THOMASVILLE — Hard work, faith in the Lord and a cheerful outlook on life helped a Thomasville resident become the oldest living woman in Georgia.

Ruth Wood celebrated her 108th birthday Tuesday at the Southern Pines Retirement Community. She was born Sept. 5, 1898, making her the state’s oldest woman on record by two years, according to the Georgia Gerontology Institute, is 106 years old.

For 49 years, Wood was an interior designer for Fowler Brothers, a furniture company in Chattanooga, Tenn. It was a job to which she attributes much of her longevity.

Wood got the job during a time when women in the workforce were still rarities.

“Mr. Fowler would not hire women. It was a business where all he would hire were men. But he finally broke down and hired me,” she said.

“Every day I would carry an apple in my pocket and I would not eat lunch. I would eat the apple,” Wood said. “We worked in a building with four floors, but I never took the elevator. I always walked up and down the stairs.”

Years of walking up and down those steps and lifting heavy furniture paid off during her golden years. She still holds the Senior Olympic shot put record in Chattanooga. What’s more, even at 108 years old, she has a handshake like a vise.

Wood also said her secret to a long life is her faith in God.

“I do believe that if you live the best life that you can, you will be rewarded in the name of Jesus,” she said.

Southern Pines Executive Director Carol Whitney said she’s proud to know Wood.

“She’s been a great joy and has always had a giving personality. She’s always looking out for others instead of herself,” she said. “She has a very strong spiritual base. She’s lived life with a strong work ethic and a very moderate lifestyle, but lots of laughter with friends and family.”

Throughout her time at the retirement community, Whitney said she has been amazed by the stories Wood has told her, such as riding in a horse-drawn buggy during the early 1900s.

Whitney and others at Southern Pines have found inspiration through Wood.

“It’s about quality of life, and Mrs. Wood is inspiring to everyone. I’ve known her for six years, and I’ve never heard her complain about anything,” Whitney said. “She’s just got a wonderful approach to living.”

The world’s oldest living woman is Maria Esther de Capovilla of Ecuador , who turned 116 years old in 2005. She was born September 14, 1889.