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Ersilia, aka Elsie, Veronica, Antionette, Maria, Ghirlanda, Monett, Balcaen, better known as “Toni,” to her friends, passed away Monday November 25th, 2021 in her McLean, Virginia home from natural causes – she was 109. She was the daughter of Giacomo and Maria Ghirlanda. She is survived by her son Jon Monett, her Daughter in Law, Christine Monett of McLean, Virginia, her stepsons Raoul Balcaen III, with wife Franziska of Los Angeles, California, and Norman Balcaen and wife Renee of Sunset Beach, California, her Grandchildren Scott and Cynthia Monett, and her great Granddaughter Katherine Christine Kostrna, daughter of Cynthia, all of McLean, Virginia. She also leaves behind, her niece, Christine Arnold Bissel and her daughter Consuelo Bryant of Kennewick, Washington.
Toni lived a rich, vibrant, and adventurous life full of love of people and country, accomplishments, and charity. She emigrated to the United States when she was five on the S.S. Caserta from Genoa, Italy and arrived at Elis Island, New York on December 18th, 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 brothers and sister 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.
She moved to San Francisco after graduating from Gilroy High School and attended Secretary 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 her only child Jon in 1938 who she loved dearly, but a few years later was divorced and was a single mom when this was not the norm, and finding child care a challenge. After her son Jon was a few years old she joined the department of the Army at the Presidio just two weeks before the bombing of Pearl Harbor. She worked tirelessly as a Personnel Officer during the war effort and continued working for the government for 31 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 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 loving 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 National Cemetery next to her husband Raoul Balcaen.