Centenarians are more common now than even a few years in the past.

Turning 100 for Fountain View Village resident Callie Becker, it is another milestone for her to celebrate.

She will celebrate her 100th birthday with out-of-town friends and family, as well as her local relatives and friends on her special day, April 9.

Callie was born in Georgia and after graduating from Emory University was recruited as a librarian to serve, at naval installations as civilians. Her first assignment was in South Carolina; she was not interested in moving so close to home and jumped at the chance to go to San Diego, Calif., to the Naval Hospital there.

On her way to California via train for four days, a major event happened in the world, of which she knew nothing. When she arrived in Los Angeles, she learned that over the course of three days, the United States had dropped atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, Japan. World War II ended with that event.

Arriving by bus from Los Angeles to San Diego, her first sight of the Pacific Ocean was one of love.

Her fascination with the West Coast endures to this day.

Callie met and married Jack Becker, an Army Air Force veteran who had been at Pearl Harbor when the Japanese attacked in 1942.

The couple built a home in La Mesa, near downtown San Diego, but an even shorter distance to San Diego State University, where she continued her work as a librarian.

Callie is listed in “Who’s Who of American Women 1970-1973” and Who’s Who in the West 1970-1975” and “Foremost Women in Communications 1970.”

We wish Callie a very happy birthday. Enjoy your day and all those who love you.