Angel Chi-Chi Diana Spaulding

Dear Friends,

My sweet Sis, Chi-Chi went over the Rainbow Bridge one week ago today...
My Mommy could not pull herself together to post the sad news on my bloggie since it happened :o(

My Daddy wrote the Tribute to her wonderful life and it was read at her funeral:

Chi-Chi Diana Spaulding - April 27, 1996 to March 26, 2011



Chi-Chi Diana Spaulding was born April 27th, 1996 and went over the Rainbow Bridge on March 26th, 2011, a month shy of her 15th birthday. In between, she lived a wonderful life and brought joy to everyone who knew her. She first entered our lives in mid to late August 1996, less than a month after we had been married. Ron’s Mom was looking for a Shih Tzu, and Amalia and she had found the adorable and very busy black & white almost 5 month old little girl at a local pet store. Mom wanted Ron and Frank Adrian to see the puppy first before buying her. When we all went back a few days later, there was also an adorable brown and white 2 month old Shih Tzu male, and Mom ended up making the tough decision to go with the male (named Riki Ming-Toi), leaving Chi-Chi behind.


Since the condo we were living in did not allow dogs, and we already had Chupy living “clandestine” with us, Chi-Chi was not an option for us. However, on September 8th we found and made a deal to buy our house in Gurnee.
On September 10th, Ron was looking for a gift to surprise Amalia for their 1st anniversary of when they first met. Ron called the store and Chi-Chi was still available and she became the anniversary girl. He brought her to Ron’s Mom’s house where Ron put her into Riki’s cage while Amalia waited impatiently outside with Riki and Chupy. Upon coming back into the house, Amalia’s eyes immediately shot to the cage where Chi-Chi was waiting. She ran to the cage and took her out and hugged her and tears of joy were coming down Amalia’s cheeks. Chi-Chi may have been a bit less thrilled as her eyes bulged and wondered what was wrong with this lady. As soon as she was put on the floor, Chi-Chi ran to Riki, and they began playfully wrestling and their life long bond had begun.


Chi-Chi loved her weekly visits to play with Riki, and was busy at home pestering her much older sister Chupy. She was full of mischief, and when we returned from our delayed honeymoon where she had stayed with Riki, we wondered what had happened to all the jade leaves on Mom’s jade plant. Mom said to ask Chi-Chi, and upon asking her, we found a big jade leaf in Chi-Chi’s mouth. In July 1997, a Yorkie puppy named Sparky entered our lives and Chi-Chi adored her new found brother. Later, in November 2001, Leo also entered her life and she loved her “boys” and was quite the popular party girl. In 2009, Riki came to live with us for the last 6 months of his life, perhaps the happiest 6 months of her life. In 2010, after the passing of Sparky, she welcomed Neeko into the family as her baby brother. They had a “complicated relationship” at 1st as they both loved their food, but they grew to adore each other and she became like a mother to him.


She enjoyed and very much needed her visits to the spa (the groomer). We often joked that her original cage said, “If you buy me, must have Swiss bank account!” and she lived up to that motto. The kitchen was her church and the refrigerator was her altar. She used to say that she was on a “seafood diet” in that she would see food and eat it. She enjoyed being outdoors but did not necessarily like our long walks; she was a bit less than thrilled with being in a fitness crazed family and late in life would take advantage of the baby carriage we got her and was looking down on the “peasants” walking on foot.


She was quite independent and extroverted and was friendly to everyone. When we would take her to the dog parks or dog beaches, she would stroll around to see all of the other people and dogs and would willingly see everybody on the beach and not worry about our whereabouts. The “Independent Girl”, the “Party Girl”, “Chrysanthemum” (for her stunning looks after being brushed), and “Sweetness” (for her joyful personality) were her nicknames. We enjoyed many wonderful trips with her including Wisconsin Dells, Galena, Door County, Mackinaw Island, downtown Chicago, 3 trips to Florida, and many boat rides on Lake Michigan and Lake Geneva. She was a member of the pack of rock stars that got attention everywhere we went.


She survived one major health scare in her life when she was 11 (having her spleen removed), but other than that remained healthy until the last 3 weeks of her life and retained her beautiful black & white silky coat and youthfulness. Her body was laid to rest at Arrowood Pet Cemetery next to Teddy, Chupy, Riki Ming-Toi, and Sparky.


She will be missed dearly by her family, who is very thankful for her long happy life.

Until we meet again...

Love,