Esta Pearl (Stiles) Kays, 90, passed away Monday, Aug. 30, 2010 at Gibson General Hospital-Skilled Nursing Facility in Princeton. 

She was born March 2, 1920 in Wheeling and was a graduate of Mt. Olympus High School, class of 1938 and resided in Gibson County most of her life. However, she and her husband spent 11 years in the Washington D.C./Maryland area.  She enjoyed her family, vegetable and flower gardening, sewing and crocheting and was noted as an excellent cook.  She retired from Gaston’s IGA and worked for several other area grocery stores in their meat wrapping department.  She was an active member of Broadway Christian Church in Princeton.

Survivors include her two daughters, Phyllis J. (Bill) Crecelius of Princeton Margaret J. Kays of Evansville; four grandchildren, Dr. Laura Crecelius and her husband, Dr. Robert McKinney of Booneville, Miss., Dr. W. Michael Crecelius and his wife, Sarah of Newburgh,  Jennifer L. Julian and her husband, Michael of Windfall, Cara Beth Mitchell and her husband, Jimmy of Corinth, Mississippi; eight great-grandchildren, Emily and Madeline McKinney, Grace, Elise and Colin Crecelius, Gretchen and Logan Julian and Katelyn Mitchell; a sister, Betty Masters of Princeton; a brother-in-law, Adrian (Betty) Kays of Princeton; two sisters-in-law, Madeline Kays and Kathern Stiles both of Princeton; several nieces and nephews; and a special caregiver, Gloria.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Silas and Lula (Dawson) Stiles; a son, Dr. Larry P. Kays in 1995; her husband, Paul K. Kays in 1998; three sisters, Blanche Stiles, Elizabeth Ours and Margaret Frances Stiles; and two brothers, Bill and Rev. Tom Stiles.

 Funeral services will be at 11 a.m. Friday, Sept. 3, 2010 at Broadway Christian Church with the Rev. John Dunn officiating.  Burial will follow at Fairview Cemetery east of Princeton. 

Visitation will be from 4-8 p.m. Thursday at Colvin Funeral Home in Princeton and again from 10 a.m. until the service hour on Friday at the church.

 The family sends a special thanks to all of the health care services and providers she has utilized over the past several years.