Illinois couple welcomes their 100th grandchild

Leo and Ruth Zanger of Quincy, Illinois, may have just welcomed their 100th grandchild, but they say they treat every new arrival like it's their first.

"We just love them all and they're all so precious," Leo, 79, told Today.com. "Birth is a miracle, and to have a new one is just a wonderful thing." The Zangers have been married for 59 years and have 12 children ranging in age from 31 to 59 (their youngest son was an uncle 10 times over by the time he was born), so it's no surprise that their family has steadily grown over the years. With the birth of Jaxton Leo Zanger on April 8, the official grandchild count hit 100, although technically little Jaxton is the 46th great-grandchild (there's also one great-great-grandchild).

Most of the family lives in or near Quincy, where Leo operates a real estate agency, and they gather together during all the major holidays — they just have to rent out church halls since no one's house can fit everyone. "When we get together, it's big," daughter Donna Lane told Today.com. "It's really big. There are a lot of people — a lot of kids — but that's what it's all about. We always have a really good time."

Subscribe to The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

Sign up