Lucille M. Klein nee Dywan, age 97, of Hammond, Indiana, passed away peacefully at her home on Monday, November 5, 2018. Loving mother of Sandra L. (late Phillip) Hodonos of Fort Myers, Florida, Maralyn (late Daniel) Gaza of East Chicago, Indiana, and Noreen M. Gilham of Highland, Indiana. Proud grandmother of 8 and great-grandmother of 7. Cherished sister-in-law of Florence "Flo" Dywan. Fond aunt of many nieces and nephews. Preceded in life by her husband William V. Klein, her son William Klein, her parents Michael and Mary Dywan nee Lesniak, her brothers Joseph Dywan, Thad (Sophie) Dywan, her sisters Irene (Joseph) Hupke, Alyce (late Wally) Yablonowski, Lillyan (Walter) Duda, and her special friend John Trimmel. Lucille was loved by many and will be missed by more. Friends are invited to a meet with the family on Monday, November 12, 2018 from 11:00 AM until time of Memorial Mass at 12:00 Noon at Our Lady of Perpetual Help Catholic Church, 7132 Arizona Avenue, Hammond, Indiana with Reverend Charles A. Mosley, Pastor officiating. An inurnment will follow at Holy Cross Cemetery in Calumet City, Illinois. In lieu of flowers, memorials to your favorite charity would be appreciated. For further information regarding services, please contact LaHAYNE FUNERAL HOME at 219/ 845-3600. A letter to my Gram, Lucille Klein born on December 3rd, 1920 was known to many by Lulu, seldom Lucille, and never Magdalena her middle name she despised, but to me she was just "Gram". I remember so many things about my Gram, its hard to find a starting place, so I'll go back to my earliest memories when she still lived in East Chicago I used to beg my parents to drop me off at Grams to spend the day or even better the weekend, she lived aside of her brother Joe & sister in law Flo Dywan in what seemed to me at the time to be akin to a modern day "Kennedy Compound"; big corner lots with set backs and a fenced yard ,I loved spending time there except for the Dywans dog "Mitzi" who terrified me and chased us around the yard relentlessly. One cool thing in my Gram's house was a laundry chute that was in the closet and went directly downstairs to her basement beauty shop, only the constant fear of getting stuck in it prevented us for climbing in that chute to test out the theory of gravity. The beauty shop was nice and was started out of necessity to care for here family due to a handicapped son and a husband suffering from debilitating Parkinson's disease, however being a beautician proved to be her lifelong profession. I spent many days listening to all her "lady's" chat during their perms and haircuts while helping my Gram clean up in the shop. Looking back at her example of strength, persistence and fortitude helped me shape my character for the rest of my life in ways I cannot begin to explain. When she moved to Hammond it seemed to me like the other side of the world, but I kept going to her house on weekends riding my bike over that large dilapidated bridge on the boulevard and calling home when I arrived safely. I also remember some very constant Friday night events, every Friday after she was done with her last "lady" we would go to dinner, shopping, or a movie, and on Sundays it was always 9 am Mass and breakfast at the Wishing Well restaurant next to True Value which on my Gram's encouragement I got a job there when I was 14 and worked there all through high school. When I was ready to go to College, I was accepted to Purdue for Engineering and even though there was a satellite campus 6 blocks away from her house she insisted that I go to the Main Campus in West Lafayette, that first year in engineering was tough and I remember calling her saying I wanted to quit, she said "Hey Hey anybody can quit your not a quitter stick it out "thank you Gram for those words of wisdom. Gram met John Trimmel just about the time I finished college, and for the next 25 years she really had a second life, thank you John for taking such good care of my Gram, she enjoyed every minute with you and lived five lives in one during that time with you. I was lucky enough to see my Gram in the last few years as my business travels brought me to Chicago and I would make an early flight so I could spend a few hours with her, although admittedly it was hard to see her in failing health during those last few visits and I thank her caretaker "Bee" for caring for her and especially to my Aunt Noreen whose constant devotion kept her going strong until her last day. Most of my visits were enjoying a few periods of brief engagement and the occasional smile and her saying "you have nice teeth or nice hair" she always noticed appearances that's for sure. And as she was getting closer to the end she reverted to speaking Polish which I had to rely on technology using the Google Translate app on my iPhone to say a few words to her in Polish and she smiled. During my visits she always rallied to wake up for her "Golden Boy" a childhood nickname she had for me and a ranking amongst her grandkids which I still proudly acknowledge. She always liked a joke and told great stories, always ready for a good time and brutally honest, a trait we all appreciated provided it wasn't directed at us. One time I got stuck in the Circus Wagon Lion Cage at the Michigan City Zoo and my Gram laughed so hard she couldn't control herself, she then walked away and said, "Don't worry we'll bring you Colonel Sanders Chicken every Sunday", a meal she truly enjoyed. Thankfully after I was hysterical for 10 minutes they let me out, no child services around at that time to report them all for that terrible taunt. We used to go my Aunt Sandi's in Michigan City nearly every Sunday after visiting my Uncle Bill in Westville where he was getting treatment, and visit my cousins, swim, have dinner and then come home in Gram's Turquoise Pontiac Bonneville the 2+2 "go baby go "as she used to say, and yes she liked to drive fast! I could go on and on reciting all the good times, she had a hard life taking care of a sick child and husband, but she was tough as nails, hardworking, as kind as can be, and generous to a fault. She loved her family, and was blessed with a second life with John who took her around the world and back. For that I am grateful. There is plenty more to tell but with that I'll leave you with a few of my favorite LuLu-isms : "What your wearing that? Go put on that nice shirt I bought you" "Hey Hey come on I tell it like it is" "No Man tells me what to do " "I love myself I love myself" as she put on a fashion show in her various fur coats. "Come on we'll go for a bite to eat" "Hey hey just stick out you can do it" "When I ask to have it done I want it done today not tomorrow" Gram you taught me many things and I am forever grateful to you, my wish is that every Grandson could have your love and encouragement, I will miss you immensely but the impact you left on me will be with me until I join you once again.