Betty J. Nason
March 28, 1925-Dec. 1, 2006

Betty J. Nason, 81, of Floral Court, Niles, Michigan, died at 9:30 p.m. Friday, December 1, 2006, in her daughter's home in South Bend, Indiana, following an extended illness.

Mrs. Nason was born on March 28, 1925, in Niles, Michigan, to Cecil C. and Bertha May (Fansler) Zeider. She had been a lifetime area resident and enjoyed gardening and flowers. She retired from Henco Inc. of Niles, where she worked as a purchasing agent.

March of 1951, in South Bend, Indiana, she married Richard Nason who died on October 19, 1968.

She is survived by three daughters, Cathy (Dale) Shreve of South Bend, Indiana. Lori (John) Stasko of Lubbock, Texas and Karen Nason of Berwyn, Illinois; four grandchildren, Marc, Paul, Matthew and Lauren; and four great-grandchildren, Cody, Aidan, Kinzie and Trenton; and a brother, Jack Zeider of Columbus, Nebraska.

Funeral services for Betty J. Nason will be held at 11.a.m Tuesday, December 5, 2006, in Halbritter Funeral Home, Niles, with Rev. Emmett H. Kadwell Jr. of the Wesley Untied Methodist Church in Niles officiating.

Visitation will be held on Monday from 6 to 8 p.m. in the funeral home. Burial will be at Silverbrook Cemetery, Niles.

Contributions in memory of Betty J. Nason may be made to the Friends of the Green House, South Bend, IN or to a Hospice of the donor's choice.

Submitted by family member; publication details unknown

Mae (Clark) Juday
March 25, 1902-August 29, 1982

South Bend Tribune 08/30/1982 p. 22

Mrs. Mae C. Juday, 80, of 921 E. Madison, died at 5:25 a.m. Sunday (August 29) at St. Joseph's Medical Center, after a brief illness.  She was a former circuit court clerk and had retired from St. Joseph County Abstract Co.  She was born March 25, 1902, in Michigan and lived in the South Bend area most of her life. On May 2, 1935, in South Bend, she married Russell W. Juday, who died in 1966. She is survived by a son, Clark W. Juday of South Bend; and a brother, Roscoe Clark of Niles. Services will be at 11 a.m. Wednesday in the Orvis-Palmer Funeral Home, 336 N. Main Street with Dr. Max B. Hayden, pastor of St. Peter's United Church of Christ officiating.  Burial will be in Silverbrook Cemetery in Niles.  Friends may call from 2 to 4 and 6 to 8 p.m. Tuesday in the funeral home. Memorial contributions may be made to the charity of the donor's choice.

Billy M. Lewis
Dec. 30, 1930-April 14, 2009

Billy M. "Bill" Lewis, 78, of Snyder Road, Berrien Springs, died at 2:58 a.m. Tuesday, April 14, 2009, in Memorial Hospital, South Bend, IN, following a brief illness.

Mr. Lewis was born on December 30, 1930, in Spartanburg, SC, to Grover C. and Ruth D. (McCarter) Lewis. He graduated from Spartanburg High School and earned his associate degree from Wayne State University in Detroit, MI. Bill moved to this area in 1955. He retired in 1987 after 33 years of service with the AT&T Telephone Company, serving in both the Niles and South Bend locations.

Bill was a veteran of the Korean Conflict having served in the United States Navy Air Corps.

Mr. Lewis was a member of the Loyal Order of the Moose Lodge #978 and the Fraternal Order of Eagles #2094, both in Niles. He enjoyed fellowship with friends, gardening, and all types of movies.

In South Bend, IN, in June 1956, he first married Roselle Meszaros. On November 12, 1992, in Niles, Bill later married Karen (Walker) Lewis, who survives. He is also survived by his son, George E. (Lori) Lewis, and daughter, Vickie L. (Jay) Anderson, both of South Bend; stepdaughters, Diana (John) Baxter of Niles and Sandra Bowling of Berrien Springs; grandchildren, Lindsay, Joshua, Daniel, Kenny, Lauren, Dylan and Taylor; a sister, Betty Vickery of Savannah, GA; many nieces and nephews.

Bill was preceded in death by his brothers, Robert E. Lewis and George G. Lewis; and sisters, Ruth Floris and Mevlyn Atkinson.

The funeral service for Billy M. "Bill" Lewis will be held Friday, April 17th, at 1 p.m. in the Halbritter Funeral Home, Niles, with Rev. Mark J. Smith of Berrien Center Bible Church, Berrien Center, MI, officiating.

Interment will be at Silverbrook Cemetery, Niles, with full military honors following the service at the graveside by American Legion Post #51, Buchanan, MI. The family will receive relatives and friends from 6 to 8 p.m. today in the funeral home.

Contributions in memory of Bill may be made to the American Cancer Society.

Submitted by family member; publication details unknown

Evelyn M. Burnham
February 2, 1915-March 29, 2009

Evelyn M. (Leach) Burnham, 94, of Niles, passed away on March 29, 2009, in Silverbrook Manor, Niles, following an extended illness.

Evelyn was born February 2, 1915, in Niles, Michigan, to the late Adrian and Hazel (Pierce) Leach.

