TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Taichung City held a public memorial service on Saturday (July 8) for Lo Liu A-tzu (羅劉阿自), a midwife who delivered more than 5,000 babies, and died aged 104 on June 23.

Lo Liu was of Hakka descent and born in 1920, the ninth year of the Taisho era (1912-1926), when Taiwan was under Japanese colonial rule. She grew up in the Ruanpikeng area inland from urban Taichung, and at 18 years old became the youngest in Taiwan to qualify as a midwife.

Her career spanned over 40 years, during which time she delivered more than two newborns per week on average. According to a release from the Taichung City Government, she saved the lives of many women who had trouble giving birth, and paid medical expenses for mothers who could not afford proper care.

In her retirement, Lo Liu returned to Ruanpikeng and opened a grocery store, where she worked into her 100s. She reportedly relied on mental arithmetic and an abacus to keep accounts, and remained in good physical health until her death.

During the memorial ceremony, chair of the local Hakka Affairs committee Chiang Chun-lung (江俊龍) issued a certificate on behalf of Taichung City to commend Lo Liu’s life and work. Chiang said she represented the resilience and strength of Hakka women.

The certificate commended Lo Liu “for being a midwife for more than 40 years, successfully delivering more than 5,000 births, helping countless numbers through poverty alleviation efforts, for loving life, being optimistic, resilient, and for outstanding conduct. She can be regarded as a representation of female power of the century,” it read.

Lo Liu’s daughters, son-in-law, daughter-in-law, grandson, and other family members attended the ceremony, alongside many local politicians and members of the community.