POST FALLS - Bill DeVore said he has passed by death at least a dozen times.

He survived a fireworks explosion in a car, an acid bath and a fall that required doctors to drill four holes in his head to drain fluid building up.

He said he was one of the first people in his town to be run over by a Model T Ford. He suffered a concussion and was hospitalized, but recovered quickly.

Still, he doesn't have a specific reason for how he reached 101 years.

"Luck, I guess," DeVore said on Wednesday between bites of cake and donning a birthday party hat.

But staying active and maintaining core values likely had something to do with it.

A party for DeVore, who retired after 40 years with Southern California Edison Company in 1975 before moving to Coeur d'Alene in 1991, was held at Garden Plaza of Post Falls.

Daughter Terri Jamerson said DeVore is known for his patriotism.

"He has to have a flag," she said. "No matter where he has lived, he has flown it. He just loves this country."

But DeVore won't fly just any flag - it has to be American made.

"His wife got him a flag for Christmas a few years ago that was made in China, and he wouldn't fly it," said friend Berta Bjurstrom.

Bill and his wife, Loyce, recently celebrated 65 years of marriage. They are members of Coeur d'Alene Bible Church.

Bill said he has seen big changes in medicine and communication in his lifetime.

In medicine, polio has been overcome by the Salk vaccine, diabetes is now controlled by insulin and some childhood diseases that were deadly are now controlled by vaccine.

When Bill was born in 1910, home radio was still a novelty and only a few homes had telephones.

Friends say Bill loved to garden, growing vegetables, roses and lots of zucchini. He also enjoyed taking his family fishing and camping during the summers and has been a fan of Los Angeles sports teams.

Bill was active in his retirement years.

After he moved to Idaho, Bill fell in love with his snowblower, blowing out his neighborhood and even the streets when needed. He walked once or twice a day until 2005.

He continues to enjoy bingo and music gatherings.

Loyce said Bill has always been a great family man and still has a sweet tooth.

"We like each other," she said.