On her 105th birthday, Mary Mendes reflected on what truly mattered during her long, full life.

“I’ve got family, they’re all in my heart,” she said.

Mendes celebrated the milestone Saturday afternoon surrounded by her children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren and great-great-grandchildren.

“Everything to her has been family,” said Saundra Mendes-Silvia, Mendes' oldest grandchild. “I admire her strength...She’s the glue to this whole family.”

To mark the occasion, U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren, Gov. Charlie Baker and Congressman William Keating sent official citations.

State Rep. Susan Gifford congratulated Mendes in person.

“Every day is a special day when you get to be 105,” Gifford told Mendes. “Enjoy the day. I’m so very happy for you.”

Born on Feb. 7, 1911 in a small house behind St. Patrick’s Church, Mendes spent most of her life in town, leaving only a few times.

From the age of 5 to 17, Mendes lived on Cape Verde where she attended school. The journey there featured a tragedy as Mendes’ mother passed away en route. Her father, John Cardoza, arranged for Mendes to live with her grandmother.

She returned to Wareham in 1928 and worked for the A.D. Makepeace Co. picking cranberries. It was there she met her husband, Alfred Mendes. She married at the age of 22, and the couple had three children: Fred Mendes, Jr., Mary Mendes and Joseph Mendes. Joseph Amado also became part of the family after he came home with Fred one day. He's considered a fourth son and uncle to all of her grandchildren.

For a brief time the couple lived in Ohio and Pennsylvania for Alfred’s work, but returned to Wareham.

“Everything to her has been her home. She isn’t a person that traveled too much,” said Mendes-Silvia. “She’s very family orientated.”

Another constant in Mendes’ life is hard work.

“This is someone that wants to work,” said Mendes-Silvia. “It’s just remarkable.”

In addition to A.D. Makepeace, Mendes' previous employers include the Aerovox Corp. in New Bedford and various housekeeping companies.

“I’ve worked from here to Provincetown,” Mendes boasted.

She retired at 80 when her last employer, the Roland Thatcher Nursing Home, provided her with two options - stop working or start volunteering.

Mendes retired, but never stopped moving.

She takes pride in keeping a tidy garden, home and street – sweeping and cleaning in front of her house. Two years ago, she participated in the clean up of the Oakdale playground located at the end of her road.

“She keeps saying she wants to work for the town cleaning the streets,” said her granddaughter. “This woman does not keep still.”

Perhaps that work ethic is the secret to Mendes' longevity. Her lifelong avoidance of tobacco, alcohol and affinity for vegetables probably helps, too.

Despite her age, Mendes’ vision and hearing are well enough that she doesn't require the assistance of a listening aid or glasses. She gets around mostly unassisted, using “her walker when she feels like it,” according to her granddaughter.

Her mind is not as sharp as it was just a couple years ago, but it still holds rich memories that she recalled on Saturday.

Those stories came in handy when Mendes-Silvia traveled to Cape Verde in 2006.

Using details from her grandmother's stories, Mendes-Silvia linked up with the grandson of one of her grandmother’s uncles who she lived with nearly 100 years ago.

“The grandson was in shock at how many details she could remember,” Mendes-Silvia said.

Following that visit, Mendes reconnected with some of her Cape Verde relatives who came to the U.S., which - as an only child - held special significance for her.

“She would always say, ‘I know I have family, I just don’t know where they are,” Mendes-Silvia said.

Having lived in the same house her husband built in 1937, Mendes’ children and grandchildren have always known where to find her. And Mendes-Silvia said her grandmother’s door will always remains open to her large, loving family.