What do you get for the woman who has seen it all?

All Molly Gibson, 102 years old, wanted for her birthday was a nice dinner with the many generations of her family.

She got her wish Saturday at Kalispell’s Montana Club restaurant.

Born Oct. 19, 1911, in Devil’s Lake, N.D., Gibson worked much of her life as a nurse. She was working in the local hospital when her little brother was born.

Her “baby brother,” 84-year-old Carl Flaget, was at the party to wish her many more happy birthdays.

To what does she credit her longevity?

“Be Norwegian,” Gibson said, with a twinkle in her eye.

She met her husband, John Gibson, and they moved to Cut Bank to raise a family. He was a rancher, and she picked up jobs wherever she could.

Sometimes this meant nursing. Other times it meant working at a Christmas tree depot. 

She and John had five children, three boys and two girls.

Gibson’s middle child, Sylvia Bronson, became her mother’s caretaker after John passed away 36 years ago. The two live in Eureka with Gibson’s other daughter.

“She’s not afraid to speak her mind,” Bronson said of her mother. “She’s always said, ‘I’m as old as I am; I can say what I want.’”

With the family matriarch’s infectious laugh and excellent sense of humor, the Gibson clan is a jolly bunch.

As for the 102-year-old, she shows no signs of stopping.

“She worked out at the fitness center until she was 99,” Bronson said. “Her doctor said she’ll live to 110; she’ll be the oldest woman in Montana!”

While hard of hearing, Gibson still finds time for activities. She used to crochet and do ceramics, but she gave those up for a different vice. 

“She plays cards and dice,” Flaget said of his older sister. “And she beats us most of the time, too.”

Because what’s the point of living to 102 if you can’t have a little fun with it?

Reporter Ryan Murray may be reached at 758-4436 or at rmurray@dailyinterlake.com.