Told that her violinist was ready, Florence Dunlevy chuckled a bit, looked over at a TV camera and two assembled news reporters and asked her daughter, “Is this really a big deal?”

Florence, it is indeed a big deal.

West St. Paul resident Florence Dunlevy celebrates her 105th birthday Saturday, which came along with a personal birthday letter from Gov. Tim Walz, a notice in the Congressional Record from U.S. Rep. Angie Craig, and an official observance of “Florence Day” in West St. Paul, declared by Mayor Dave Napier.

Witty and full of humor, Dunlevy celebrated with her family on Friday afternoon at the senior living center Brookdale West St. Paul, where she has lived for more than a year. She was a longtime resident of Redwood Falls, Minn., until the age of 103. Redwood Falls is a city of about 5,000 people, more than 120 miles southwest of St. Paul.

“They say, ‘Nobody is 105 but you,’” Dunlevy joked with the assembled guests. “I’ve had a really good life.”

Born in South Dakota in 1919 as Florence Marie Hrdlicka, she married the late John Dunlevy of Redwood Falls in 1942. The couple lived on the family farm outside of Redwood Falls for many years, raising their five children: Charles, Catherine, Daniel, Mary and Margaret. Charles died in April of this year.

The family raised hogs and chickens and grew soybeans and corn until 1979, when the couple retired and moved into Redwood Falls. Her husband, John, died in 2001.

Florence recalled days of raising her kids, and then working the fields.

“My husband taught me how to drive a tractor, so I did a lot of field work. I would get dinner in the oven, ready, and then go plow the field,” she said.

In 105 years, what has brought Dunlevy the most joy?

A photo of Florence and John Dunlevy on their wedding day in January 1942 is displayed at her 105th birthday party. (John Autey / Pioneer Press)

“The birth of my children, a nice rain when it was dry, and the times when we would take our children on fun day trips, to places like the zoo,” she said.

A picture of her life begins to form: her dedication as a mother, decades spent farming and the closeness of her family, which continues to this day.

“I’m so proud of all of my kids. I was so happy to see all of my kids graduate college,” Dunlevy said.

Three of her four living children were on hand at her birthday, and her other daughter who lives out of state left just this week after a long visit. The family also held a large party in Redwood Falls for her 100th birthday.

‘Get along. Be well. Be happy …’

Florence Marie Dunlevy, center, talks with her daughters, Mary Sherburne, left, and Catherine Malone at her birthday party Friday. Dunlevy turns 105 on Saturday. (John Autey / Pioneer Press)

Aside from farming, raising her children and volunteering in the community and at St. Catherine’s Catholic Church, Dunlevy has loved knitting and crocheting.

Years ago when she first joined a class to learn how to knit, the teacher balked. A left-handed student would take too long to teach, the teacher complained. They wouldn’t teach her. So Dunlevy learned from a right-handed friend, reversing everything the friend did.

Eventually, Dunlevy picked it up and started churning out hats and blankets, even embroidering holiday-specific tablecloths that are still used by the family.

Asked for any advice she has picked up over her 105 years, Dunlevy said: “Get along. Be well. Be happy and go do something by yourself once in a while. Don’t just work all of the time.”

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Later, when talking to the group that assembled for her birthday party, she added: “Don’t worry.”

That drew a laugh from her kids: “Oh, as if Mom never worried!” joked one of the adult children.

On Friday, the laughs flew lovingly between Dunlevy and her children.

“They ask, ‘How old are your kids?’ I say, ‘Well they all qualify for Medicare,’” Dunlevy said.

Humor aside, when talking about her mother, the words “kind” and “generous” first came to mind for Catherine Malone.

“She is just a steadfast mom,” Malone said. “She taught us all how to be a great mother.”