Fannie Davis (Anderson) Miller, of Niles
Dec. 25, 1945 — May 3, 2014

Niles Daily Star, Published 9:10am Thursday, May 8, 2014

Fannie Davis (Anderson) Miller, 68, of Niles, went home to be with her Lord and Savior on Saturday, May 3, 2014, while surrounded by her family.

Fannie Davis Miller

Fannie was born on Christmas day in 1945 to the late James and Tille Mae (Murphy) Anderson in French Camp, Mississippi. She was the youngest of three children.

Fannie was married on Dec. 6, 1971, to Maurice Miller Sr. in Chicago, Illinois where they lived for several years. Together they had three children. Fannie will be remembered as an amazing mother, grandmother sister and family-woman. She was great at crafts and loved collecting.

She is preceded in death by her parents; husband, Maurice U. Miller Sr.; son, Maurice U. Miller Jr. and great-granddaughter Raleigh Franco.

Fannie is survived by her children, Linda (Rodney) Kirkendoll, of Niles and Marcellus Miller, of Niles; sister Barbara Ann Dupriest of South Bend, Indiana; brother, Billy Doyce Anderson of Niles; 13 grandchildren; four great-grandchildren and a host of extended family and friends.

Funeral services to honor Fannie’s life will be held on Monday, May 12, 2014, at Mt. Calvary Baptist Church beginning at 1 p.m. with no public viewing. Burial will follow at Silverbrook Cemetery.

Arrangements have been entrusted to Brown Funeral Home & Cremation Services of Niles.

Rose E. Nieb
April 1, 1893-July 21, 1968

Niles Daily Star, Monday, July 22, 1968, page 12, col. 3, microfilm Niles District Library

Mrs. Rose E. Nieb, 75, of 1720 Phillip Road died t 10:30 a.m. yesterday in Pawating Hospital after an illness of three years.

Mrs. Nieb was born April 1, 1893, in Berrien County and is a life long resident of this area.  She was married to Howard Nieb November 24, 1915 in Niles.

She belonged to the First Presbyterian Church and was a life member of the Bend of the River Grange Home economics Club and was a member of the Farm Bureau.

She is survived by her husband, a son, George E. Nieb and a grand-daughter.

Funeral services will be held in the Halbritter-Swem Funeral Home at 1 p.m Tuesday. Officiating will be Rev. John Wyngarden.  Burial will be in the Silverbrook Cemetery.

Friends may call at the funeral home.

Anna M. Starr
Feb. 13, 1885-March 18, 1976

Niles Daily Star, Thursday, March 18, 1976, page 2, col. 2, microfilm Niles District Library

Anna M. Starr, 91, of Ann Arbor, formerly of Niles, died at 12:55 a.m. Today at the Evangelical Home at Saline, Mich., after a three-year illness.

Mrs. Starr was born Feb. 13, 1885, at Chicago and moved to Ann Arbor from Niles in 1965. She was a member of the Pawating Hospital Auxiliary and Wesley United Methodist Church. Her husband, Henry, whom she married Aug. 10 1907, at South Bend, died in 1956.

Surviving are a sons, Joel of Sand Lake, Mich.; four daughters, Mrs. Gladys Barera of Ann Arbor, Mrs. Alma Wolven of Belmont, Mich., Mrs. Lucille Hunting of Chula Vista, Calif., and Mrs. Althea Luyk of Byron Center, Mich.; a brother, Gus Peterson of Kankakee, Ill.; a sister, Mrs. Florence Heck of Kankakee, 25 grandchildren and 25 great-grandchildren.

Funeral services will be held at 1 p.m. Saturday at the Pifer Chapel of the Swem-Smith Funeral Home, where friends may call after 7 p.m. Friday.  Burial will be in Silverbrook Cemetery.

Roselyn C. Steere
April 16, 1877-July 8, 1968

Niles Daily Star, Tuesday, July 9, 1968, page 12, col. 2, microfilm Niles District Library

Mrs. Roselyn C. Steer, 91, of 316 Randolph St., Maywood, Ill, died at 11:45 p.m. Monday in the Baptist Retirement Home, there, following a two -year illness.

