García Maturey is one of fifteen immigrants over 100 years old that have recently been naturalized.

At 101 years young, a Brownsville woman can now call herself an American citizen. Eulalia Garcia Maturey’s life is filled with history. A hundred and one years ago Tuesday she crossed from Mexico, into the US on a ferry with her Mother.

Maturey loves this country. ”Me encanta vivir en America,” she said.She spent her life in a modest house on the Texas/Mexico border. Maturey came to Brownsville from Matamoros on a ferry on Tuesday, October 12, 1909. She was eight months old, and her Mother carried her in her arms.

Maturey has lived through two world wars and outlived two husbands and two sons. Her niece, Yolando Ovalle, says her aunt stopped going to Mexico a few years ago.  She gave it up when her border crossing card was no longer a valid form of identification.

Ovalle says not being able to cross into Mexico caused her aunt to fall into a depression. Maturey feared she’d be deported. The card that wouldn’t let her cross the border is the same card that helped her get her citizenship.

For being 101 years old, Maturey is sharp. She knows the colors of the American flag, the number of stars and stripes on the flag.

President Taft was in office when she was born. Maturey has lived through 18 presidents and knows the name of our current Commander in Chief, President Obama. She says he’s one of the reasons she wanted to become a citizen so she can vote.

“Para votar, a si no puedo votar,” (To vote, this way I can vote) she said.

Maturey’s niece made some final touches in order to make her aunt picture perfect. They fixed her hair and gave her a quick homemade manicure. A hundred and one years after the ferry ride with her frail hand held high Maturey took the oath of citizenship. Minutes later she was an American. “Soy una Ciudadana Americana!” she proclaimed right after.

Maturey she walks away with the protection of God and a new found faith as a US citizen. One of the first things she plans to do with her new citizenship is cross back into Mexico to visit.