LINDALE, Texas — Doris Flood recently joined the community at Wesley House Assisted Living of Lindale as their first 104-year-old guest.
She has traveled all over the world, and is a self-proclaimed foodie.
"The more you eat the more you toot,” she said laughing. “The more you toot the better you feel and then you're ready for another meal."
She says life is all about maintaining a sense of humor.
"You have to have if you live in this world,” said Flood. “There's always somebody who's doin’ something dumb."
She is retired telephone operator but never wasted her breath.
"The customer's always right and they always wanted me because I didn't argue with them," she said.
The secret to living a long life, according to Flood, is to keep breathing.
Not far behind, is 101-year-old Peytie Rattan.
Her family said she happened to be on scene when JFK was assassinated in 1963. She worked as secretary to the lead investigator on the case, Captain Will Fritz of the Homicide and Robbery Bureau in Dallas.
Rattan never married or had children but spent decades giving to others.
"I wanted to do something to help somebody less fortunate than I,” she said. “You want to find something that you think will please the Lord."
She and her sister bought used dolls at thrift stores and cleaned them up.
"We dressed them, tried to make them look nice for the children at Christmas time,” she said.
She advises the current generation to have integrity.
"Tell the truth, whatever it costs. If you can't tell the truth maybe you keep your mouth shut.”