At a Glance
- Margie, 84, has 150 grandchildren, 50 great-grandchildren, and 50 great-great-grandchildren
- She appeared on The Jennifer Hudson Show and met one grandchild for the first time live on-air
- Born in Amarillo, Texas, she was a child bride at 14 and had eight children
- Why it matters: Her story highlights multigenerational family bonds and the power of maternal legacy
A California grandmother captivated studio audiences and viewers when she revealed the staggering size of her family tree. Margie, an 84-year-old Oakland resident, joined The Jennifer Hudson Show on Monday, Jan. 12, and shared that her descendants now total 250 people.
From Child Bride to Family Matriarch
Margie’s journey began in Amarillo, Texas, where she married at 14. Before turning 21, she had given birth to five children, eventually raising eight. Today, seven of her adult children are alive, and they have given her:
- 150 grandchildren
- 50 great-grandchildren
- 50 great-great-grandchildren
The numbers are still climbing. “The number is still adding,” her daughter Pat told host Jennifer Hudson.
Keeping Up With the Clan
With a family that now outnumbers many small towns, Margie admitted she can’t recall every name. Her solution is relational memory.
“I do not know all the names,” she said, “but I have seven adult children, and so when I get down to the fourth generation and the fifth generation, I say that is my son’s daughter. And that is my daughter’s daughter. Family.”
Hudson pressed for perspective: “Okay, so, how do you keep up with all of them?”
Margie answered simply, “I am so blessed, Jennifer. I am blessed to be here and to know that there are families supporting you…”
Education and Achievement Ripple Effect
Pat outlined the broader impact of her mother’s perseverance. Every sibling earned a college degree. All became homeowners and business-owners. Among the younger generations:
- One nephew is nearing completion of medical school and “almost getting his white-jacket to be a doctor”
- Another nephew is enrolled in the fire academy
- A third recently “passed the bar”
“We are on fire,” Pat declared.
Surprise On-Air Reunion
Hudson teased that some relatives Margie had never met were backstage. The host then brought out a granddaughter from Texas who had never met her grandmother in person.
“All the way from Texas!” Margie exclaimed, tears forming as she embraced the young woman on the couch. “Thank you. We’re going to pass this love on.”
A Living Legacy
Margie attributes the family’s success to her maternal dedication. “My mom gave birth to all eight of her children and she did the best, the very best that she could,” Pat said.
The segment closed with three generations on stage, symbolizing a lineage that began with a teenage bride in rural Texas and now stretches across states and professions.
Key Takeaways
- Margie’s descendants total 250 and counting
- She met a grandchild for the first time on national television
- Every one of her children achieved home ownership and higher education
- The family’s achievements include future doctors, firefighters, and lawyers
