When Georgie Merrill was born, a loaf of bread cost 4 cents, it took two pennies to mail a letter and Theodore Roosevelt was president.

When the soon-to-be 105-year-old is asked the secret to living such a long life, Merrill replies, "Just be friendly and happy. That's a pretty good notion."

Who knew the secret to long life was as simple as congeniality? But that attitude is what has driven Merrill since her birth on July 7, 1903, in Madisonville, Ky.

"She doesn't meet a stranger," said Amy Wall, executive director of the Golden Living nursing home in Decatur where Merrill lives. "She's a gem —- one of our friendliest residents."

Merrill has been a resident of the Golden Living facility for the past two years. Her granddaughter Pauletta Posey said Merrill was living on her own until three years ago when "she had stomach problems and couldn't go back to doing it on her own."

Though she spends most of her time in a wheelchair, she is in overall good health.

"She's from that generation that if she ever drank, it was in her early years," Posey said. "She never smoked or stayed out in the sun. She ate three healthy meals a day and stayed very slim up until her 90s."

In fact, Merrill drove up until her 90s as well. That will to be active is still evident in Merrill's daily life.

"She has stamina like you would not believe," Wall said. "She participates in all the activities. She's an extremely effective bingo player."

Merrill also participates in Bible study, trivia contests and outings to area restaurants. Singing is another activity Merrill has not given up. A recent visitor was treated to a few bars of "When It's Springtime in the Rockies," a Gene Autry tune first recorded in the 1930s.

"I learned to sing when I was very young," Merrill said. "I would go to church and sing all the hymns."

Merrill was raised with her older sister and younger brother in Graham, Ky., which is about 20 miles from Madisonville, where she was born. Merrill described Graham as a coal-mining town, and her father was a carpenter who built homes for the miners.

"We were a very close-knit family," Merrill said.

The family moved to Detroit when Merrill was in her teens so her father could seek employment. Merrill lived in Detroit until moving to Atlanta in 1988.

During World War II, Merrill became part of the "Rosie the Riveter" labor force. She worked in a parts plant, where she lost part of her thumb on one of the machines. She also worked for a dry cleaner for many years and delivered Meals on Wheels.

"She was always a hard worker," Posey said.

Merrill had one daughter, Pauletta Gelwicks, who died in 1987. In addition to Posey. Merrill has a grandson, four great-grandchildren and two great-great-grandchildren.