number 99 candles on a birthday cake
Leah Berenson
Leah Berenson
August 25, 2022 ·  3 min read

99-Year-Old Woman Over the Moon to Meet her 100th Great Grandchild

An elderly woman had the pleasure of meeting her 100’th great grandchild earlier this month. Living in Pennsylvania, Marguerite Koller, was thrilled to welcome two more great grandchildren within days of each other. This brought the total number of great grandchildren to an even 100. At 99 years old she has been abundantly blessed with a family so large, most of us can’t even fathom that many acquaintances, let alone family members. 

Who is this Matriarch?

Marguerite “Peg” Koller was born and has lived in Pennsylvania for the entirety of her life. She considered becoming a nun prior to her marriage. However, her dreams of having a large family took precedence and in 1942 she married William Koller. Together they raised a family of 11 children. Her husband, William Koller is best known for founding a funeral home in Philadelphia.

Did Marguerite Ever Imagine Her Family Would be so Large?

Marguerite had always hoped to have a large family and as the mother of 11 children, her dreams have certainly come true. Her family has since multiplied to 56 grandchildren and recently, her 99th and 100th great grandchildren were born. Having lost her husband back in 2008, she has invested all of her time, energy, and love into being the Matriarch of this huge family. Her family states she is in attendance for every family event, taking great pride in her ability to show up despite her age. According to her family, among the “secrets” to her longevity is working out twice a day and the love and support of their family.[1]  She will soon celebrate her 100th birthday. Consequently,  the birth of her great grandchild is both fitting and symbolic of the incredibly full life she has led.  

Read: Woman overjoyed at becoming great, great, great grandmother

Who are the Lucky Parents?

Koller was born one week after his due date, to parents Christine and Patrick Balster. He made his way into the world on August 4th, 2022, and weighed over 9 pounds. Christine is one of the 56 grandchildren who adoringly call Marguerite “grandmom”. Koller is the youngest great grandchild, just days behind his cousin, great grandchild 99. Koller William has an older brother whose name was also carefully chosen and is equally sentimental. Koller’s older brother, Griffin David was named after Christine’s late brother David. He passed away in 1990. It is not known at this time if there is any sentimentality behind the name Griffin. “You could feel the emotion and the gratitude and [she] just felt blessed again that she got to hold yet another great-grandbaby, and this one named after my grandfather,” Christine said to GMA.

Read: 108-year-old meets his 1-year-old namesake: ‘You don’t know what this means to me’

What is the Story Behind Great Grandchild 100’s Name?

“We wanted to do like a name that was equally significant,” Patrick Balster told Good Morning America. The Balsters expressed wanting a name that was meaningful for their whole family. They combined the family’s surname and the name of Marguerite’s late husband, William Koller. Christine and her husband Patrick opted to reverse the names and agreed upon Koller William. His name was a secret until after he was born. The news was shared with Marguerite and the rest of the family and everyone was touched. The whole family felt a sense of excitement and pride after Koller’s full name was revealed. “[It was] so much love, so much support immediately once we revealed what his name was, and even more special that he was the 100th great-grandchild. So the timing was just right.” Said Christine in an interview with GMA.  

There is so much love and joy amongst the Koller family with the exciting arrival of a great grandchild, and his cousin. To add to their joy, the family is gearing up to celebrate Marguerite’s 100th birthday in November and are looking forward to sharing these precious first moments with their family. The family is currently composed of more than 170 members. Marguerite is in excellent health and stays active, both physically and in her family’s lives. She and her family attribute this presence and their religious beliefs to the longevity of Marguerite’s life.  

Keep Reading: Mom chokes up at gift 2-year-old son has for a 100-year-old neighbor

h/t Good Morning America