Longtime Peninsula resident Jean Watson Grove celebrated her 105th birthday at the Health Care Center at The Forum at Rancho San Antonio with a barbecue lunch in her honor and family, friends and fellow residents in attendance.

Born Aug. 29, 1900, in Ontario, Canada, Grove came to California in the early 1920s and worked as a private-duty nurse in San Diego before moving to the Peninsula, where she worked as a doctor’s office nurse until she retired in 1970.

She and her husband and two sons moved to Menlo Park in 1964.

During World War II, Grove was responsible for one of the first infant care centers the government set up for women working in the aircraft manufacturing plants in San Diego.

She kept her own house until she was 99, then moved to assisted living at The Forum’s Health Care Center. Her husband, Dan, passed away several decades ago.

One of her favorite hobbies is making afghans.

“Mrs. Grove is very active and loves to knit and grow tomatoes in her little garden,” said Nila Mattson, administrator at The Forum’s Health Care Center.

Grove laughed as she blew out the candles on her cake and was delighted as she chatted with guests, residents and family members. Grove’s son and daughter-in-law, Richard and Ruth Grove, were on hand for the celebration.

Assemblywoman Sally Leiber sent flowers and a congratulatory note.