Bonnie Lou Ramsey
May 24, 1942-Dec. 22, 2022 

Niles Daily Star, Published 11:04 am Monday, January 2, 2023 

Bonnie Lou Ramsey, 80 of South Bend, loving wife, mother and grandmother, passed away at the Center for Hospice Care on Thursday, Dec. 22, 2022.

Bonnie was born in Niles, MI on May 24, 1942 to the late Harold and Thelma (Wilson) Hecker.

On April 21, 1973 in Niles, she married Kent D. Ramsey who survives. Bonnie is survived by her husband of 49 years, Kent and their daughter, Melissa Ramsey of Wilmette, IL and grandchildren, Eva and Colin. Bonnie was an active member and long-time volunteer at the Good Shepherd Lutheran Church in South Bend. Bonnie was dedicated to her family. She loved going shopping with her grandchildren. She could often be found playing cards and games with them. Bonnie loved cooking and making food for her family. Everything she did for her family, she did with love. Bonnie enjoyed taking vacations or going on drives or shopping for antiques with Kent. She always cherished the times they spent at their cottage at Twin Lakes.

Bonnie had a heart of gold. She loved children and dedicated her life to their education. She was for many years a Kindergarten and First Grade Teacher for the South Bend Schools System.

A funeral service for Bonnie will be held on Tuesday, Jan. 3, 2023, at Good Shepherd Lutheran Church, 1021 Manchester Drive, South Bend, IN 46615. Burial will follow in Silverbrook Cemetery in Niles. Memorial donations in Bonnie’s name may be made to Good Shepherd Lutheran Church 1021 Manchester Drive, South Bend, IN 46615. Online condolences and messages to the family may be made at www.halbritterwickens.com

Dennis Treesh
March 17, 1936-Jan. 1, 2023 

Niles Daily Star, Published 11:01 am Wednesday, January 4, 2023       

Dennis Eugene Treesh, age 86 years of Niles, Michigan, father, fisherman, musician, Michigan fan, and Honorable Veteran died peacefully at 5:27 p.m. on Sunday, Jan. 1, 2023, at Corewell Spectrum Lakeland Niles. He was born on March 17, 1936, in Niles to Harold L. and Evelyn M. (Hatfield) Treesh, and was graduated with the class of 1954 from Niles High School. He enlisted in the United States Navy for four years, completing basic training at Great Lakes, and then was assigned to the Naval School of Music at Anacostia Naval Base in Washington, D.C. He was a trombonist, and served with the Sixth Fleet Navy Band (now the U.S. Naval Forces Europe and Africa Band), including embarking on the USS Wisconsin for an operational cruise. He was honorably discharged as a veteran of peacetime service.

Dennis returned to Niles and applied for employment with the city’s fire department, but preference was given to a candidate who needed to support a wife and family, so his first job was at the former Niles plant of Tyler Refrigeration. Shortly after that, he signed-on at the National-Standard Corporation, where he worked in production and retired after thirty years of employment.

Dennis was a longtime member of the former First Evangelical United Brethren Church in Niles, and his membership has followed that congregation as it became Grace United Methodist Church, and now, New Journey United Methodist Church. He enjoyed local history, and maintained a library of old newspaper articles, photographs, and more recent books about Niles and its history. He was also an avid reader of current events, and a longtime subscriber to “The Wolverine – America’s Foremost Authority on Michigan Sports”.

Fishing was his great passion, going out every day after work – five days a week – to a local lake. The other two days of the week were dedicated to watching televised sports, – of course the University of Michigan Football team – but also the Detroit Tigers baseball team, and Detroit Lions football. And long before the popularity of the “man cave”, Dennis had finished the basement into a family room for entertaining during the games, and equipped that room with a beer tap, serving exclusively, Detroit’s favorite beer: Stroh’s.

On June 11, 1960 at the Crown Point, Indiana Presbyterian Church he married the former Patricia Lee Bowman with whom he celebrated the remarkable fifty-sixth anniversary of their wedding prior to her death on November 4, 2016. He was also preceded in death by his parents and by a sister, Tina A. Patterson, who also died in 2016.

Surviving family includes his son, Carey Treesh of South Bend, Indiana.

The funeral service for Dennis Treesh will be at 11 a.m. on Friday, Jan. 6, 2023, at the New Journey United Methodist Church, 302 Cedar Street in Niles with the Rev. Robert L. Snodgrass II of the church officiating. The South Bend – Mishawaka Valleyaires men’s chorus will provide a musical tribute in support of their member, Dennis’ son, Carey. Committal will follow at the Silverbrook Cemetery in Niles.

The family will receive relatives and friends on Friday at the church beginning at 10 a.m. Contributions in memory of Dennis may be made to the Niles District Library, 620 East Main Street, Niles, Michigan 49120, https://nileslibrary.com/. Arrangements were completed at the Halbritter-Wickens Funeral Home, 615 East Main Street in Niles. Online condolences may be left at: www.halbritterwickens.com

Dennis was a faithful man, to military service, to a long employment, and faithful to a community whose hospital keeps changing names and to a church that keeps changing names. He was also faithful to wait for the next fish to bite, and faithful to sports teams – even the Lions. All of these activities are best enjoyed in the company of others, and so he was faithful to friends, and to family, clearly fulfilling the command to Love God and Love people.  

