Ever the resplendent fashionista, Rose Lefko-Cohen sits in her north Toronto apartment with delicately coiffed hair and stylish striped pants, surrounded by family.

The local great-grandmother affectionately known as Gramma Rose is the proud matriarch of her close-knit loved ones, overseeing three generations of Goulds, Lefkos and Cohens, the surnames of the three husbands she’s outlived.

Five years ago, the Star profiled Lefko-Cohen for her 100th birthday. On Tuesday, she celebrated her 105th, and not much has changed in the interim. She’s still sprightly and affable, keeping her weekly hair appointments at a nearby beauty salon, and enjoying bagel breakfasts with her son David and his wife, Helen.

The Star caught up with Gramma Rose recently, to hear her wax philosophical and talk about the things she’s learned and experienced in her 105 years.

Q: If you could go back and change one thing about your life, what would it be?

A: I can’t very well think of something. After all, I have a lovely family, and everybody is so wonderful to me. I can’t complain and there’s nothing I can say … I’m very, very lucky.

I lost a daughter, that’s the only thing that I must say was very hard. But besides that, there’s been a lot of people (I’ve seen) go. I haven’t got very many people with me for 105. Therefore, there’s people I don’t see anymore, and that, I must say, is very (hard). … But I can’t change those things, so the only thing I could say is that I wish (my daughter) could be here, so she could see what’s going on with me.

But I’ve been so lucky. Do you know that the world is made up of wonderful people? It’s not everybody that realizes it. And I do.

Q: Do you have any regrets in life?

A: I lost my mother also. She was an older woman, but when I lost her, I’d been off one day from work. And I had a daughter that said to me, “You can’t go (see her) today, you’ve only got one day. Go out.” But she died that day. And that’s one thing I’ve never forgotten. You can’t forget those things. … I still regret not being able to say goodbye to her.

Q: What’s the secret to being happy?

A: Everybody has asked me that as I go along, since I’ve been 100, and the only thing I say is that, I have a wonderful family. I might not see them today; I might not see them tomorrow. But I know they’re there, and if I just pick up the phone — which I would never do because I know they’ve got a family; they’ve got their responsibilities. But they manage to see me.

And when they’re away, I pray that everybody comes back safe and sound … They’ve all come back recently from holidays, and I was so glad to see and hear that they had touched ground here.

Q: How do you feel about how the world has changed since you were young?

A: Oh, it’s changed. It’s changed a lot.

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And I’ll tell you one thing — if you’d like to know — one thing I did like: I used to like going to the races. I loved it.

Q: If you could go on forever and live forever, would you?

A: No, no. I think before everybody gets tired of me I think I should get going … I just hope they don’t sit and cry about it, because you can’t live forever.

Q: Do you have any advice?

A: Life is very short if you’re not happy in it. If God is good to you, you should repay by trying to do the best you can, for everybody. But you know, none of us are perfect. And believe me, I can see I’m not perfect and they’re not perfect, but that doesn’t change my feelings for my children.

I’m glad to be 105, even though I’m a little achy and a little shaky, and I can’t hear too well. But you know what? I’m lucky.