In a couple weeks, Marietta resident Mary Niceswanger will turn 109, and despite joking that she has “gotten a bit lazy,” she remains an avid sewer, cook and a devout member of her church.

“You get to be my age and you’re living on borrowed time,” Niceswanger said. “But I am so thankful to still be living on my own.”

Niceswanger was born the second of 11 children and raised in a log cabin on a farm in Morgan County in 1906.

“I’m a child of 11, but they’re all gone but one of my sisters,” Niceswanger said. “She’ll be 94 in December.”

On Aug. 2, Niceswanger (McInturf), will celebrate her 109th alongside her family at the McInturf’s estate for their annual reunion, now in its 61st year.

“My secret is just to stay positive,” Niceswanger said. “I don’t really know why I’m here, but I’m sure I’m here for a reason.”

Niceswanger said her only surviving sibling, Ruby, has some memory troubles and currently resides in an assisted living facility.

Though she occasionally has some trouble walking, Niceswanger said she is not sure how she managed to stay so healthy and independent at more than 100 years old.

“God has been awful good to me,” she said.

With just one daughter who has passed away, a few grandchildren and great-grandchildren, in addition to a number of nieces and nephews, Niceswanger tries to stay in touch with them all as much as possible.

“My great-granddaughter is a junior at (Ohio University), and I have family up in Columbus and around here,” she said. “I like getting to see everyone.”

Besides serving for years as a cook for Marietta College’s ATO fraternity house and Chi Omega sorority house and as a teacher’s helper at Head Start in Marietta before retiring decades ago, Niceswanger is a long-time member of Marietta’s Church of Christ and still boasts making regular quilts on her sewing machine.