Another milestone checked off for Ms. Doris Derer.

But COVID has certainly changed the way she celebrated her big day for the second year in a row.

Her son, Michael, came down from New Jersey. He said he made sure he was vaccinated in order to be present for this occasion. 

“At 99, my sister was outside this window waving to her,” Michael said.

When the pandemic struck, activities Derer she loves to do, were off limits.

“I belonged to two clubs. There was an English club and I danced,” she told Spectrum Bay News 9.

But, Derer has lived through quite a lot over the past 100 years – like the 1940 Nazi blitz of London.

“They’d see the skyline burning and occasionally somebody would go home and their house was no longer there,” her son said, remembering the stories she told him about that trying time.

Derer can tell you stories for days, in particular about her wedding day alongside her handsome military man in England

“The church was just next door, so they hired the cars ahead of time and they came and picked me up,” she recalled.

They are memories like this that keep her pushing through. Very humble, Derer says this about her most memorable birthday to date:

“Well it looks like this has turned out to be.”

She celebrated with fellow residents at Brookdale Senior Living – and Sheriff Al Neinhuis. Derer even received some birthday cards from across the pond.

Her grandniece and husband wished her a happy birthday in a video message.

“Lots of love, and we hope you have the best day ever. Happy birthday,” the message said, bringing a bright smile to her face and checking off yet another unforgettable moment in her long life.