The leading lady

Burnham woman is at the top of quite the family tree

By Tabitha Goodling
BURNHAM – Margaret Richard, of Burnham, has held more than 100 babies in her lifetime.

Each one is a direct descendent from a family tree that began with her.

Margaret, 91, recently posed for her 25th five-generation photo, which sparked an interest among family members to determine just how many grandchildren Grandma has.

On 25 occasions she has sat in a chair and a new great-great grandchild was placed in her arms. She coddled the infant, even made baby coo to communicate with the newest family addition and then paused to look up at a camera to smile with one of her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren posing with her.

Jacob Sellers was the latest baby seated on the matriarch’s lap for the family milestone. Richard’s daughter, Shirley Fisher, grandson John Zeigler and great-granddaughter Katie Sellers posed for the portrait.

Margaret is mother to seven, including Fisher, of Bannerville; Barbara Woodling, of Beaver Springs; James Richard, of Troxelville; Martin Richard, of Belltown; Christina Kephart, of Burnham; Benjamin Richard, of Beaver Springs, and Naomi Renninger, of Beavertown.

She married her late husband, James Richard, in 1932.

“Her life was her children,” said James as some of the family members gathered together recently to calculate the many grandchildren.

As daughters and a granddaughter wrote down names of grandchildren and playfully argued who is a great-grandchild and who is a great-great grandchild, Margaret shared stories of her life as best as she can remember.

“I like to tell them stories about home,” she said of her grandchildren.

Most of the grandchildren know about their grandmother’s childhood. They know how she shared a bowl of cereal with a black snake and how, as a toddler, she wandered into a boat and headed down stream.

The great-great grandmother marveled at the little babies that are added to her family tree. She laughed as her great-great grandson, Aaron Zeigler, played patty-cake, while her great–grandson, Aaron’s dad, Jamie Zeigler, held him in front of her.

“Oh, I love all of them,” she said, and smiled.

The numbers continued to be tallied and phone calls were made to establish who was the first great-grandchild and who was the first great-great grandchild.

“The best thing was to have them all at home,” Margaret added, as she spoke about her children.

Shirley Fisher, Margaret’s third child and the bearer of nine children and having 17 grandchildren herself, said there is always food involved when the family gets together.

As the children shared stories hot dogs were cooking on the grill and sticky buns were in the oven.

These days, however, they cook for mom.

“On a Sunday it was nothing to have 40 people at our house and she’d be making food for all of them. And there’d be no invitation,” added oldest daughter Barbara.

“That sounds like my house!” Shirley piped in.

A cell phone rang and Margaret’s granddaughter, Sonya Zimmerman, pulled the phone away and announced that Kalin was the name of the first great-great grandchild.

“I knew it,” declared Shirley.

“See,” James said, and looked around at his brothers and sisters talking above one another, “Mother started this mess!” He then laughed.

Despite the busy atmosphere of Margaret’s family, her children paused from the teasing conversations to comment on what mom means to them.

“She loved us. She was always there for us,” commented Christina.

“I can sum it up in two words,” added James, “Unselfish concern. Mom had an unselfish concern for her children.”

James recalled his mother getting up early in the cold house the family of nine shared in Mifflin County. Margaret would be the first one out of bed and putting coal in the stove to make sure the children were warm when they awoke in the morning.

The children, who are now grandparents and even great-grandparents, stopped between conversations to reflect on times passed with their mother. They affectionately referred to her as “sweetheart” and “honey,” and helped her remember stories from her childhood.

The family posed for photos, and enjoyed the fresh sticky buns.

The numbers were tallied and a total was revealed.

Margaret has 29 grandchildren, 49 great-grandchildren and 25 great-great-grandchildren.

Each year the family gathers together — as many of the children, grandchildren, great grandchildren and great-grandchildren as are able — in July and again at Christmas.

Keeping the legacy that Margaret and her late husband started is important to the extended family.

Christina, who now cares for Margaret in her home, said they are “thankful God has allowed her to live to see all of them.”