T-L Photo/GAGE VOTA

Leota “Poochie” Lappert-Meder’s friends and family sing happy birthday to her at her 100th birthday party at Forest Hills Retirement Center. She said that she recalls seeing a woman in the newspaper who turned 100 and said that it was her goal to get her picture in the newspaper for being 100 years old. Born May 15, 1925, to Mary and Charles Lappert, the Bellaire native said that she has seen many changes in her lifetime. She said that family means everything to her and added that regardless of what they are doing, if she calls them they show up for her.