Good friends, constant doctor check-ups and bowling has helped Frank Keithley age with happiness and health.

The secret, said Keithley who turned 99 on Nov. 14, is to "live life a day at a time and have good friends."

"He befriends everybody," said Jack Marconi, who helped organize Keithley's birthday celebration at Napa Bowl on Nov. 30. "He's very easy-going and he stays friends with (people) for years. Because he's such a nice man, they are all concerned about him. It's like an extended family for him. People are drawn to him."

Aside from that, says Marconi, Keithley takes good care of himself. Keithley said he eats properly, keeps regular appointments with his doctor every three months and always gets a lot of rest.

During his youth he led an active lifestyle, playing tennis for about 25 years.

His friends say he is a very private person but gets very emotional when his friends attend his birthday celebrations.

When asked what it feels like to be 99, Keithley said, "I really feel like it was just yesterday that we were playing poker. I don't feel any different than what I felt yesterday."

His 99th birthday celebration was organized by friends, and was held at the bowling alley to acknowledge the fact that he's still bowling with Seniors In Retirement of Sonoma. Keithley has been playing for the SIRS league since 1973. Comprised of retired seniors, Keithley is the one of the league's original members. He first started playing in the Sonoma Bowling Alley, but then it closed down and he started coming to Napa to play.

Before retiring he worked for Pacific Bell, where he says he worked for nearly 45 years. Keithley has two daughters and was married for 45 years before his wife passed away.

Harry Cecaci, 86, who lives in the same mobile park in Sonoma as Keithley, said he has known him for 20 years.

"He is astounding to be able to maintain good health," said Cecaci. "The quality of his health is amazing. I've fallen more in the past 6 months in the alley than he has."

While Keithley's friends went all-out with a birthday cake that had a big bowling pin and a bowling ball with No. 99 emblazoned on the cake, they're already planning his 100th birthday.

"We don't know what we'll do yet but we'll have something cooking. I'm hopeful we'll get the whole town involved," said Marconi.