Estella Dell West
Nov. 11, 1893-Dec. 16, 1984

Niles Daily Star, Monday, December 17, 1984, page 2, col. 3-4, microfilm Niles District Library

Estella Dell West, 91, 1941 S. 13th, Niles, died at 4:45 p.m. Sunday at Riveridge Manor after an extended illness.

She was a member of St. Marks Catholic Church and was born Nov. 11, 1893 in Osceola County.  She had lived in the area since 1939, coming from LeRoy.

Surviving are: a son, Jesse West of Jupiter, Fla.; two daughters, Mildred Bella and Genevieve Boose of Niles; a brother, Delbert Mapes of Niles; two sisters, Lucille Stanner and Etta Ross of Niles; 18 grandchildren; 31 great-grandchildren and two great-great-grandchildren.

Services will be 10 a.m. Tuesday at St. Marks Catholic church. Rev. Donald A. Wieber of St. Marks will officiate. Burial will follow at Silverbrook Cemetery. There will be no visitation.  Memorials may be given to St. Marks Catholic Church.

Anna (Litty) Montz
Sept. 4, 1918 – June 13, 2010

Anna Montz, 91, of Niles passed away on Sunday, June 13, 2010 with her children by her side.

Anna was born on Sept. 4, 1918 to the late Joseph and Anna (Zwickl) Litty; she was one of 13 children in the Litty household.

After school Anna wed the love of her life, Jesse Montz, on Sept. 24, 1938 at a ceremony in Goshen, Ind. Together they had four wonderful daughters.  After they wed Anna worked out of the home for a while at Studebaker, Robertson’s and even Notre Dame.

Anna was an excellent gardener, amazing artist, very educated and political. She was a self-taught oil painter, flower gardener, great cook, bird watcher and especially an avid Democrat. She wrote to the “Voice of the People” so often that they invited her to their luncheons; she kept many scrapbooks of political happenings that all included her thoughts on the current state of the union.

Anna was a homemaker most of her life and raised four wonderful daughters whom she raised with her love of the outdoors and politics. Anna also had a wonderful library in her house that was frequently used by her and others.

She is preceded in death by her parents; husband, Jesse; brothers, August, Joseph, John, Herman and Mike Litty; sisters, Martha Leichtman, Rose Martinson, Mary Schrader, Josephine Quick and Virginia Mann.

Anna is survived by her daughters, Karol Montz, of Niles, Linda Downey, of Russiaville, Ind., Kathy Laudig, of Merriville, Ind., Marsha Montz, of Niles; grandchildren, Pamela, Anthony, Joseph, John, Rebecca, Michael, Laura, Amy, Larry Wayne, Elizabeth Ann and Matthew Joseph; great-grandchildren, Morgan, Joselyn, Dalton, Theodore, Brady, Derek, Cody, Taylor, Connor, Bailey, Isabel, Macie, Morgan, Kaylee, Melena, Cristina and Gabriela; brother, Fred Litty, of Niles; and sister, Victoria Litty, of Niles.

In keeping with Anna’s wishes she has been cremated and there will be no public service. Those wishing to make a memorial donation in her memory may do so to Hospice at Home located at 4017 Chamberlain Rd., Buchanan.

Condolences, photos and memories may be left for the family at www.BrownFuneralHomeNiles.com.

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

Niles Daily Star, Published 10:38pm Tuesday, June 15, 2010

Jesse Montz
June 1, 1910-Dec. 16, 1984

Niles Daily Star, Monday, December 17, 1984, page 2, col. 4-5, microfilm Niles District Library

Jessie Joseph Montz, 74, 214 Carter Ave., Niles, died Sunday at Memorial Hospital in South Bend after a sudden illness.

He was formerly a Milton Township trustee and treasurer and served on the Winkler School Board for 10 years.

He was born June 1, 1910 in South Whitley, Ind. and lived in the area for 50 years, coming from South Whitley. He was formerly employed in the sheet metal department of Quality Metal in Niles.

He married Anna Litty on Sept. 24, 1938 in South Bend.  She survives.

