MONROE, La. (KTVE/KARD) — On Saturday, September 9, Nellie Cicero, a Monroe resident, had the celebration of her life by celebrating a century of life here on earth.
“I feel nervous,” Cicero said. “It’s a special occasion, and there are so many people looking at me. It’s just a wonderful feeling, and my lovely family means so much to me.”
Nellie Cicero was born and raised in Merwin, Louisiana in 1923. She moved to Monroe at 19 years old. She was married for 68 years before her husband passed away. She has two children, three grandkids, and one great-grandkid.
“We had a lovely relationship, and it’s all because of me,” Cicero added.
Nellie’s son, Samuel Joseph Cicero, and grandson, Michael Leehy, describe Nellie as someone who loves people.
“She loves people. She likes to wait on them. I’m really blessed that she is still here,” Cicero said.
“She is really sharp. She has memories of everything. It’s such a blessing to be able to ask her about her life and have her share these things. It’s really a blessing,” Leehy explained.
Nellie says she is a passionate woman who has seen it all. She says she went through 20 different presidents in her lifetime. She says she enjoys going on boats and playing cards. Her favorite game? Poker.
But there is one thing she has been playing all along that has brought her to this moment. She says there are a few secrets to a good life to celebrate the perfect one-hundredth birthday.
“Enjoy life and be happy. Be good to other people. That is the main ingredient. That is the secret to my life because I love people,” Nellie Cicero said.
Happy 100th Birthday, Nellie Cicero.
