Wyburn, George Lee

George Lee Wyburn
April 27, 1911-Nov. 15, 2004


Niles Daily Star, Wednesday, November 17, 2004, page 2, col. 1, microfilm Niles District Library


Funeral services for George Lee Wyburn, 93, of N. Seventh Street, Niles, will be on Friday, Nov. 19 at 2:30 p.m. at Halbritter Funeral Home, Niles with the Rev. Ron Smith of Niles.

Burial will be in Silverbrook Cemetery, Niles.

Friends may call from 4 to 7 pm. Thursday at the funeral home.

Wyburn was born on April 27, 1911, at Battle Creek to Charles and Pearl (Kugler) Wyburn.

He has lived in Niles since 1935, coming from Elkhart, Ind.

He owned and operated Sinclair Service Station in Niles, retiring in 1975.

He was a deacon and active member of First Baptist Church, Niles, Niles Township Trustee, and Berrien County Commissioner. He was a member of the Buchanan Westerners Riding Club, Berrien County Sheriff's Posse.

He worked in the conservation camps in the south. He was a former employee of Simplicity Pattern Co., in the 1930s, a railroad detective working for Michigan Central Railroad.  He owned two Sinclair service stations at Sycamore and 5th streets and North Fifth Street in Niles. He also worked for a time at Kawneer.

He married his first wife Vivian (McBride) Wyburn on Dec. 30, 1935 in Chicago. She died on Aug. 18, 1982.

On April 20, 1984, in Niles, he married Ruth (VanDerBeck) Weimer, who died on Oct. 14, 2003.

He was also preceded in death by a sister, Eva Trussel.

He is survived by two daughters, Geoleen (Lee) Rotzien of Niles and Catherine "Kate" (Garland) Rhodes of Niles; six grandchildren; six great-grandchildren; two step-daughters, Sue VanLeeuwen of Niles and Mary Lynn Maxwell of Niles; a step-son, Bill Weimer of Niles, and several step-grandchildren and step-great-grandchildren.

Memorials may be made to the First Baptist Church, General Baptist Church of District Library, all of Niles.