The 100 Grandchildren Club

 I love my grandbabies! Only have 3 right now, but I'd love 100. 

This post is dedicated to those in our family tree who actually achieved the 100 grandchild mark during their life.  

Here's the first two, both originating through our Ecklund branch.

Rudolph Tapani. Rudy's obituary of July 2002 notes 102 grandchildren, 201 great-grandchildren, and 20 great great-grandchildren. That's about one grandchild (including greats) born for every day each calendar year. Do you think he knew all their names? 

Living to the age of 97, Rudy and his wife, Esther Levanen, parented 16 children. The Tapani families of Battle Ground, Washington weave their ways in, out and all around our family branches, and more connections are sure to be found. However, the most direct Tapani DNA connection is through the marriage of Rudy's daughter, Helen Tapani to Roger Tikka; Roger is a second cousin, once removed through our Ecklund ancestors.

One of the Tapani branch mysteries I'm still trying to unravel is how Rudy's daughter, Janice Tapani, married a Kaski I haven't connected to our tree yet. With the rarity of the Kaski surname, it feels highly probable there's a connection somewhere. 

Eleanor (nee Foley) Tikka. Eleanor had 110 grandchildren and 137 great-grandchildren when she passed away in March 2002. She was the mother of 15 kids. [I guess my five kids have some work to do]. A part of our family tree through marriage only (none of the 110 grandchildren is a direct DNA connection to our tree), Eleanor is the sister-in-law of Edna Cunningham Foley, who is an Ecklund 2nd cousin, once removed. Edna married Bruce Foley, Eleanor's brother.

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So far these persons who were fruitful and multiplied didn't do so with our DNA strands, but I'm sure there's more 100+-ers to write about.

If this interests you, mark this post. I'll keep updating as I identify more 100 club members!