Percy Sawyer
1898-Dec. 20, 1961

Niles Daily Star, Friday, December 22, 1961, page 2, col. 4-5, microfilm Niles District Library.

Say Similarity of Dress, Appearance Led to Death

NILES POLICE today continued preparations for next Friday's Niles Municipal Court examination of Walter Welton Fisk, 48, 114 1/2 N. Front St., on a murder charge.

Police Chief Arthur Pears said this morning that it appears that a similarity of dress and general physical appearance caused Fisk to mistake the victim, Percy Sawyer, 63, 102 1/2 N. Front St. . .[illegible]. .(Bullwhip) Brooks, 51, Hatcherville.

Sawyer was fatally wounded by a 12-gauge shotgun blast at the Riverview Inn, 22 N. Front St., about 9:24 p.m. Wednesday. Sawyer was standing at the bar in the tavern and Brooks was seated at a nearby table.

BROOKS AND Fisk had quarrelled earlier in the night over a 50-cent debt that Brooks owed to Fisk. Police said that Fisk entered a card game after  the argument and then left the tavern.

According to police, he returned with the shotgun and fired at Sawyer, probably mistaking him for Brooks. Sawyer, a city employe, caught the full blast in his left side. He died eight hours later at Pawating Hospital.

Sawyer had lived in Niles since 1950. He was born in Mississippi.

Surviving are two sisters, Mildred Sawyer, Detroit, and Mrs. Susie Hall, Indianola, Miss., and a brother, Turner Sawyer, Detroit.

Funeral services will be at 2 p.m. Sunday at the Pifer Funeral Home with the Rev. Theodis Hadley, pastor of Mount Calvary Baptist Church, officiating. Burial will be in Silverbrook Cemetery.

Genevieve Koontz
April 14, 1911-April 8, 1992

Niles Daily Star, Thursday, April 16, 1992, page 2, col.4-5, microfilm Niles District Library

Funeral services for Genevieve Koontz, 80, of 1732 Broadway, Niles, were held at 11 a.m. Monday, April 13, at Halbritter Funeral Home, by the Rev. Clayton D. Fairo of the First Presbyterian Church.

Burial followed in Silverbrook Cemetery, Niles.

Mrs. Koontz died at 11:10 p.m. Wednesday, April 8, at Pawating Hospital, Niles.     She was born April 14, 1911, in Berrien County, and lived in this area her entire lifetime.

Mrs. Koontz was a former grade school teacher. She was a member of the First Presbyterian Church, founding member of The Cosmopolitan Club and attended Western Teacher's College.

On Feb. 23, 1935, in South Bend, Ind. she married Richard E. Koontz, who preceded her in death Oct. 2, 1972.

She is survived by a son, Harvey R. Koontz of Portage; two grandchildren; an adopted daughter, Mary Cole of Virginia Beach, Va.; an adopted son, Fred D. Koontz of Indianapolis, Ind.; she also raised three grandchildren, Larry Koontz of Boca Raton, Fla., Steve Koontz of Phoenix, Ariz.,and Greg Koontz of Racine, Wis., whose parents are Fred Koontz (her adopted son) and Joan Vanderboegh of Niles; three sisters, Mrs. Margaret Hand of Lathrop Village, Mrs. Francis Groat of Buchanan and Mrs. Mildred Ley of Niles; a brother, Fred Franz of Wilmington, Del., and a brother-in-law, Harold Koontz of Niles.

Friends were invited to call from 2 to 4 and 7 to 0 p.m. Sunday, April. 12, at the Halbritter Funeral Home.

Memorial contributions may be made to the American Heart Association or TB & Emphysema Association.

Janet Carol Stapleton
Sept. 23, 1935-Feb. 14, 1992

Niles Daily Star, Saturday, February 15, 1992, page 2, col. 2-4, cemetery file.

Funeral services for Janet Carol Stapleton, 56, of 315 S. Fourth St., Niles, are Tuesday at 1:30 p.m. at Pifer-Smith Funeral Home, Niles.

Burial will be in Silverbrook Cemetery.

Mrs. Stapleton died Friday at 1:45 p.m. at Pawating Hospital in Niles folllowing an extended illness.

She was born Sept. 23, 1935, in Roseland, Ind., and lived most of her life in the area.

On June 22, 1953, in Niles, she married Arch J. Stapleton, who preceded her in death on Nov. 24, 1987.

