Sydney Diane Blankenship Aronis

Sydney Diane Blankenship Aronis, aged 95, passed Friday, February 20, 2026. A Celebration of Life service will be held Saturday, March 14, 2026, 10:00am, at First United Methodist Church.

Sydney was born September 14, 1930, to Sidney and Mildred Hamblin Blankenship in Wichita, Kansas. She lived with her mother in her grandparent’s lively household which included aunts and uncles, as her father died before her birth. She graduated from Wichita High School North. Following graduation she self taught shorthand and typing which equipped her for her first job at Boeing as part of the secretarial pool. She excelled in secretarial and office management skills; her last position until retirement was as the office manager for Ivan West Investments.

She enjoyed music of all genres, from Glenn Miller to The Beatles to George Strait. She enjoyed dancing and singing and for many years sang soprano in the choirs of Pleasant Valley United and First United Methodist churches. She and husband Jim were faithful members of the Double Ring Sunday school class of First Methodist. She was deeply passionate about her country and loved dogs, rooted for the New York Yankees, played bridge, and was a crossword puzzle expert. She was an accomplished writer of prose and poetry and penned her memoirs.

Sydney was a proud Wichitan, Kansan, and American, loved the Methodist church and treasured her family. She is preceded in death by her husband of 74 years, James Aronis, and granddaughter, Madison Aronis. She is survived by her son, Randy (Melanie) Aronis of Wichita and daughter, Jill Ballou (Stephen Smith) of Kansas City, five grandchildren, and eleven great grandchildren. She will be dearly missed. A memorial has been established with the Kansas Humane Society, 3313 N. Hillside, Wichita, Kansas, 67219. Arrangements with Downing & Lahey West Mortuary.