Philip Whalen
March 17, 1829-May 25, 1897

Niles Daily Star (Niles, Berrien Co., MI), Tuesday, May 25, 1897, page 3, col. 3, microfilm Niles District Library

LIFE'S TORCH EXTINGUISHED
Philip Whalen, At a Ripe Old Age,
Peacefully Expires.

At mid-day Philip Whalen, an old, highly respected resident of this city, peacefully expired at this home on north State street.

Born in Waterford county, Ireland, March 17, 1829, he had arrived at a mature old age of 68 years of age and was acquainted personally with almost every resident of the county. When still a young man he emigrated to this country and came to Niles in 1844. Mr. Whalen followed various pursuits in life and was for years connected with the J.M. Wells grocery.

The old gentleman has been on the decline for some time and a post mortem will be held to ascertain the definite cause of his death, which is supposed to have resulted from consumption of the bowels. He First entered upon public life in 1886 at which time he served as alderman. In 1895 he was called upon to act in like capacity but the beginning of the end compelled him to resign before the completion of his term. He was a member of St. Joseph Valley Lodge, No. 4, F.&A.M., and they will have charge of the funeral.

The deceased leaves a wife and four sons, all of whom have shown marked kindness and indulgence during their father's lingering illness. The family circle: Mrs. Philip W., Henry E., Wm. E., Edgar P. and Guy T., all of whom are grown to manhood. The funeral announcement later.

Niles Daily Star (Niles, Berrien Co., MI), Friday, May 28, 1897, page 3, col. 2, microfilm Niles District Library

Laid to Rest

The funeral of the late Philip Whalen took place this afternoon from his home on State street. The Masons marched to the house in a body, where a throng of people awaited to pay the last tribute to an honest, upright and respected man. Rev. Gairdner, acting as chaplain of the order, conducted the pretty service. Many carriages follwed the Silver Brook cemetery, where the Masonic rite was further conducted. “May he rest in Peace.”

Madeline Pearl Willard
Nov. 2, 1887-Feb. 24, 1957

Niles Daily Star (Niles, Berrien Co., MI), Monday, February 25, 1957, page 2, col. 4, microfilm Niles District Library

Mrs. Hugh Willard, 69, formerly of Niles, died Sunday night at Rogers, Ark., where she had resided since 1952 with her husband. She had been in ill health for some time.

Born Nov. 2, 1887 in Benton Harbor, she came to Niles when a child and resided here until moving to Arkansas five years ago. The former Madoline[sic] Bruce, she married Hugh Willard May 1, 1916.

Survivors are her husband; two sons, George and Edwin Willard, both of Niles, four daughters, Mrs. Harold Johnson, Kalamazoo; Mrs. George Huntly, Rogers, Ark.; Mrs. John Kuehn and Mrs. Frank Bolinger, both of Niles; 10 grandchildren; a sister, Mrs. Chester Hollenbeck, and a brother, Earl Bruce, both of Niles.

Friends may call after 7:30 p.m. Tuesday at the Kiger-Halbritter Funeral Home where services will be conducted at 2 p.m. Wednesday by the Rev. N.A. Sundwall, pastor of the Huntly Memorial Baptist Church. Burial will be at Silverbrook Cemetery.

Paul Winquist
Sept. 26, 1927-Nov. 11, 1980

Niles Daily Star (Niles, Berrien Co., MI), Wednesday, November 12, 1980, page 1, col. 8, microfilm Niles District Library

Veteran Niles officer is dead

Captain Paul Winquist , chief of detectives for the City's Police Department, was fatally injured early Tuesday afternoon when his care which was eastbound on on M-60, east of Oak Grove Rd. in Cass County, drifted across the road and rolled over. Winquist, 53, of 825 Federal ct., was pronounced dead at the scene by Dr. Thomas Rea of Edwardsburg. The 23-year veteran was alone in the car at the time of the accident. An autopsy was to be performed today and the investigation is still pending, according to Cass County Sheriff Dept authorities.

Niles Daily Star (Niles, Berrien Co., MI), Thursday, November 13, 1980, page 1, col. 7-8, microfilm Niles District Library

Winquist rites Friday

Funeral services will take place at 3 p.m. Friday for Detective Capt. Paul H. Winquist, 53, of 825 Federal Court, who died at 1:24 p.m. Tuesday in a car accident.

The Niles City Police Department said the death of Capt. Winquist leaves a vacancy with int the Niles Police Department which can never be totally filled.

“Captain Winquist constantly strived to do his very best for the citizens of Niles and always responded with the profession of a truly dedicated law enforcement officer. He will be dearly missed by all members of the Niles Police Department and the members of the department extend their deepest sympathy to the family.”

Capt. Winquist began his career in Niles on August 1, 1957 and was assigned to the Detective Bureau on Sept. 9, 1962. Hew as promoted to Detective Sgt. In 1964 followed by a promotion to Detective Lt. In 1965.

On August 1, 1968, he earned the rank of Detective Captain and served as acting chief from Jan 4, 1974 to June 9, 1974.

He also received numerous commendations from the department and attended several advanced law enforcement schools.

Winquist was born Sept. 26, 1927 in South Bend and had lived in Niles since 1942. He was a member of the Wesley United Methodist Church, the Niles Optimist Club and the Fraternal Order of Police.

On Dec. 9, 1972, he married B. Jeanie Negal in Niles.