Survivors include four daughters, Robin Butterworth, Jean Stapleton and Sandra Monroe, all of Niles, and Diana Hight of South Bend, Ind.; three sons, Ronney Stapleton of Waukegon, Ill., Roger Stapleton of Clovis, Calif., and John Stapleton of Niles; two sisters, Beverly Blundy of Jacksonville, Fla., and Patricia Rector of South Bend; and two brothers, Kenneth Russell of South Bend and Earl Russell of Niles; and 13 grandchildren.

A brother, Oscar Russell, preceded her in death in October 1984.

Friends may call Monday from 3 to 5 and 7 to 9 p.m. at the funeral home.

Sandra Jay Jones
Feb. 10, 1992-Feb. 11, 1992

Niles Daily Star, Saturday, February 15, 1992, page 2, col.4-7, microfilm Niles District Library

Funeral services for Sandra Jay Michele Jones, 3 1/2 hours old, of 1358 Silverbrook Ave., NIles, are Monday at 11 a.m. at Halbritter Funeral Home, Niles, by Kenneth Bonfoey, a representative of the Jehovah's Witnesses.

Burial will follow in Silverbrook Cemetery.

Baby Jones died shortly after birth on Tuesday, Feb. 11, at 2 a.m. at Bronson Methodist Hospital, Kalamazoo. She was born Feb. 10.

Survivors include her parents, Doug and Jamie Jones, of the home in Niles; Grandparents Mike and Sandra White of Niles, Harvey Jones of Stevensville and Beth Jones of Bridgman; great-grandparents Herbert White of Niles, Maxine Henry of Osceola, Ind., and Fred and Doris Leach of Niles; and great-great-grandparent, Marjorie Hopkins of Paisley, Fla.

Friends may visit with the family one hour prior to the services at Halbritter Funeral Home.

Ira M. Jermigan
April 24, 1937-Feb. 8, 1992

Niles Daily Star, Tuesday, February 11, 1992, page 2, col. 3-5, cemetery file.

Funeral services for Ira M. Jermigan, 54, of 5027 Washington St., South Bend, Ind. are Saturday at 9:30 a.m. at Mount Calvary Baptist Church in Niles by the Rev. W.L. Daniel, pastor.

Burial will be in Silverbrook Cemetery.

Mrs. Jermigan died Saturday at 5:37 p.m. at St. Joseph Medical Center in South Bend, Ind. of an apparent heart attack.

Born April 24, 1937, in Jaycees, Miss., she lived in this area for 24 years, coming here from New Orleans.

Mrs. Jermigan was a member of the Mount Calvary Baptist Church of Niles.

She was a homemaker.

Survivors include two sons, Earnest Hammond and Michael Hammond, both of South Bend; two step-sons, Ron Miller of Anniston, Ala., and James Jermigan of Pensaloa, Fla.; a daughter, Shonta Jermigan of South Bend; a step-daughter, Linda Thompson of Rochester, N.Y.; a brother, Glendale Jenkins of New Orleans; three sisters, Kitty Roberts of Jaycees, Miss., Bobby Quinn of New Orleans and Elnora McFadden of Chicago; and seven grandchildren.

Friends may call Friday from 7 to 8 p.m. at a wake service at Mount Calvary Baptist.

Memorials may be made to Mount Calvary Baptist Church. Hoven Funeral Home of Buchanan is in charge of arrangements.

Fred Brown
Nov. 13, 1906-Nov. 15, 1991

Niles Daily Star, Tuesday, November 19, 1991, page 2, col. 1, cemetery files.

Funeral services for Fred Brown, 85, of 1637 Huron St., Niles, will be 11 a.m. Wednesday at Pifer-Smith Funeral Home.

Burial will be at Silverbrook Cemetery.

Mr. Brown died Friday at Three Rivers Area Hospital, Three Rivers.

He was born Nov. 13, 1906, in Helena, Ark., and lived in this area 15 years, coming from Florida.

On June 3, 1950, in Florence, Ariz., he married Cozetter Coker, who survives.

Other survivors include three daughters, Debra Brown of Three Rivers, Betty Brown of Niles and Ola Mae Griffin of Chicago; two brothers, John Edward Brown of South Bend, Ind. and Lawrence Brown of Tuscon[sic], Ariz.; 15 grandchildren; and one great-grandchild.

Visitation will be one hour prior to the funeral at Pifer-Smith Funeral Home.