Aretha M. Lies, 84, died April 7, 2010, at Promise Regional Medical Center, Hutchinson. She was born March 23, 1926, in Wichita, the daughter of Jerome M. and Agnes E. Gibbons Kessler. She graduated from Maize High School in 1944. She was a bookkeeper for the clerk of the district court in Reno County.

Aretha was a member of the Church of the Holy Cross and was in the St. Veronica Circle Altar Society. She loved to bowl and bowled on many city leagues. She was also an avid bingo player.

On July 24, 1946, she married Paul C. Lies in Wichita. He died Sept. 24, 1981. Survivors include: son, Paul Lies and wife Irene of Wichita; daughter, Kathy Lies of Ocala, Fla; son, Sid Lies of Hutchinson; daughter, Karleen Moore and husband Terry of Arlington; two sisters, Alice Prichard of Carmichael, Calif., and Lois Anthony of Aurora, Colo.; nine grandchildren; and 11 great-grandchildren.

She was preceded in death by four brothers, Arthur, June, Theron and Emmett Kessler and three sisters, Artemus Stephens, Ailene Wetta and Avis Kessler.

Rosary will be 9:30 a.m. Monday, April 12th, 2010, at Church of the Holy Cross, Hutchinson, with the celebration of funeral Mass to follow at 10 a.m. with Father Joseph Eckberg presiding. Friends may call 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Saturday and Sunday with family to receive friends from 4 to 6 p.m. Sunday at Elliott Mortuary Chapel, Hutchinson. Memorials may be made to the church or Dillon Living Center, in care of the mortuary. Please visit www.elliottmortuary.com to leave a personal message