• BY SONNY LONG
• Originally published July 29, 2010 at 5:12 p.m., updated July 29, 2010 at 10:45 p.m.

• MINNIE'S LIFE1910 - Born Minnie Lee in Sweet Home

  1932 - Married Alphonse Scheffler

  1960 - Went to work outside the home for the first time at Perry Brothers, a 5&10 cent store in Cuero

  1980 - Widowed

  2010 ...

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MINNIE'S LIFE1910 - Born Minnie Lee in Sweet Home

1932 - Married Alphonse Scheffler

1960 - Went to work outside the home for the first time at Perry Brothers, a 5&10 cent store in Cuero

1980 - Widowed

2010 - Turned 100

CUERO - Minnie Scheffler, who turns 100 years old Friday, has never owned a credit card.

"If you don't ever have one, you don't ever want one," she said. "I never borrowed anything. If you borrow, you have to pay it back. When you do that, you are in trouble."

"When you think you need something, just wait a few days and you don't need it," she added.

Grandson Leo Sharron said his grandmother has mentioned to him that people not living within their means is one of the biggest changes she's noticed during her lifetime.

"She has talked about how people make tens of thousands of dollars a year and can't seem to make ends meet," Sharron said. "She can't understand that."

Scheffler married in 1932 and her husband, Alphonse Scheffler, worked as a butcher in the Bohne Meat Market for 50 years.

"There wasn't much income," said Kenneth Scheffler, 74, one of Minnie's two children. "But he had a deal with the boss and could take some meat out of the store. We always had plenty of food."

"We had everything in the world," her son said. "The materialistic things we didn't miss because we had everything else. And there was so much love you could stir it with a stick."

Two of Minnie's granddaughters said they have fond memories of her cooking.

"She made the most wonderful pies," said Karen White of Beach City. "We'd go out on Christmas Eve and look at the lights and get back to the house and Santa would have come. I loved to go to her house for Christmas."

Nancy Lancaster of Cuero said her grandmother still makes turkey and dressing for Christmas and Thanksgiving.

Minnie lives in Cuero with her daughter Melba Hahn, 69. Hahn said the two of them spend a lot of time on the porch swing.

But Minnie also has another passion.

"She loves to go to Coushatta," Sharron said, referring to the Native American casino in Kinder, La. "She has already been three or four times this year. She usually takes the tour bus that goes there regularly from Cuero."

"That keeps me going," Minnie said of the slot machines in the casino. "I like to see what's going to come out next. You put your money in and you don't know what's going to come out."

Minnie was surprised with a 100th birthday party last Sunday at the clubhouse in the Cuero Municipal Park.

"I told her we were going to a play in Victoria, but we had to stop at the clubhouse in Cuero to get our tickets. She had to go in because she had to show her ID," said Sharron.

She was obviously surprised as she entered the building to a rousing "Surprise!" cheer.

Dozens of family members - Minnie was one of 16 brothers and sisters and the last one living - from across Texas and from Louisiana were in attendance. Many friends also showed up to wish her happy birthday.

Minnie said the key to living to be 100 is simple.

"Wake up every morning," said the woman who never drank alcohol in all her years. "Just stay alive."

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