Jessie Tonolla has been witness to historic events that most of us have only read about. </p><p>Born on Nov. 3, 1910, Tonolla celebrated her 100th birthday on Saturday, surrounded by friends, family, neighbors and dignitaries.</p><p>The celebration of the centenarian's south-side home rapidly filled with well-wishers. </p><p>"I saw a lot of dear [friends] that I haven't seen for a while ... but most of them I've seen quite often," said Tonolla as she sat in her living room receiving hugs and kisses from the many people that came by.</p><p>Janet Indart was one of many friends and neighbors who dropped in. Indart has been Tonolla's neighbor for 41 years. </p><p>"She's a wonderful lady. Oh my gosh, she's always been here for us," said Indart, who really enjoys her social time with Tonolla. </p><p>"She has a dog named Rascal. Every day she walked around the block with the dog. We always got our few minutes every day with Jessie as she would go by our houses. It was wonderful," Indart said.</p><p>Tonolla is well-known for being a nurse in the community -- having worked for Los Banos High School and Charleston and Henry Miller elementary schools as well as Drs. Lymp, Hillyer and Solgaard, among other individuals.</p><p>Tonolla's daughter, Sharon Connell said, "Joe Cox made her retire [from the school] because she turned 65. Back then, when you were 65, you were out. So then, she continued her nursing license and they hired her back to be the camp nurse at Camp Green Meadows. Then, she did private duty nursing in a lot of homes."</p><p>Connell herself became a nurse as did Tonolla's granddaughter, Caroline Connell-Smith.</p><p>Tonolla is still in good shape, according to Connell.</p><p>"Mom is incredible, because she's never slowed down," she said. "All her labs are probably better than yours or mine."</p><p>Connell suggested that her mom has always watched her weight and is very careful about limiting salt in her diet. Connell confides that Tonolla is not shy about giving others advice about staying thin and staying away from sodium chloride. </p><p>"If she ever saw [her grandchildren] use a salt shaker she'd probably crucify them ... my son doesn't even own a salt shaker," Connell said.</p><p>A good friend of Tonolla's daughter, Heddie Costa, also attended the party. Costa pointed out that Tonolla is still active -- and opinionated. </p><p>"She gives you a different perspective on aging. She likes to be on the go," said Costa, who shared that Tonolla is still a proud voter. </p><p>"This is what the young kids should see," said Costa, "someone that's never tired of using her right to vote."</p><p>The 19th Amendment to the Constitution, which gave women equal rights at the ballot box, was ratified when Tonolla was 10 years old.</p><p>Tonolla's daughter, Sharon Connell, said, "[Mom] has voted in every election since FDR and will be at the polling site on Nov. 2. She refuses to use the absentee ballot and always enjoys her privilege to vote."</p><p>In addition to friends and family, several dignitaries showed up as well. Rusty Areias who served 12 years in the California Assembly was there as were Steve Tietjen, the superintendent of the Los Banos Unified School District, and Merced County Supervisor Jerry O'Banion. Tietjen and O'Banion each presented Tonolla with framed certificates.</p><p>Connell said there would be another special certificate coming as well.</p><p>"[Congressman] Dennis Cardoza is sending a thing in to the president so she is gonna get a presidential proclamation," Connell said.</p><p>Tonolla was born the same year that Thomas Edison introduced the kinetophone, which made talking movies possible. It was also the year that the Boy Scouts of America got started, the first air flight for the purpose of delivering commercial freight took off and when Portugal became a republic.</p><p>Tonolla's life has cut across a vast swath of American history. </p><p>When Tonolla was 2 years old, the USS Titanic struck an iceberg and sank. The First World War ended when Tonolla was 8 years old. When she was 15, the Scopes Monkey Trial determined that evolution could be taught in schools. In her 22nd year, air conditioning was invented and Amelia Earhart became the first woman to fly solo across the Atlantic. </p><p>Tonolla lived through World War II, which ended when she was 35. She was 44 when segregation was ruled illegal and she was 47 when the space race began with the Soviet launch of Sputnik. </p><p>Tonolla has also been a continuous member of the Native Daughters of the Golden West since 1943. One of the founding principles of the organization is geared toward history by its "Veneration of the Pioneers of California."</p><p>Connell was pleased that so many friends had come to the celebration. Said Connell, smiling as she looked toward where her mother was sitting, "She is a special lady and I'm glad everybody showed up to show her how special she is."</p><p>Tonolla enjoyed herself as well. </p><p>"It was very lovely and I was glad to see all my dear friends," she said.