PAWNEE — Blanche Catteau, 86, of Pawnee, Illinois, passed away Saturday, Sept. 18, 2021, at HSHS St. John's Hospital in Springfield, surrounded by her family. She was born in Pawnee on April 28, 1935, to Senei and Catherine Pacotti Catteau. Blanche graduated from Pawnee High School in 1953. She was preceded in death by her parents, Senei and Catherine Pacotti Catteau; her brothers, Senei Catteau Jr. and infant brother Joseph Catteau; and a nephew, Michael August Catteau Jr. She was employed by Allis-Chalmers/Fiat-Allis/Case-New Holland Machinery for 50 years, working her last years of employment in Carol Stream, Illinois, before retiring on Dec. 31, 2002. After her retirement, she came back to her home in Pawnee. At this time, her nephew, Michael Catteau Jr., had a taxidermy and bait shop, and she decided she would go to the shop and "help him out" daily, doing different things, answering the phone, waiting on customers and taking messages for his taxidermy work. She enjoyed doing this and did so until he passed away in 2009. She continued to help out at the bait shop and take care of taxidermy business until it closed. Around this time, her brother and sister-in-law started selling cemetery monuments, and she got involved with this business and took care of that until such time that she was unable to due to her health. By this time, her brother and sister-in-law had retired. In addition to the above, Blanche also helped out where she could with her niece Stephanie's and her husband, Todd's, TAS Trucking Business. She enjoyed doing all of this — working with Michael Jr., Stephanie and Todd and meeting new people with all of the businesses there. She was a member of St. Mary's Catholic Church in Pawnee and later Holy Cross Parish in Auburn. She also was a member of the Catholic Daughters of America and Pawnee Area Catholic Women United. She was an avid St. Louis Cardinals fan and loved to crochet afghans and many Christmas stockings, read and travel when she was able. One of her greatest trips was traveling to Italy with her friends Bruno and Amie Cantarella. She was able to visit relatives on her mother's side of the family, saw where her Grandmother Pacotti was born and the church where her Grandpa and Grandma Pacotti were married in Lemme, Italy, (which is near Torino). In her younger days, she took trips to Alaska, Germany, Austria, Switzerland and many across the U.S. She had several health issues throughout her life, including diabetes, with the last ones being congestive heart failure and AFib, diagnosed in June 2016, and chronic kidney disease in March 2017, which resulted in dialysis at the same time and continued until her passing. She is survived by her siblings, Mary Louise, Josephine and Michael (wife, Mindy) Catteau, all of Pawnee; nieces, Michelle Ann Catteau of Springfield and Stephanie Michelle (husband, Todd) Catteau-Cummings of Pawnee; great-nieces, Reeve Catteau of Girard and Autumn, August and Audrey Cummings of Pawnee. She also is survived by numerous cousins on both the Catteau and Pacotti sides of the family. She will definitely be missed by all who knew her. A visitation will be held at 9 a.m. until the time of the funeral Mass at 10 a.m. Wednesday, Sept. 22, 2021, at Holy Cross Parish in Auburn, with Rev. John C. Burnette officiating. Illinois COVID-19 guidance will be followed, including wearing masks in public indoor settings. Burial will follow at Calvary Cemetery in Pawnee. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Pawnee Food Pantry, P.O. Box 304, Pawnee, IL 62558; Pawnee Calvary Cemetery, c/o Holy Cross Parish, P.O. Box 168, Auburn, IL 62615-0168; or Holy Cross Parish, P.O. Box 168, Auburn, IL 62615-0168. Curry Funeral Home in Pawnee is serving the family of Blanche Catteau. Online condolences may be expressed at www.curryfh.com.