“We could build our own city with such a family.”
Meet Leo and Ruth Sanger, a couple from Quincy, Illinois who have been married for 61 years. Their 100th grandson was born in 2015, and since then this number has grown up to 102.
“The Lord gave them to us,” Leo said.
“We could build our own city with such a family.”
Since 2015, the Sangers have had 12 children, 53 grandchildren, 46 great-grandchildren and one great-great-grandson! Leo and Ruth have been married since April 18, 1956, and they have been inseparable ever since.
Linda, their eldest child, is 58, and their youngest – Joe – is 31. Their other children are Debbie, Donna, David, Greg, Daniel, Mike, Steve, Chuck, Matt and Ernie.
As you can imagine, family parties can be much more hectic and crazy!
“Everyone has their turn in cooking, everyone helps each other. We always get together,” Donna explained.
Donna was called a “family historian” as they had to appoint someone to keep track of all birth records, phone numbers and various dates.
“Other family members always say: “Since you are the one to keep all the phone numbers, can you call them and tell them about some important event?” she said.
Despite how huge their family is, the Sangers have remained incredibly close.
“We’re all very close,” their grandson Austin said.
— We spend a lot of time with each other. I know that there are many families, several times smaller than ours, who get together only once or twice a year.”
As for Leo and Ruth, they couldn’t be happier without their family!
“Birth is a miracle, and the children are wonderful,” Leo said.