Rosemerry Yaw
Aug. 29, 1935-Jan. 6, 2023

Niles Daily Star, Published 4:53 pm Thursday, January 12, 2023

Rosemerry B. Yaw was welcomed into heaven on Jan. 6, 2023. She was born on Aug. 29, 1935, in Niles, Michigan to Irvin & Thelma Fletcher. She was named after her great Aunt, Rose B. Merry. On Sept. 15, 1956, she married Robert Edmund Yaw in her parents’ back yard.

She was a beloved mother, grandmother and great grandmother. She kept us all together with love and care; she was our family glue and her love will continue to flow through our daily lives.

Most importantly, Rosie helped build a family she was immensely proud of and always there for them. She instilled values of faith, service and selflessness that will carry on in those that survive her.

Rosie, or “Nanny” to her family, was a compassionate, kind-hearted, and generous woman who shared God’s love with all she met. She was a force of good in her community, helping to start Trinity United Methodist Church in Niles, weekly breakfast service to those in need at Broadway Christian Parrish in South Bend, and started the first United Methodist Women’s group at Northwest United Methodist in South Bend where she attended.

Preceding Rosie was her husband Robert E. Yaw, her parents Irvin & Thelma Fletcher, and a son Thomas Yaw.

Rosie is survived by her children: Steve (Helen) Yaw, Jeff (Carol Geisler) Yaw, and Connie (Randy) Harper. Rosie is also survived by her Grandchildren: Heather (Vince) DeLalla, Jennifer (Jake) Wozniak, Jordan Harper, Kelly Harper, and Benjamin Geisler-Yaw. Rosie’s great-grandchildren are Samantha Paige Wozniak, Molly Reece Wozniak, and Magnolia Rosemerry Harper. Also surviving is Rosie’s brother Rodger (Marsha) Fletcher of Belmont, NC and Sister Ellen Kizer of Buchanan, MI, as well as many nieces and nephews.

A celebration of Life will be held Saturday April 22, 2023, at Northwest United Methodist Church 21855 Brick Rd South Bend, IN. Visitation will be from 1:30 pm to 2:30 pm. The service will start at 2:30 pm. Condolences, photos, and memories can be left for the family at www.BrownFuneralHomeNiles.com. Arrangements have been entrusted to Brown Funeral Home & Cremation Services

James H. Bays Sr.
March 13, 1905-Feb. 23, 1988

Niles Daily Star (Niles, Berrien Co., Michigan), Wednesday, February 24, 1988, page 2, col. 2, microfilm Niles District Library

James H. Bays Sr., 82, 2210 Bertrand Road, Niles, died Tuesday, Feb. 23, at 8:41 at Pawating Hospital.

He was born March 13, 1905 in Michigan City, Inc. and lived in this area since 1924. He married the former Ellen Kromiller Dec. 6, 1924 in Michigan City. She survives.

He was a retired employee of Studebaker Corp. and a former member of the U.S. Coast Guard.

Survivors include three sons, James Jr., David and Jacob of Niles; a sister, Dorothy Carle of Niles; a brother, Henry Bays of Crown Point, Ind.; five grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren.

A son, Donald, died in 1948.

Services are Friday at 11 a.m. At the Halbritter Funeral Home in Niles, with the Rev. Donald Wieber of St. Mark Catholic Church will officiate. Burial will be in Silverbrook Cemetery, Niles.

Friends may call from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m. Thursday at the funeral home.

Susa Conrad
June 11, 1880-Dec. 16, 1922

Niles Daily Star-Sun (Niles, Berrien Co., MI), Saturday, December 23, 1922, page 5, col. 1, microfilm Niles District Library

Body of Mrs. Conrad Brought to Niles

The body of Mrs. Gordon Conrad who died in Pontiac last Saturday morning was brought to Niles last evening and placed in the vault at Silver Brook cemetery. The committal services will be delayed pending the arrival of relatives from Walkerville, Ca., where Mrs. Conrad's mother is critically ill, little hope being held for her recovery, and a sister and brother of Mrs. Conrad are unable to leave her bedside. Mrs. Conrad's death followed two years of illness with cancer. She is survived by her husband, one son, Everett, aged 14 years, who with Mr. Conrad's mother, Mrs. S.A. Conrad of West Niles, came to Niles with the body.

Mr. Conrad now plans to remain in Niles permanently.

Ruth C. Cook
Sept. 8, 1909-Dec. 6, 1989

The Herald-Palladium (Saint Joseph, Michigan), 07 December 1989, Thursday, page 17, submitted by family member   

NILES - Ruth C. Cook, 80, 1615 North Fifth St., Niles, died Wednesday at Thurston Woods Village, Sturgis, following a brief illness.
    The funeral will be held Saturday at 1:30 p.m. at Halbritter Funeral Home, Niles, where friends may call Friday from 2 to 4 p.m and 7 to 9 p.m., and where a rosary will be said Friday at 7:30 p.m. Burial will be in Silverbrook Cemetery, Niles.
    Mrs. Cook was born Sept. 8, 1909, in Chicago. She moved to Niles in 1943 coming from Chicago.  She was a member of St. Mary Catholic Church, Niles; former state and national president of Mothers of World War II; member of Ladies of G.A.R. and Daughters of America.
    Survivors include:  a daughter, Ruth Ann McDonald of Indianapolis, Ind.; two sons - Robert of Salt Lake City, Utah and John of Sturgis; 20 grandchildren; 27 great-grandchildren; and three sisters - Carolyn Baldwin of Irvine, Calif., Gwendolyn McDade of Los Angeles, Calif. and Betty Lou Barry of Cedar Rapids, Iowa.
    She was preceded in death by her husband, Fred, in 1966; and a daughter,
Josephine Clark, March of 1989.