The United States has the highest number of living centenarians in the world. And now one of them resides in Grimes County. At Wednesday’s meeting of Commissioner’s Court, the newest member of the 100 year old club was introduced to the court as Mr. Alvin “Jack” Cronin.
Constable from Precinct One Dale Schaper introduced him, and shared some advice he got from Mr. Cronin.
“We had a little party for him last Saturday. i talked to him and said ‘what is your secret to 100 years of life? I may want to live to be 100 one day.’ Mr. Cronin asked ‘well do you smoke?’ I said ‘no, I quit years ago.’ He said ‘do you drink hard liquor?’ I said ‘no, very rarely do I do that. He said ‘how about eat those big juicy steaks with fat running off them?’ I told him ‘no, I have to watch what I eat.’ And he said ‘well what in the world do you want to live to be 100 years old for?'” Schaper said as the crowd laughed.
One in five men live to be 100 years old. And a proclamation was read to honor Mr. Cronin for reaching the milestone – and he has plenty of family to share it with as well. Mr. Cronin has four children, twelve grandchildren, twenty five great grandchildren and 17 great-great grandchildren.
Schaper read a proclamation stating that August 8th, 2019 was Alvin Jack Cronin Day.
Mr. Cronin was born in 1919 in Macedonia Texas, buying a farm in Grimes County in 1965 and becoming a full time resident in 2000.