After growing up as an only child, Peggy Koller always hoped to have a big family. Now, almost a century later, it’s clear that her wish came true in a big way, as she’s just welcomed her 100th great-grandchild.
In 2015, Koller told WPVI that she had originally considered becoming a nun, but her eventual husband, William Koller, had other plans. “I actually applied when I was a junior in high school but he talked me out of it,” she said. The couple eventually had 11 children together. “I figured I wanted 12 but after I started to have them, I wasn’t sure I wanted that many.”
But as challenging as it may have been to raise 11 children, Koller was clear that having more children was far better than having fewer. “I wanted to have a big family,” she said. “I think it’s difficult being an only child – it’s lonely.” And after her 11 children grew up, her family grew even bigger. First there were 56 grandchildren, and from there, the great-grandchildren, which now number 100.
Koller William Balster recently got to meet his great-grandmother — a special event made even more special thanks to his meaningful name. “First thing out of the hospital, we went to Grandmom’s, introduced her to Koller,” Chrissy Balster, Koller’s mother, told WPVI in a new interview. “She was absolutely ecstatic.”
“I’ve always loved the name Cole. And Chrissy one day was like, ‘What about Koller?'” Patrick Balster, Koller’s father, said. “So we thought about it. Then we went Koller William – which William Koller was (Chrissy’s) grandfather’s name.”
The name was meaningful to everyone in the family, according to Chrissy. “I think each one of my mom’s siblings — she’s one of 11 — just felt that it was such an honor to my late grandfather and the family name,” she said. “[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.”
Of course, Koller was thrilled to hold her newest great-grandchild. “She was absolutely ecstatic,” Chrissy told Good Morning America. “Limited words for sure. She was just so happy and felt so blessed and lucky to be holding him. 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.”
But that wasn’t the only exciting news for the Koller family. Another family member, Colleen, was also expecting a baby; she and Chrissy were due just one day apart. Colleen’s baby came in at number 99, while Koller became the lucky 100th great-grandchild.
“It was a race to 100,” Chrissy said. “My cousin Colleen and I were just a day apart [for] our due dates, and she had the 99th great-grandchild, who is absolutely healthy and beautiful. So you know, just grateful, blessed to have another few babies joining this great family.”
In November, Peggy Koller will turn 100, and Chrissy said working out twice a day has helped Peggy to remain healthy — along with something else.
“Faith and family really get her going,” Chrissy said. “She is present no matter what is going on and however old she is. I mean she never misses a graduation, a baptism, a wedding, a book moment at grade school. Whatever it is, she’s always there.”
“Like” Live Action News on Facebook for more pro-life news and commentary!
