Friends and family gathered at Redmond’s Cascade Plaza Assisted Living community on Monday, to congratulate Florence Liston on her 100th birthday.

This was Liston’s actual birthday but another party, attended by five generations of her family members, had been held the previous day.

In both cases, revelers enjoyed a fancy meal, complete with cake, champagne, flowers and balloons.

A native of Seattle, Liston graduated from Ballard High School and spent many years marketing merchandise at the Bon Marche department store in downtown Seattle. Her husband Edward passed away in the 1970s and she lived independently until about a year ago, said her niece Florence Telstad.

“Her husband was a big Husky fan and they went to every game,” Telstad commented. In addition, “she liked to play cards and Aggravation.”

Great-niece Debbie Lloyd added, “She always had a great sense of humor and goes after everything with gusto.”

George Rose, who is married to one of Liston’s nieces, shared a funny anecdote about “Aunt Florence.”

He said he once asked her if she ever got in trouble.

“Once,” Liston admitted.

He explained that when Liston was around 13 years old, she met a young man who owned an Indian motorcycle and took a spin on the back of the bike with him — only to be spotted by her father, who worked at Safeco Insurance and was definitely not pleased.

Gwen Adams, marketing and events director for Cascade Plaza, said she believed Liston’s 100th birthday celebration was the third such milestone event at Cascade Plaza in as many years.

Residents at Cascade Plaza, 7950 Willows Rd. NE, enjoy a variety of planned activities and excursions and on-site barber and beauty shop, library and chapel. For more information, call (425) 885-4157 or visit www.cascadeplaza.com.