Ford Walter (aka Fred Woodpuff)
Sept. 28, 1877-June 2, 1950

Niles Daily Star, Monday, June 5, 1950; page 2, Col. 1, microfilm, Niles District Library

Services for Ford Walter, known here under the name Fred Woodpuff, who was identified by a brother, Frank Walter, of Grand Rapids, will be held at 11 a.m. Tuesday at the Pifer funeral home.

The Rev. L. George Beacock, pastor of the First Methodist church, will officiate, and burial will be in Silverbrook cemetery. Friends may call at the Pifer funeral home.

The deceased, who was found dead as the result of a heart attack early Friday morning was identified by his surviving brother, who said he had not seen him in the past 20 years. He had lived under his assumed name since his residence in Niles for the past 25 years. Walter was born Sept. 28, 1877, in St. Joseph, Ind.

William Pifer, coroner, said the brother, Frank, connected a story published in the Grand Rapids paper concerning the death, with his missing brother, and arrived to identify the body.

Minerva E. Boyle
Sept. 4, 1864-June 6, 1950

Niles Daily Star, Wednesday, June 7, 1950; page 2, col. 2, microfilm, Niles District Library

Mrs. Minerva E. Boyle died at the home of her daughter, Mrs. V.R. McGowan, Garver lake at 9:45 p.m. Tuesday.

Surviving besides her daughter are five grandchildren, 17 great-grandchildren and four great-great-grandchildren.

Mrs. Boyle was born in Tippecanoe, Miami county Ohio, on Sept. 4, 1864, and came here from Toledo 14 years ago. She was a member of the First Methodist church.

Friends may call at the Pifer funeral home where services will be held at 2 p.m. Friday. The Rev.J. Kenneth Hoffmaster, of Holland former pastor of the First Methodist church here, will officiate, and burial will be in Silverbrook cemetery.

Catherine Stroupe
Jan. 30, 1867-June 5, 1950

Niles Daily Star, Monday, June 5, 1950; page 2, column 1, microfilm, Niles District Library

Mrs. Catherine Stroupe, 10 North State Street, died early this morning at the Berrien Center (illegible text).

Surviving are her son and daughter, Leroy and Mrs. Laura Ginn, both of Niles. Mrs. Stroupe was born in Snyder county, Pa., on Jan 30,1867, and came here, where she has lived since she was 15 years of age, from Pennsylvania.

Friends may call at the Pifer funeral home, where services will be conducted at 2 p.m. on Wednesday. The Rev. L. George Beacock, pastor of the First Methodist church, of which Mrs. Stroupe was a member, will officiate. Burial will be in Silverbrook cemetery.

 Note:  Cemetery record and gravemarker spell last name as Stroup.

Mrs. Thelma B. Smith
Oct. 23, 1913-June 16, 1950

Niles Daily Star, Saturday, June 17, 1950; page 2, column 1, microfilm, Niles District Library

Graveside rites will be held in Silverbrook cemetery Monday for Mrs. Thelma Bruner Smith, 36, of Hammond, Ind., a former Niles resident who died at 3:30 a.m. Friday in her home.

Mrs. Smith was born Oct. 23, 1913, in Forest, Ill., the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Oscar Bruner. She moved from Niles to Hammond in 1935.

Surviving, in addition to her parents in Hammond, are a brother, Ralph Bruner, of Los Angeles, Cal., and a sister, Mrs. L. W. Phillips, of South Bend.

Funeral services here will be held at 1:30 p.m. Monday in the cemetery, with the Kiger funeral home in charge of arrangements. Services in Hammond will be held at 11 a.m. Monday in the Hessville Baptist church. Friends may call at the Borken funeral home, Hammond.

Larry John Schoff
June 13, 1950-June 14, 1950

Niles Daily Star, Wednesday, June 14, 1950; page 2, column 4, microfilm, Niles District Library

 A two-months premature baby son of Mr. And Mrs. John Schoff, rural route five, born yesterday, died at 2:10 a.m. today at Pawating hosptial. No funeral arrangements have been made.

Donald T. Ballard
July 1, 1899-June 19, 1950

Niles Daily Star, Monday, June 19, 1950; page 1, column 8, microfilm, Niles District Library

Donald T. Ballard, 50, of Niles, and Charles A. Schue, 55, Benton Harbor, were killed in Separate traffic accidents yesterday and today at Mishawaka and Benton Harbor.

Taxi Collides with Bus

Mishawaka, June 19-(Special)- Donald T. Ballard, 50, or rural route four, Niles, was killed instantly and a passenger in the cab he was driving was injured when the cab collided with a DeLux Motor Stage bus at 12:06 a.m. today about a half mile east of here on US-33.

(Illegible text) neck and head injuries, a possible skull fracture, and shock. None of the 40 bus passengers was injured.

Made Unexpected Turn

John B. Nance, of Dearborn, driver of the bus, said that he was in the middle lane about to pass the cab, when Ballard made an unexpected left turn and the bus crashed into the cab, throwing it about 135 feet. Both vehicles were eastbound out of Mishawaka.

Nance told St. Joseph county, Ind., sheriff’s officers that he had signaled with this lights and horn before trying to pass. The cab was in the right hand lane, he said. The cab was demolished and the front end of the bus smashed.

Veteran of World War I

Ballard was born in Niles on July 1, 1899, and lived there all his life. He married Louise Hudak in South Bend on Sept. 8, 1945. He was employed by the Indiana Cab company of South Bend,

A veteran of World War I, Ballard was a member of the Niles Knights of Columbus. Besides his wife, he leaves a son, Ralph, and a daughter, Kathleen May, both at home.

The body was taken to the Bubb funeral home in Mishawaka and then to the Kiger funeral home in Niles. Funeral arrangements are incomplete.