Chicago - Viola Lucille Paulus, or Blondie as you most likely knew her, formerly of Colfax and Bloomington, would like you to know that after 99 years her job here is done and she isn't going to sit for a bit and then clean up this time. On February 4,  the good Lord asked her to take her last "take five," and she, and He, expect you'll do her chores from here on out. That includes keeping her husband Frank out of trouble until they meet again.

But there's no reason to make a fuss. After years of work and fun driving truck, farming, making bankies, and restoring houses, plus being a wife, mom, grandma, great-grandma, and on occasion leaving us speechless with her sassy comebacks, she's got a new job being matriarch on the other side. And there's a lot to do.

There's that reunion with her sister, Darlene; her brothers, Wayne, Dean, Gene; her parents, Henry and Minnie Petersen; lots of friends from church, the military and the farming community; plus a couple sons in law, Owen and Fred, who have had it easy up there for far too long.

We doubt you'll find her always inside the pearly gates though, since she said she preferred to wait for the rest of us at The Rainbow Bridge, where pets are reunited with their owners. She loved and was beloved by her horses and dogs, hundreds of farm cats and dozens of furbabies and grandfurbabies who through the years all quickly established she was the weak link at the Thanksgiving table. We have it on good authority Snookie, Scooper, Max, Tupper, Maggie, AJ and Vixen will lead the welcoming party.

If she's not with her family or the animals, she's probably holed up with a stack of good books, hanging out with the stars of her favorite Westerns or watching reruns of NCIS. If there's a lawn to mow, a shirt to iron or raspberries to pick, she'll be right there to tackle the job or to instruct others as to how it's done right. And yes, she will be having as many Almond Joys as she wants now, thank you very much.

Left to celebrate her memory include her husband of 78 years Frank Paulus, Chicago; her daughters Holly Mair and Kristi Gunther, Chicago, who were with her at her home when the call came; three grandchildren, Erica St. Angel (Kevin), Chris and Tim (Cyndi); and four great-grandchildren Lilia, Treyson, Liam, and Sydney; and Eamon with whom she shared the quality of having no faults.

Blondie left strict instructions to not bother with a big to-do. We will remember her quick wit, her work ethic, her faith (in God and her beloved Chicago Cubs), her green thumb, and her fierce love of family and the land.  We will feel the morning sun on our faces and watch for the green flash at every sunset and know she is with us.

To celebrate her life, we recommend doing all your laundry and then stopping to smell the roses. Take a nap, have a cup of tea and sneak a cookie, or maybe a small glass of Mogen David or a margarita, lots of salt and ice, easy on the hooch. Help others whenever you can as she always did and share your joy of life. Oh, and water her plants would you? But not too much. She'll be watching, as she let us know and we'd better be good.

Services private by Cooney Funeral Home. For information please call 847-685-1002 or visit www.cooneyfuneralhome.com