Sonja C. Blazek (neé Zdenka Vlasta Cernoch) of Naperville, formerly of Darien and long-time resident of North Riverside, passed away on November 15, 2024 at Meadowbrook Manor, Naperville at the age of 98, 1 month short of her 99th birthday.

She was preceded in death by her husband Laddie Edward Blazek (né Ladaslav Blazek), father Rudolf Cernoch, mother Anna Tumova Cernoch, brother Rudolph G Cernoch and sister-in-law Joan Cernoch. 

She is survived by her son Larry (Kathy) Blazek, daughter Vicky (Rick) Stumpf; grandsons Luke (Taylor) Blazek, Eric (Nichole) Stumpf; and 3 amazing great grandchildren Gavin Stumpf, Layla Stumpf and Mateo Blazek.

She will be remembered by her family as “Babi”, Czech for Grandma.  Ever proud of being Czech, which was her 1st language, she kept those traditions and cuisine alive her whole life.  She graduated from Goodwin Grade School & then Morton East High School to begin work at Western Electric as a comptometer payroll recorder.  She met Laddie after World War II, at Pilsen Park, a famous Czech outdoor dance venue.  They married & she worked at the LaSalle Hotel in payroll until becoming pregnant with Vicky, then stayed home, in North Riverside to raise her and brother Larry who came 5 years later.  She was very active and supportive of the kids’ school activities and never shied away from hard work, often helping Laddie with heavy yard work.  After the children moved out, she was a volunteer with Brookfield Zoo for 25 years.

When grandchildren came along, she was a regular babysitter & often took the grandsons on special field trips downtown or to Wisconsin with Laddie. The boys just loved visiting and enjoyed their pristine pool in summer and all of her special Babi foods.

After Laddie died, she moved to a condo and had a wonderful time enjoying life, local field trips of her own, and socializing with new neighbors.

Ever the sassy one, she had the chutzpah to speak her mind, and was often hilariously blunt, more so as the years went on, to everyone’s amusement.

At her assisted living center and then nursing home, she regularly cracked staff up with her sassiness.  She also made many friends, and will be greatly missed by everyone that knew her.

She was a force to be reckoned with, our “Babi”.

A visitation will be held on Sunday November 24, 2024 from 2pm to 7pm at Adolf & Powell Funeral Home, 7000 S Madison St, Willowbrook, IL 60527. A funeral service will be held on Monday November 25, 2024 at 10:30am at the funeral home. Interment will follow at Woodlawn Cemetery. 

Flowers are greatly appreciated & will be donated to her nursing home after services, or donations to Make-A-Wish Illinois.