In Chicago, Illinois, she married the late Charles C. Burnham.

A homemaker all of her life, Evelyn enjoyed first and foremost spending time with her family and loved being a grandmother. Being around her grandchildren always brought many smiles and great happiness. She also enjoyed traveling the U.S. with her husband.

Evelyn was preceded in death by her parents; her husband; and her four brothers, Albert Leach, Frank Leach, Frederick Leach and Robert Leach; and by three sisters, Annabelle Betz, Elizabeth Leiler and Joyce Backus.

Evelyn is survived by her son, James (Janice) Burnham of Angola, Indiana; three grandchildren, James Burnham of Jackson, Michigan, Christopher Burnham of Manchester, Michigan, and Jeanine (Kenneth) Bartholomew of Paw Paw, Michigan; two sisters, Gertrude (Harold) Johnson of Goshen, Indiana, and Wilma Cole of Niles; and her brother, John (Doris) Leach of Florida. She also leaves many nieces and nephews.

Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. on Wednesday, April 1st, in the Brown Funeral Home, with a time of visitation one hour prior. Interment will follow at Silverbrook Cemetery.

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

Those wishing to make a memorial donation may do so to The Salvation Army, P.O. Box 1150, Niles, MI 49120.

Services have been entrusted to Brown Funeral Home, Niles.

Submitted by family member; publication details unknown

Not buried in Silverbrook per obit

Helen M. Rea
July 8, 1917-April 29, 2009

Helen M. Perkins Rea, 91, residing in South Bend, passed away at 7:00 a.m. Wednesday, April 29, 2009 at Memorial Hospital.

She was born July 8, 1917 in Columbia City, IN to Walter & Orpha (Ramsey) Koester where they lived for three years before moving to Grass Creek, IN. In 1926 the family moved to South Bend. She graduated from James Whitcomb Riley High School in 1935, and later graduated from South Bend College of Commerce.

On March 16, 1940 in South Bend as Helen Koester she married George W. Perkins who passed away on September 19, 1974. She was also preceded by her sister, Evelyn Koester.

Then on June 19, 1976 in Mishawaka, she married Robert Virgil Rea who survives. Also surviving is her daughter, Marsha (John) Marshall of Mishawaka, three sons, James W. (Priscilla) Perkins of Charlotte, NC, Kenneth J. Perkins of New Port Richey, FL, and Daniel (Jackie) Perkins of North Fort Myers, FL. Twelve grandchildren, twenty great-grandchildren, her brother, Walter (Merle) Koester of Asheville, NC, and very special nieces, nephews, and cousins, whom she loved dearly survive her as well.

She greatly enjoyed her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren.

Helen worked for the School City of South Bend, Bendix Home Appliance, and then retired to raise her family. After 23 years as a "stay at home" Mom, she returned to the working world as Secretary to the Director of Personnel at South Bend Lathe and then at A.M. General as Secretary to the manager of the Parts Dept. until her retirement in 1980.

After her marriage to Robert Virgil Rea, they spent their winters in Ft. Myers, Florida for twenty years, where she learned to bowl, play golf, and swim.

Helen was a member of Trinity Evangelical Free Church in South Bend. During their winters at Ft. Myers, FL, she attended the Community Reformed Church and later the Fort Myers Evangelical Free Church.

Services celebrating the life of Helen Perkins Rea will be at 2:00 p.m. Sunday, May 3, at Palmer Funeral Home-Guisinger Chapel, 3718 South Michigan Street, South Bend. Rev. Craig Clapper and Rev. Steve Meck will officiate. Graveside services and burial will follow at Southlawn Cemetery.

The family will receive friends from 3:00 – 6:00 p.m. Saturday, May 2, at the funeral home, and one hour prior to services Sunday.

Expressions of sympathy in memory of Helen Perkins Rea may be offered to Trinity Evangelical Free Church, 61770 Miami Road, South Bend, IN 46614, or to The Center for Hospice & Palliative Care, Inc., 111 Sunnybrook Court, South Bend, IN 46637.

 

 

Robert M. "Bob" Bowling, 78, of Palmetto, FL, formerly of Niles, died February 9, 2009.

Bob was born December 17, 1930, in Niles, MI, to the late Everett and Opal Bowling of Buchanan, MI.

Bob was a member of the Buchanan High class of 1949, prior to entering the United Sates Navy.

On September 16, 1950, he married Phyllis (Boht). After 30 plus years delivering Tyler refrigeration products, Bob retired and begun to enjoy spending summers in Michigan and winters in Florida. In 1996 he became a full time resident of Florida.

Surviving children are Robert Jr. (Tammy) of Niles, MI, Rhonda (John) Bird of Spring Lake, MI, Frank (Hazel) of Buchanan, MI, Diana (John) Baxter of Niles and Sandra of Niles; seven grandchildren; 11 great-grandchildren; brother, Bill (Carol) Bowling of Palmetto. A sister, Yvetta (Donald) Toll is deceased.

A memorial service was held on Feb. 28, 2009 in the Palmetto Moose Lodge #2117, Palmetto, FL.

A memorial services will be held at the Buchanan Moose Lodge #449, Buchanan, MI, in June 2009, with burial in the Bowling family plot at the Silverbrook Cemetery, Niles