LUSK - Mark Twain once said, “Age is an issue of mind over matter. If you don’t mind, it doesn’t matter.”

And Violet Marie Bauer must not mind at all, as is evidenced by the fact that she recently celebrated her 100^th birthday. As of October 1, she will have lived in Lusk for three-years. Of course, this modest Wyoming town is not where her story began. Bauer was born in 1925 in Lincoln, Nebraska and has been chugging along ever since.

When asked to describe what it felt like to reach 100, she simply replied, “It is strange.”

Strange, indeed. Little did Bauer know that a century of life would bring her to Niobrara County. The road to the Cowboy State was a winding one for Violet. She remained in Lincoln until the age of four. Then, she moved to Lodgepole, a small yet significant Nebraskan location for the centenarian.

Bauer’s daughter-in-law, Becky Redfield, said, “She had so many wonderful friends there. She would go play cards at the library once a week. She would go have coffee every morning at the Panther Den every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.”

While in Lodgepole, she married Lloyd Bauer. The couple had three sons. Of the three, the only living one is Dan Bauer, who is married to Redfield. All three live together in Lusk.

Within two months of moving to Lusk, Bauer contracted COVID. Given the public health hysteria generated by the infamous respiratory illness, it goes without saying that there was a considerable amount of concern for Bauer’s well-being. Yet, according to Becky, the centenarian took COVID like a champ.  

“She fared that very well,” Redfield said.

Of course, one doesn’t live 100-years without working a few jobs. As one might surmise, Bauer boasts a rather long and eclectic résumé. 

“She had a lot of fun jobs through the years,” Dan Bauer said.

In Lincoln, she worked as a beautician with her two sisters in her mother’s beauty shop. She took to the sky as a crop duster in Lodgepole. In Sidney, she worked as a carhop and shoe salesperson. During World War II, Bauer helped with the canteen for troop trains in North Platte. After that, she worked at the Sioux Army Depot in Sidney. While there, one of Bauer’s coworkers won an award for exhibiting exceptional speed as an ammo crater. Much later, she managed luxury apartments in Denver. If ever there were a time that Bauer was unemployed, it certainly was not for very long.

Now, at 100-years-old, Bauer can afford to hang up all of her hats and simply enjoy life. That’s precisely what the centenarian did on her birthday. Naturally, there was a birthday cake and all of the other celebratory paraphernalia one would expect for such an occasion. Yet, that’s not all that Bauer enjoyed for her birthday bash. The centenarian also received flowers, cards, phone calls from her grandkids and, most importantly, chocolate. According to Dan Bauer, his mother is a bona fide chocoholic.

“That’s one of her vices,” Dan Bauer said. “She loves chocolate.”

Confirming this sugary rumor, Bauer said, “I do like chocolate.”

“I think sugar is what has made her live to be 100-years-old,” said Redfield. “That’s just my hunch. I don’t know for sure.”  

In addition to the unverified life-extending power of chocolate, genetics may have contributed to Bauer’s longevity. According to her son, longevity seems to run in the family.

“She had uncles that lived to be 104 and 106,” Dan Bauer said. “Her dad lived to 99. It rolls in their genes.”

Of even greater value to Bauer is her family, whose love and support have fueled her for a century.

“Being around my family makes me happiest,” Bauer said. “I just think they’re all great.”

Redfield and Dan Bauer wish to extend their gratitude to the Niobrara Senior Center, Country Corner Hair Shop, Rawhide Health Clinic,  Dr. Jeffrey Behringer, MD, and Bauer’s “bath ladies,” Kay and Becca.

“You are all angels on earth,” said Redfield. “We could not do this without you.”