Mrs. Steere was born April 16, 1877 in Jackson and moved here from there in 918.  She moved to the Baptist Home in 1955. Her husband, Fredrick M. Steere, died in 1932.

Her survivors include four sons, Courtney and Benjamin, both of Noes; Melton of San Diego, Calif.; William of Rochester; two daughters, Mrs. S.E. Davis of El Paso, Tex.; Mrs. William Schultz of Buchanan; 16 grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.

Funeral services will be held at 10 a.m. Thursday in the Pifer Funeral Home with the Rev. Ray Cunningham, pastor of the First Baptist Church of which she was a member, officiating.  Burial will be in Silverbrook Cemetery.

Friends may call at the funeral home after 10 a.m. Wednesday.

Upon family request, memorials may be made to the Hazel Rutter organ fund of the church.

John Jerrold Swanson
Jan. 18, 1914-July 25, 1934

Niles Daily Star, Wednesday, July 25, 1934, page 1, col. 1, microfilm Niles District Library

'Jerry' Swanson, 19, Dies; Ill One Year

John Jerrold Swanson, 19, son of Mrs. William Lee, 522 North Second street, died at his home at 5 o'clock Wednesday morning after more than a year's illness.

He was born in Bay City, Mich., January 18, 1914, and came to Niles with his parents 14 years ago.

Surviving besides his mother are two brothers, Russell and Wayne, one sister, Patricia, his step-father, William Lee, all of Niles.

Funeral rites will be held at 2:30 o'clock Friday afternoon at the Price and Kiger funeral home. The Rev. Guy W. Simon, pastor of the First Presbyterian church will officiate.  Interment will be at Silverbrook cemetery.

Niles Daily Star, Friday, July 27, 1934, page 2, col. 3, microfilm Niles District Library

HOLD SWANSON RITES

Funeral rites for John Jerrold Swanson, 19, son of Mrs. William Lee, 522 North Second street, who died at his home Wednesday morning after a long illness, were held at 2:30 o'clock this afternoon at the Price & Kiger funeral home with the Rev. Guy W. Simon, pastor of the First Presbyterian church, officiating.  Burial was made in Silverbrook cemetery.

Homer Pierce, Harry Swartz, Arthur Kane, Allen Brewer, John Holloway, and Charles Luke were pallbearers.

Niles Daily Star, Saturday, July 28, 1934, page 2, col. 2, microfilm Niles District Library

HERE FOR FUNERAL

Relatives from out of town who were here for the funeral services for Jerrold Swanson, who died at his home Wednesday morning, were Mr. and Mrs. William Thompson, Birmingham, Mich.; Mr. and Mrs. Frank LaFever, Mrs. and Mrs. Mendell Fair and son, Bay City; Mrs. Julia Donahue, Mr. and Mrs. Herman Critea and daughter, Ruth; and Mrs. Ethel Donahue, Flint, Mich.

Leo L. Thornton
Sept. 21, 1890-July 20, 1968

Niles Daily Star, Monday, July 22, 1968, page 12, col. 3, microfilm Niles District Library

Thornton founder dies Saturday at Pawating

Leo L. Thornton, 77, of 322 Parkway, founder of the Thornton Electric Co. in Niles, died at 5:10 pm. Saturday at Pawating Hospital after a long illness.

Mr. Thornton was a member of the Niles Lions Club and the St. Joseph Valley No. 4 F&AM.

Mr. Thornton was born Sept. 21, 1890 in Deckerville, Mich. He came to Niles from Northern Michigan and had lived here for 57 years.

His survivors include his wife, Anna, four sons, Ward, Lee, Gerald, and Jack, all of Niels; and one daughter, Mrs. James (Nancy) Evans of Twin Falls, Idaho; 15 grandchildren; five great-grandchildren; several nieces and nephews; one brother, Kenneth Thornton of Traverse City and one sister, Mrs. Jewel Ritchie of San Carlo, Calif.

Funeral services will be held in the Pifer Funeral Home at 2 p.m. Tuesday. Officiating will be Rev. Ray Cunningham of the First Baptist church. Burial will be in the Silverbrook Cemetery, where a Masonic committal service will be conducted.

Friends may call at the funeral home.