Long-time Homer resident Jake McLay celebrated his 100th birthday with family and friends Saturday, Jan. 7 at Land’s End.

McLay, who was born on Jan. 25, 1923, moved to Homer from Oregon in 1945.

In 2008, he self-published a 262-page book, “Tales of Two Alaskan Pioneers,” full of stories and pictures of homesteading, commercial and subsistence fishing and hunting and guiding across the state of Alaska.

At Saturday’s celebration, the emcee shared a brief outline of McLay’s accomplishments and encouraged friends and family to share memories. Kasilof resident Jerry Wills described meeting McLay while he and his family were clam digging in Prince William Sound.

“From that day ever we’ve been good friends,” he said.

For his part, McLay said he couldn’t possibly tell what his greatest memory was.

“I have too many,” he said.

But he called himself “blessed” for being able to still recall all of his life.

“The one thing that comes up to me more than anything else, of all the things that have stayed with me, it wasn’t me at all. It was the Lord. I am so blessed.”

Emilie Springer can be reached at emilie.springer@homernews.com