"I actually applied when I was a junior in high school but he talked me out of it," the woman said about her late husband who dissuaded her from becoming a nun.
Marguerite Koller from Blue Bell, Pennsylvania recently celebrated the birth of her 100th great-grandchild, named Koller William.
She had the opportunity to meet the newborn shortly before her 100th birthday.
The child is named after her late husband, William, who she credits for convincing her to ditch plans to become a nun. She said she feels incredibly lucky to be able to hold the newest addition to her family. The 99-year-old is the mother of 11 children and has 56 grandchildren, leading to her now-100 great-grandchildren. Therefore, little Baby Koller now joins multiple generations descending from his great-grandmother, PEOPLE Magazine reports.
"I'm just thinking about how lucky I am." Talk about a family tree with some deep roots. #MontcoPA's Marguerite Koller is celebrating the birth of her 100th great-grandchild and sharing the story of her remarkable family. https://t.co/eZF7iaXoFO pic.twitter.com/b1eL7AAned
— NBC10 Philadelphia (@NBCPhiladelphia) August 10, 2022
She said in an interview, "I am just thinking about how lucky I am." Reportedly, Koller first applied to a local convent in order to become a nun while she was a student. However, her late husband convinced her not to go forward with her plans at the time. The great-grandmother explained, "I actually applied when I was a junior in high school but he talked me out of it." He, unfortunately, passed away in 2008 and could, therefore, not witness the birth of his 100th great-grandchild.
At one point in her adolescence, Marguerite Koller was ready to embark on life as a nun.
— Metro (@MetroUK) August 15, 2022
But 100 great-grandkids later, it looks like God had other plans 😂https://t.co/02a5MqzRBU
Her newest great-grandchild was originally supposed to be 99th in line, but the little one claimed the very special title for himself after being born more than a week after his predicted due date. According to Christine Balster, Koller's granddaughter and the mother of the 100th great-grandchild, she and her husband Patrick wished to honor both of her grandparents with their son's unique name. Balster described Koller as a "lovely, sweet, [and] strong lady." She also praised the "amazing legacy" her grandmother has been able to build so far. Her family, too, believes the matriarch is "an inspiration." Greg Stokes, Koller's grandson, praised her ability to continue her daily life at the age of 99.
An American matriarch who once hoped to become a nun has celebrated the birth of her 100th great-grandchild https://t.co/hB2wIjEV53
— The Times and The Sunday Times (@thetimes) August 15, 2022
"And to be the age she is and still going about it every day..." he said. "It is unbelievable." Despite her age, the nonagenarian makes it a point to be there for every graduation and baptism in the family. She decided she wanted to have a big family early on, and thus, she welcomed her first child with William during the Baby Boom just after World War II. "I wanted to have a big family," she shared in an interview. "I think it is difficult being an only child, it is lonely." Koller is set to celebrate her 100th birthday in just a couple of months.
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Cover Image Credit: Stanislaw Pytel / Getty Images
