Elsie M. Balcaen
September 17, 1911 ~ January 25, 2021
Daughter, Sister, Wife, Mother, Grandma, Patriot and Friend – A Legend Departs this World for the Next.
Look out Lord, here she comes
Ersilia (Toni) Ghirlanda Monett Balcaen
September 17, 1911 - January 25, 2021
Ersilia Veronica Antionette Maria Ghirlanda Monett Balcaen, better known as Elsie and Toni, passed away Monday, January 25, 2021 in her McLean, VA home from natural causes --- she was 109 years old. Toni was the daughter of Giacomo and Maria Ghirlanda, deceased. She is survived by her only child Jon Monett (Christine) of McLean, her stepsons Raoul Balcaen II (Franziska) of Los Angeles, CA, and Norman Balcaen (Renee) of Sunset Beach, CA, her grandchildren Scott and Cynthia Monett, and her great granddaughter Katherine Christine Kostrna, daughter of Cynthia, all of McLean, VA. She also leaves behind her niece Christine Arnold Bissel and her great niece Consuelo Bryant of Kennewick, WA. Toni lived a rich, vibrant and adventurous life filled with love, accomplishments and charity. She immigrated to the United States at the age of five on the S.S. Caserta from Genoa, Italy and arrived at Ellis Island, NY on December 18, 1916, with her mother Maria and siblings Angelo, Johnny, and Angela. The trip was hazardous because of the German U-boats sinking many ships crossing the Atlantic during World War I.
The family made their way to Gilroy, California where her father had previously purchased acres of fertile land for a family farm. Her father, and siblings worked the farm providing produce to local grocery stores. Toni was the baby of the family and helped with farm work, picking fruit in the fields, and working at the cannery. Toni’s mother worked as a midwife and delivered many of the town’s children, especially those of Japanese and Italian descent.
Toni moved to San Francisco after graduating from Gilroy High near the top of her class to attend Business School. She then worked for a variety of private companies in the city where she met her first husband, Negley Monett, who worked as a newspaper reporter and radio announcer. She gave birth to their only child, Jon, in 1938, but a few years later was divorced and was a single mom when this was not the norm and finding childcare a challenge. When Jon was several years old, she took the Civil Service exam and joined the Department of the Army at the Presidio two weeks before the bombing of Pearl Harbor. She worked tirelessly as a Personnel Officer during the war effort and for the next 30 years.
She moved to Sacramento in 1946 and worked at the Sacramento Signal Depot where she later met her second husband, Raoul Balcaen. In 1951 she was transferred to San Luis Obispo to Activate the Signal Corp Training Center for those deploying to Korea and stayed to deactivate the Center in 1953 then returned to Sacramento and married Raoul later that year. Shortly thereafter he was assigned to Yokohama Japan where she and Jon joined him in December of 1954. In 1968 she did a tour in Germany which gave her a chance to see Europe and visit her birthplace in Sesta Godano, Italy.
She made many lifelong friends along the way and was well known for hosting epic parties. Her kindness, confidence and sense of humor are legendary, and she often used her tact and charm artfully to diffuse contentious situations. After retiring from the Army Depot in 1972, she put her diligence towards supporting the arts and her beloved Nuns at the Mercy Hospital. She was instrumental in bringing the Opera to Sacramento. She served on the Sacramento Opera Board for many years opening up the membership and educating those interested in Opera. She also contributed over 4,000 volunteer hours at Mercy General Hospital in Sacramento.
She eventually moved to Virginia in early 1990 to be with her son, leaving California behind, which she never let the family, and others, forget. She lived at The Fairfax in Ft. Belvoir, VA then Vinson Hall in McLean, VA eventually moving in with her son in 2014 for her remaining years. She was taken care of by her loyal nurse and care giver, Lolita DeJesus along with her family. Toni left an indelible mark on the world and has been recognized by the Senate of California the US Congress and countless other organizations for her many contributions.
A Funeral Mass will be held at St. John the Beloved Catholic Church in McLean on Saturday, 6 February at noon. She will be buried at a later date at Arlington Cemetery next to her husband Raoul Balcaen.
For those who would like to give a gift in memory of Toni Balcaen please visit either
The Mercy Hospital
or the
Semper Fi & America’s Fund.
