Photo by Charles Crane/MDN Olive Andes celebrated her 101st birthday with family and friends at a local restaurant on May 7. From left to right, Gary Andes, Willa Wald held by Peri Wald, Tiffany Wilson and Olive Andes.

Minot resident, Olive Andes, celebrated her 101st birthday on May 7 alongside her friends and family.

She said her day started off with a surprise visit from six employees of a local business who hand-delivered a beautiful bouquet of flowers and a box of all sorts of goodies.

“It blew my mind when I was told I would have a special delivery,” she said.

Andes was born in 1925 in Parshall and lived the farm life until she and her husband, Bob Andes, moved to Minot in 2009 to ease the anxiety of driving during severe winter conditions.

She spent 20 years working at a nursing home, where she made friends with residents, residents’ families and held a daily Bible study. Even though she’s been long retired and surpassed a century in age, she still drives her own car, bakes and cooks on her own and lives independently.

“I think that many people look at aging and think, ‘Oh I’m so old. I shouldn’t do this or that,'” she said. “God has been good to me and he’s given me the ability to continue doing many things and remain mentally alert.”

Andes’s family spans five generations. She has four children, 10 grandchildren, 22 great-grandchildren, and 21 great-great grandchildren.

She attributes her longevity to her faith.

“I give full credit to God. He’s with me everyday. That would be my advice – to take time for your God,” she said.

Her lifelong home church is Lucky Mound in Parshall, where she was baptized, confirmed and married.

Even though she no longer travels to Lucky Mound, she still dedicates her Sundays to her faith. Andes listens to three sermons every week and still receives communion once a month when her church pastor visits her home.

Andes said she isn’t an attention getter and believes God has a plan for everybody.

“I just go about and do my things and enjoy my friends and family when we can come together,” she said.