McLean Resident Celebrates a Rollicking 100th Birthday

Ersilia Maria Antonia Veronica Ghirlanda was born in a small Italian village 100 years ago. At five, she immigrated to the U.S. to join her family in rural California, not speaking a word of English.

On Sept. 17, this McLean resident celebrated her 100th birthday at the Tower Club in Tyson's Corner, one of McLean's most prestigious addresses.

Her friend, actor Robert DeNiro (yes that Robert DeNiro) was unable to attend, but sent her a birthday video. He recounted a story from an Italian American Federation Dinner in Washington, D.C.

He was detained on one side of the room. She was on the other side of the room, so she came to him. She greeted him saying, “I have never walked this far for a man in my life.” 

About 60 family and friends celebrated her 100 years of adventures at the rollicking Saturday afternoon party. Generals, colonels and a sea of friends toasted to her 100 years. Each of their stories painted a picture of a woman whose personal strength, kindness, love of laughter and passion for life had left them better for knowing her.

Toni Balcaen, as she is known now, dressed for her party in a tiara with a blinking light, a red caftan and a martini. She asked a friend, “Have you been good?” He answered, “Yes, I think so." She replied, “Well why?”.

In California in the early 1920s, Mrs. B started work at age six picking prunes. At nine, she was promoted to cutting apricots in half. At 13, she was promoted to work in the cannery, which paid better than the previous two jobs.

She went to college, moved to San Francisco, got a job, married twice and now enjoys life.

Gen. Leo Brooks and his wife Naomi cited her as one of the most inspiring and influential people in their lives. “Toni brought the party with her even when there was no party,” said Mrs. Brooks.

In 1937, she married Negley Monett, a distant relative of Claude Monet, a newspaper guy and a writer. They had a son, Jon Monett.

Mrs. Balcaen went to work for the U.S. Army in 1941 as an Army Personnel Officer. She and her young son travelled extensively. She hosted unforgettable dinner parties, and gathered close and admiring friends. Among those friends, Col. Dick O'Neil and his wife Pat, who said that Balcaen was instrumental in getting the Army to help provide scholarships for soldiers and their children. She retired in 1972.

In 1953, she married Raul Balcaen. Bob Granucci and his wife laughed when retelling stories about the sloop that her husband "Rye" Balcaen purchased. Balcaen thought it would be a great idea to order an old-fashioned sloop from Japan. It brought him problems instead. The Balcaens hired an attorney, Granucci, to get the company to fix the sloop. The couples became friends with fond memories.

Then there was the story of fireman coming to her home over a toast fire. Upon admiring the fireman she commented to a visiting friend, “I may just have to burn my toast again tomorrow.”

Jon Monett* told the gathering that his mother is "older than China." It's true. the Republic of China was formed in 1912.

Toni Balcaen told her party guests that she expected the next hundred years to be better. "With some humor and some friends there's nothing in the world you could want for!”

*Monett is the founder and director of Quality of Life Plus (QL+) , a not-for-profit organization in McLean that generates research and development of prosthetics and other innovative assistive devices to improve the quality of life for men and women who sustain life-altering injuries in the line of duty. It serves veterans and active-duty members of our nation’s military, and first responders.