Look out Lord, here she comes
Ersilia (Toni) Ghirlanda Monett Balcaen
September 17, 1911 - January 25, 2021
Ersilia Veronica Antionette Maria Ghirlanda Monett Balcaen, better known as Elsie and Toni, passed away Monday, January 25, 2021 in her McLean, VA home from natural causes --- she was 109 years old. Toni was the daughter of Giacomo and Maria Ghirlanda, deceased. She is survived by her only child Jon Monett (Christine) of McLean, her stepsons Raoul Balcaen II (Franziska) of Los Angeles, CA, and Norman Balcaen (Renee) of Sunset Beach, CA, her grandchildren Scott and Cynthia Monett, and her great granddaughter Katherine Christine Kostrna, daughter of Cynthia, all of McLean, VA. She also leaves behind her niece Christine Arnold Bissel and her great niece Consuelo Bryant of Kennewick, WA. Toni lived a rich, vibrant and adventurous life filled with love, accomplishments and charity. She immigrated to the United States at the age of five on the S.S. Caserta from Genoa, Italy and arrived at Ellis Island, NY on December 18, 1916, with her mother Maria and siblings Angelo, Johnny, and Angela. The trip was hazardous because of the German U-boats sinking many ships crossing the Atlantic during World War I.
The family made their way to Gilroy, California where her father had previously purchased acres of fertile land for a family farm. Her father, and siblings worked the farm providing produce to local grocery stores. Toni was the baby of the family and helped with farm work, picking fruit in the fields, and working at the cannery. Toni’s mother worked as a midwife and delivered many of the town’s children, especially those of Japanese and Italian descent.
Toni moved to San Francisco after graduating from Gilroy High near the top of her class to attend Business School. She then worked for a variety of private companies in the city where she met her first husband, Negley Monett, who worked as a newspaper reporter and radio announcer. She gave birth to their only child, Jon, in 1938, but a few years later was divorced and was a single mom when this was not the norm and finding childcare a challenge. When Jon was several years old, she took the Civil Service exam and joined the Department of the Army at the Presidio two weeks before the bombing of Pearl Harbor. She worked tirelessly as a Personnel Officer during the war effort and for the next 30 years.
She moved to Sacramento in 1946 and worked at the Sacramento Signal Depot where she later met her second husband, Raoul Balcaen. In 1951 she was transferred to San Luis Obispo to Activate the Signal Corp Training Center for those deploying to Korea and stayed to deactivate the Center in 1953 then returned to Sacramento and married Raoul later that year. Shortly thereafter he was assigned to Yokohama Japan where she and Jon joined him in December of 1954. In 1968 she did a tour in Germany which gave her a chance to see Europe and visit her birthplace in Sesta Godano, Italy.
She made many lifelong friends along the way and was well known for hosting epic parties. Her kindness, confidence and sense of humor are legendary, and she often used her tact and charm artfully to diffuse contentious situations. After retiring from the Army Depot in 1972, she put her diligence towards supporting the arts and her beloved Nuns at the Mercy Hospital. She was instrumental in bringing the Opera to Sacramento. She served on the Sacramento Opera Board for many years opening up the membership and educating those interested in Opera. She also contributed over 4,000 volunteer hours at Mercy General Hospital in Sacramento.
She eventually moved to Virginia in early 1990 to be with her son, leaving California behind, which she never let the family, and others, forget. She lived at The Fairfax in Ft. Belvoir, VA then Vinson Hall in McLean, VA eventually moving in with her son in 2014 for her remaining years. She was taken care of by her loyal nurse and care giver, Lolita DeJesus along with her family. Toni left an indelible mark on the world and has been recognized by the Senate of California the US Congress and countless other organizations for her many contributions.
A Funeral Mass will be held at St. John the Beloved Catholic Church in McLean on Saturday, 6 February at noon. She will be buried at a later date at Arlington Cemetery next to her husband Raoul Balcaen.
For those who would like to give a gift in memory of Toni Balcaen please visit either
The Mercy Hospital
or the
Semper Fi & America’s Fund.
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I came here to get inspiration for how to write my mother’s obituary. (She passed away Monday, at 88.) How moved and amazed I was at this woman’s life. It’s like a movie! God Bless Here, and I can only imagine what she is doing this very moment.