100-year-old nurse who worked until AGE 85 without taking a single sick day reveals her secrets to a long and happy life
- Ruby Cole has revealed what she feels has allowed her to live a long and happy life
- The Alabama native moved to Detroit in her youth and has lived there ever since
- She gives her long life to a life of service, eating well and ‘looking good’
A centenarian nurse from Detroit has opened up about what she feels has been the key to her longevity and happiness.
Ruby Cole, who turns 101 this month and insisted she is ‘loving her life’, shared her advice with Insider in the run up to her youngest birthday.
Born in Birmingham, Alabama, in 1922, Ruby moved to the Motor City as a young woman, where she attended business and nursing schools.
She started working as a nurse at the age of 21 – and did not retire until 64 years later, at the age of 85 – having never taken a sick day.
Ruby Cole, who turns 101 this month, is an outspoken optimist and says her ‘positive outlook’ is the main way she has stayed ‘happy’ throughout her life
The Birmingham, Alabama native moved to the Motor City as a young woman, where she attended business and nursing schools
She started working as a nurse at the age of 21 – and did not retire until 64 years later, at the age of 85 – having never taken a sick day
One of her main overarching tips urged Ruby that always maintaining a ‘positive outlook’ is a great way to stay ‘happy’.
The outspoken optimist further credits her disposition to a life of service to others.
“You have to be kind, loving and helpful,” says Ruby, who specialized in pediatric nursing.
‘It works both ways because you feel good when you help other people feel good.’
The approach certainly boded well for Ruby’s mental and physical health over the years — given how the retired nurse never took a single sick day in her more than six decades on the job, according to cousin Paula Martin.
“Miss Ruby didn’t want to let people down,” Paula said.
‘One thing she passed on to us is that giving of yourself makes you happy… and happiness is the key to a life well lived.’
As for other matters of utmost importance to longevity in Ruby’s view, nutrition and exercise are paramount.
Ruby has always placed a premium on looking presentable. She wore red – one of her favorite colors – to her 100th birthday party last year
She emphasized that she has been eating three square meals a day for as long as she can remember.
“Eating right means you can’t miss a meal,” she elaborated.
When it comes to exercise, rather than using ‘fancy’ machines at the gym, she always opts for long walks around her neighborhood that allow her to feel the ‘fresh air on her face’.
In addition, she places a premium on looking presentable, and subscribes to the saying ‘when you look good, you feel good’.
Ruby has always leaned towards brightly colored clothes – especially in shades of red, having also donned the color on her 100th birthday.
As for her mind, Ruby keeps up with the news and sports – and as a die-hard Detroit Lions fan, remembers the last time her football team took home the championship in 1957.
She also loves Wheel of Fortune and, talking about her aunt’s penchant for trivia, Paula gushed, ‘She hardly ever gets an answer wrong. She will make a great contestant.’
Ruby is not the only centenarian who has asked people for advice when it comes to living long and well.
Earlier this year, DailyMail.com reported on what theoretically kept the more than 100,000 people over 100 in the United States alive for so long.