She survives along with his mother, Mrs. Alice Winquist of Osceola, Ind.; two sons, Stephen Paul of Marquette and Timothy H. of Niles; three daughters Lisa of Niles and Michelle R. And Melissa K, both at home; two brothers, John of Indianapolis and Robert of Osceola; three sisters, Mrs. Dorothy Hill of Lafayette, Ill., Mrs Mary Seamon of Osceola and Shirley Winquist of Elkhart and four grandchildren.

Rev. Mark D. Graham of Wesley United Methodist Church will officiate at the church for the 3 p.m. services with burial taking place in Silverbrook Cemetery.

Friends may call after 2 p.m. today at the Halbritter Funeral Home. Memorials may be made to the Wesley United Methodist Church or Fraternal Order of Police.

Stella Lou Hammond Zell
Nov. 29 1901-Feb. 1, 1957

Niles Daily Star (Niles, Berrien Co., MI), Monday, February 4, 1957, page 1, col. 4, microfilm Niles District Library

Accident Kills Former Teacher
Rites Here for Mrs. Stella Hammond Zell

Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. Wednesday in the Pifer Funeral Home for Mrs. Stella Lou Hamond[sic] Zell, 55 of Pontiac, form Niles public school music teacher who was killed in a truck-car crash Friday night on M-60 east of Homer, Mich. The Rev. L. C1901George Beacock, pastor of the First Methodist Church, will officiate and burial will be in Silverbrook Cemetery.

Mrs. Zell and another teacher, Mrs. Chrlotte[sic] Harphan, of Decatur, Mich., were killed while they were driving to Niles to spend the weekend.

The former Niles teacher was born Nov. 29, 1901, in Dowagiac and received her masters degree in music from the University of Detroit. She taught school for a number of years here before going to Pontiac in 1929 where she had taught since that time.

Surviving are her husband, John, of Pontiac, and her stepfather, George White, of Niles.

Friends may call at the funeral home.

Orrill Pettingill Coolidge
Feb. 8, 1881-Feb. 18, 1957

Niles Daily Star (Niles, Berrien Co., MI), Wednesday, February 18, 1957, page 2, col. 4, microfilm Niles District Library

First Niles Librarian Dies

Miss Orrill Pettingill Coolidge, the first librarian of the Niles Carnegie Public Library which was opened in 1094, died at 3:30 a.m. Sunday at Pawating Hospital after on illness of six days. She was 76.

Miss Coolidge, who resided at 10 Grand Avenue, was the last member of a pioneer family which came west from Massachusetts in the 1830's, settled in Edwardsburg and later moved to Niles. She was active in the First Presbyterian Church and several women's and historical societies.

Friends may call at the Kiger-Halbritter Funeral Home. Services will be conducted at 2 p.m. Tuesday at the First Presbyterian Church by the Rev. John MacLachlan, church pastor. Burial will be at Silverbrook Cemetery.

Miss Coolidge was born in Niles, Feb. 8, 1881. Her father was Judge Orville W. Coolidge, who was presiding judge of Berrien County Circuit Court many years. Her grandfather, Henry Coolidge, also served had served [as] county circuit court judge.

Miss Coolidge was graduated from Niles High School. She attended the University of California and was graduated from the University of Illinois Library School in 1904. Upon graduation she was named first librarian a the newly opened Carnegie Public Library in Niles and served in that position until she retired in 1939. She was a member of the First Presbyterian Church, the Niles Club of Home Gardens, the Ladies Historical Society and the Fort St. Joseph Historical Association.

A sister, Miss Florence Claudine Coolidge, died in August, 1956. A brother, Clarence A. Coolidge who was in attorney in Chicago, died in June, 1946. Several cousins, member of the Chapin family, reside in Massachusetts, California and the Midwest.

John Gipner
June 24, 1861-Feb. 11, 1957

Niles Daily Star (Niles, Berrien Co., MI) Monday, February 11, 1957, page 1, col. 2-4, microfilm Niles District Library

HIS FLOWERS HELPED PUT NILES ON THE MAP

'Old John,' Colorful Gardener Dead at 95

John Gipner, who put Niles on the map as the “Garden City” by giving a rose to every woman passenger on the old Michigan Central Railroad, died at 1:45 p.m. , Sunday at his home, 921 North Fifth Street, at the age of 95. He had been ill about one year.

“Old John' as he was known affectionately by railroad men, planted and cared for the rose gardens and other trees and plantings at the New York Central depot here for many years.

He instituted in 1893 the custom of giving a rose to every woman passenger on trains which stopped in Niles. The flower gardens which gave travelers their first pleasant impression of Niles became known far and wide through the custom.

When Mr. Gipner came to Niles from Detroit in the 1890's, the area surrounding the depot was almost barren. However, he planted floral gardens, built a fish pond and set out sapling which he watched grow into stately shade trees.

He officially retired from railroad service in 1927 but kept on tending for many years the floral gardens which have now disappeared.

Mr. Gipner was born June 24, 1861, in Germany, came here from Detroit and had lived here 72 years. He was the oldest member of Herman Odd Fellows Lodge of Boston, Mass., and was a member of the local Rekebah Lodge and the First Presbyterian Church.

His wife, Amelia, is deceased. Survivors include a son, Dr. John F. Gipner of Rochester, N.Y., and two grandsons.

Friends may call at the Kiger-Halbritter Funeral Home where services will be conducted at 3 p.m. Wednesday by the Rev. John MacLachlan, pastor of the First Presbyterian Church. Burial will be at Silverbrook Cemetery.

Note: The Niles Garden Club revived the gardens at the Niles Depot and continues to maintain them (although the greenhouse, pond, et al. are gone.) The Garden Club also planted and maintains a small garden at the grave of Mr. Gipner in the City section of Silverbrook.)