On March 24, 2008 Alma Leamer celebrated her 99th birthday.
Born in 1909 in Bedford County, Alma attended Claysburg Kimmel High School where she graduated in 1925.
Mrs. Leamer said there is only one other living member from her graduating class and the two continue to talk and sometimes still visit when they are able.
After high school, Alma married Frank Leamer who was a State Police officer.
When Mr. Leamer was transferred to Huntingdon, the couple moved to Alexandria where they raised their family.
They eventually moved to Hollidaysburg where Mrs. Leamer worked for Judge and Mrs. Jubelirer for two years and Attorney and Mrs. Goodman for 40 years.
Mrs. Leamer has lived at Colonial Courtyard in Tyrone for the past four years. Before that she lived with her daughter Dorothy in Mississippi.
Alma said after coming to Colonial Courtyard she began to get homesick, missing her daughter. She decided to fly back to Mississippi to be with her and even purchased a plane ticket.
However, the day before she was to depart, Hurricane Katrina, the costliest and one of the five deadliest hurricanes in the history of the United States, hit the Gulf Coast.
Needless to say, Alma was unable to make the trip. Her daughter, like many others, had to leave her home. She now resides in Hollidaysburg, close to her mother.
Mrs. Leamer also has three sons: Carl, Mark and Jerome. Another daughter passed away 14 years ago.
She also has 15 grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.
Mrs. Leamer said she enjoys living at Colonial Courtyard, adding the staff is very nice.
To celebrate her special day, a birthday party was held in her honor. Several ladies from her former church also visited to help her celebrate the special occasion.