Also surviving are: five daughters, Donna Adams and Karol Dlouhy of Niles, Marsha Montz of Anchorville, Linda Vary of Russiaville, Ind. and Kathy Laudig of Yoder, Ind.; a brother, Henry Montz of Winnamac, Ind.; three sisters, Della Stanner and Sophia Brandenburg of Cedar Lake, Ind. and Sarah Lower of LaGrange, Ind.; 14 grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.

There will be no services. Friends may call from 4 to 9 p.m. Wednesday at the Pifer-Smith Funeral Home.  Burial will be at Silverbrook Cemetery.

Memorials may be given to the UNICEF Foundation.

Marjorie Howard
May 7, 1915-Dec. 13, 1984

Niles Daily Star, Friday, December 14, 1984, page 2, col. 1-2, microfilm Niles District Library

Marjorie Howard, 69, 1518 Platt, Niles, died at 3:5 p.m. Thursday at Pawating Hospital following an extended illness.

Born May  7, 1915 in Niles, she was a lifetime area resident.  On Feb. 23, 1935, in Niles, she married Richard I. Howard, who preceded her in death Oct. 31 of this year.

Surviving are three daughters, Mrs. Russell (Joan) Saathoff of Niles, Mrs. Gilbert (Linda) Dopp of Akron, Ohio, and Mrs. Ray  (Sally) Crooks of Edmond, Okla.; three grandchildren and one great-grandchild.

Services are 2 p.m. Saturday at the Halbritter Funeral Home, Niles, with Rev. Lloyd A. Phillips of the Wesley United Methodist Church officiating. Burial will be in Silverbrook Cemetery.

Friends may call from 1 to 2 p.m. Saturday at the funeral home. Memorials may be given to the Niles Community Library.

Rebecca J. Tarchala, 21
May 24, 1963-Dec. 12, 1984

Niles Daily Star, Wednesday, December 12, 1984, page 2, col. 2, microfilm Niles District Library

Rebecca J. Tarchala, 21, 47 S. 3rd St., Niles, died at 6:56 a.m. today at Pawating Hospital following a brief illness.

Surviving are her parents, Mr. and Mrs. Robert Tarchala of Niles; a daughter, Josephine Tarchala of Niles, three brothers, Alan Tarchala, Ronald Tarchala and Paul Tarchala, all of Niles.

Memorial services are 11 a.m. Friday at the Halbritter Funeral Home, Niles, with Pastor Tim Johnson of Grace Christian Assembly officiating.  There will be no visitation.

Patnie Perry, 66
July 24, 1944 — June 7, 2011

Patnie Ann Perry, 66, of Sturgis and most recently of Niles went home to be with her Lord and Savior on Tuesday,

Perry

June 7, 2011.

She was born in Dyersburg, Tenn. on July 24, 1944.

She was a faithful member of Old Path Church of God, in Niles and loved ministering to all who God would place in her path. Patnie had many things she enjoyed such as playing bingo, working puzzles, or going fishing; however she was a devoted sister, daughter, mother, grandmother and great-grandmother and spending time with her family was by far the greatest joy in Patnie’s life.

She is survived by her mother, Everlean Perry of  Niles; her six sons, James (Cathy) Smith of Niles, Anothy (Tiffany) Smith of South Bend, Adam Smith of South Bend, Willie Smith of Niles, Ronnie Smith of Niles and Charles Perry of South Bend; her six daughters, Mary Smith of Defiance, Ohio, Everlean Perry of Niles, Debbie Perry of Niles, JoAnn (Andomo) Kinslow of Springfield, Colo., Victoria Smith of Niles and Jean (R.B.) Johnson of Fulton, Kent.  She is also survived by her fiance, Howard Yoder of Sturgis; her sister, Carolyn Smith of South Bend; her brother, Rufus (Pam) Perry of Niles; her 28 grandchildren; four great-grandchildren; and a host of nieces and nephews.

Those wishing to make a memorial donation in Patnie’s memory may do so to the Old Path Church of God, 940 North Sixth St., Niles, MI 49120.

Condolences, photos and memories may be left for the family at www.BrownFuneralHomeNiles.com or on our Facebook page atwww.Facebook.com/BrownFuneralHomeNiles.

In accordance with Patnie’s wishes there will be a private service at Silverbrook Cemetery.

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

Niles Daily Star, Published online 12:02am Thursday, June 9, 2011