.

She says times have changed for the better, with "black teachers, lawyers, doctors and all," she told the Chronicle.

"I didn't think I'd ever see it."