Paula Tonskemper Viehman (formerly Paula Joan Tonskemper) passed away peacefully on June 14, 2025 at the age of 74. She was a resident of Martin Luther Care Center in Bloomington, MN. Paula was born in Minneapolis, MN on September 30, 1950. She was born on a night with major thunderstorms – symbolic of the force she became in her future years. She was the loving daughter of Bernard Francis Tonskemper and Barbara Anne Grady.

Paula attended the former Resurrection Elementary School in Minneapolis, MN, now Our Lady of Peace. In 1968, Paula graduated from the Academy of Holy Angels HS in Richfield, MN. To this day, she has extremely devoted friends from both her elementary and high school years. Although she had many, many friends, some of her closest and longest were Jeanne (Nancy) Louis, Noel Pauly, Margaret Seiwert, Tracy (Rusinyak) Dunkirk and Lynn (Schatzlien) Blank. In 1970, she attended Saint Cloud University in Saint Cloud, MN, finishing at the University of Minnesota, majoring in Social Work. Upon graduation, she began her work at “Home-Away” – a young women’s sanctuary for domestic violence survivors. She later went on to work for Northwest Airlines (now Delta Airlines) as an international Reservations Agent for almost 20 years – based both in Los Angeles, CA and Minneapolis, MN.

Paula was always a confident, practical, and humorous individual. She was beautifully tan and brown-haired, well-dressed and loved her Gloria Vanderbilt perfume. She also loved purple, gardenias, efficiency and brutal honesty. She had great friends, a great family, and was extremely intelligent and resourceful. She loved dogs, even having owned a few in her life – Sarah, Liddie, and Ellie.

She met her later-to-be husband, Tom Viehman of Minneapolis, MN, during her younger brother, Kevin Tonskemper’s high school years at the then Benilde High School, during the late 1960s and 1970s. At first sight, Paula was not impressed with Tom – as he had a huge afro which he combed with an angel food cake cutter. He loved cats, had a water bed with a less-than-tidy bachelor pad, and simply did not live up to her expectations. Paula chose herself and her friends for the longest time and absolutely loved it. However, Tom soon made his sauve ways known – making her laugh until she cried and proving his love to her by visiting her in Los Angeles, CA, where she worked for Northwest Airlines. The two of them were meant for one another – both strong, intelligent, and genuine individuals with great conviction in their beliefs. They married on June 14, 1986 and loved and devoted themselves to one another until Tom’s unexpected death in 2008. They raised two children, Anna Marie Viehman, born in 1988, and Edwin “Eddie” Patrick Viehman, born in 1990.

During her time at Northwest Airlines, she became active in the airline worker union – I.A.M., for which she became treasurer/secretary. In her later years, she worked for the local municipal court circuit of Hennepin County, MN – working as a Court Clerk in Edina and downtown Minneapolis, MN.

Anna and Edwin “Eddie” were the focal points of Paula’s life. Paula was so proud of her children – boasting of their accomplishments and promoting any amazing pursuits they engaged in. She was a born mother – warm, open, and communicative about all things. She would have the honest conversations before her children would ever have questions about certain topics – life, love, finances, etc. She was protective, as a mother should be, and would welcome them with open arms, no matter how wounded or what shape they came back to her after life had its way with them. After Tom died in 2008, it was extremely trying for Paula — she worried about her children, worried about her financial and emotional future. However, as Paula always did, she did what had to be done – she put her children first and forged ahead in order best protect themp. After she had reached that point in life – nothing could stop her. She went on to have her rent apartments/homes which she rented and copiously enjoyed decorating, making as functional as possible, and bringing in friends and family over the years to assist her in the things Tom could no longer in Tom’s absence. She got a cute little dog, Ellie, in 2015, to keep her company.

Tom and Paula valued family and friends above all else – always hosting fun parties and get-togethers, with Tom at the helm of the pontoon boat and Paula at the helm of the homestead. They loved and bonded over great music – particularly the Mama’s and the Papa’s, Patsy Cline, Bonnie Raitt, the Beatles, the Moody Blues, Eric Clapton and countless others. They could be seen many times together – Tom handling the grilling, mowing and firewood-stocking and Paula handling the marinating, décor, and general cleanliness of the home. Both would host and ensure all were taken care of – even housing a couple of tenants in the lower portion of their home at “2500” over the years. Their home was extremely tidy and neat – most of which could be attributed to Paula’s cleanliness and organization.

She had thirteen nieces and nephews, all of whom she loved dearly. Two of them – Angie (Mike) Viehman and Nik (Susan) Proctor were in her wedding as children. She spent a lot of time speaking bluntly and candidly to her nieces and nephews about feelings, about being vulnerable, about being brave and those words still live on with all of them.

Paula also had two grandchildren, Grace (Anna) Halvorson and Thomas (Anna) Halvorson of Tolna, ND. She devotedly loved both and contributed to the house they now live in in multiple ways. She will forever have a room in their North Dakota home coined, “Grandma Paula’s Room,” as it is where she stayed when she would come to visit.

Paula was extremely proud and pleased by her son, Eddie’s, life – and the fact that he chose a wonderful wife, Sarah Klinesmith. The two of them bought a house in Richfield, MN, and Paula was absolutely honored to take part in their wedding and looked forward to it for years. She would boast and talk about the two of them with such pride. She and Eddie and Sarah had a very special bond.

Paula is preceded in death by her husband, Tom Viehman, parents Ben and Barb Tonskemper, siblings Brian Tonskemper, Jane Tonskemper, Ann Tonskemper and Gloria “Glo” Tonskemper; sister-in-law Genevieve (Geny) Tonskemper; survived by her eldest sister, Susan Proctor and brother-in-law John Proctor of Placerville, CA, youngest sibling, Kevin Tonskemper of Edina, MN; sister-in-law Gayle (Dennis) Kirkman; brother-in-laws Ed (Cori) Viehman, John (Amy) Viehman, Mike Viehman, and Dan (Yvonne) Viehman; nephews Abe (Tamatha) Proctor of Portland, OR, Nik (Megan) Proctor of Sebastapol, CA, Edwin “Eddie” (Sarah) Viehman of Richfield, MN, Ben and Jon Viehman; nieces Mary (Nate) Mickalowski of Bloomington, MN, Katy (Michael) Ramme, Angie (Andy) Viehman, Anne (Matt) Rivard of Woodbury, MN, Hayley and Morgan Viehman, Anna (Aaron) Halvorson of Tolna, ND; Great Aunt to Audrey Markley, Alex Proctor, Jora Beck, Finn Proctor, Ella Proctor, Bailey (Josh) Curtis and Kayley Mickalowski.

On behalf of Paula’s family – we would like to express our deep appreciation of the hard-working and kind staff who cared for her over the last years – from Amira Choice Assisted Living in Bloomington, MN, M Health Fairview – Southdale Hospital of Edina, MN, York Gardens Assisted Living/Memory Care Unit in Edina, MN, to Martin Luther Care Center in Bloomington, MN. She was so well-taken care of at all times and we are grateful.

Celebration of Life in the Fall of 2025. More details will be provided closer to that time.