Edena I. Royce (Powers)
April 28, 1901-April 1, 1959

Niles Daily Star, Wednesday, April 1, 1959, page 2, col. 4, microfilm Niles District Library

Mrs. Edena I. Royce, 57, of 703 Hutchinson Street, Kalamazoo, died at 7:20 a.m. today in Bronson Methodist Hospital, Kalamazoo, following an illness of four months, She was the daughter of the late Mrs. Anna C. Powers, of Niles, who died on March 1.

Mrs. Royce was born April 28, 1901, in Cassopolis and for many years had been an elementary school teacher for Kalamazoo Public Schools. Surviving are a son, George James Royce of Michigan State University, and a sister, Mrs. Arthur Wright, of Rutland, Vt.

Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. Friday in the First Methodist Church with the pastor, the Rev. L. George Beacock, officiating. Buril[sic] will be in Silverbrook Cemetery. Friends may call at the Pifer Funeral Home beginning Thursday.

Wilford Frank Bolin
Jan. 31, 1915-July 3, 1980

Niles Daily Star, Saturday, July 5, 1980, page 2, col. 1, microfilm Niles District Library

NILES--Wilford Frank Bolin, 65, of 3630 W. Bertrand Road, died at 5 a.m. Thursday at his home.

The owner of the Square Deal Lumber Company, Mr. Bolin was born Jan. 31, 1915 in Boonville, Ind., and came here 35 years ago from Boonville.

On March 15, 1947 in Ft. Wayne, Ind., he married Fireda M. Newman, who survives.

Also surviving are two daughters, Mrs. Thomas (Pat) Smith of Niles, and Mrs. Rex (Sandra) Ellis-Bath of Maine; two sisters, Mrs. Mildred Hall of Paducah, Ky., and Mrs. Marjorie Wilson of Villa Ridge, Mo.; a brother in California; a step-brother, Joe Bolin of Boonville, Ind., and four grandchildren.

He was a member of the Emmanual Bible Baptist Church.

Funeral services were to be at 10:30 a.m. today at the Pifer-Smith Funeral Home with the Rev. Harold Asire officiating. Burial will be at Silverbrook Cemetery.

Niles Daily Star, Saturday, July 5, 1980, page 2, col. 1, microfilm Niles District Library

NILES--Wilford Frank Bolin, 65, of 3630 W. Bertrand Road, died at 5 a.m. Thursday at his home.

The owner of the Square Deal Lumber Company, Mr. Bolin was born Jan. 31, 1915 in Boonville, Ind., and came here 35 years ago from Boonville.

On March 15, 1947 in Ft. Wayne, Ind., he married Fireda M. Newman, who survives.

Also surviving are two daughters, Mrs. Thomas (Pat) Smith of Niles, and Mrs. Rex (Sandra) Ellis-Bath of Maine; two sisters, Mrs. Mildred Hall of Paducah, Ky., and Mrs. Marjorie Wilson of Villa Ridge, Mo.; a brother in California; a step-brother, Joe Bolin of Boonville, Ind., and four grandchildren.

He was a member of the Emmanual Bible Baptist Church.

Funeral services were to be at 10:30 a.m. today at the Pifer-Smith Funeral Home with the Rev. Harold Asire officiating. Burial will be at Silverbrook Cemetery.

Martha Eunice Bryant
Aug. 5, 1895-July 4, 1980

Niles Daily Star, Saturday, July 5, 1980, page 2, col. 2, microfilm Niles District Library

NILES--Martha Eunice Bryant, 84, formerly of 1450 Jerome St., Niles, died at 4:05 p.m. Friday at Berrien General Hospital, Berrien Center, following an extended illness.

She was born Aug. 5, 1895 in Kankakee, Ill., and had lived here since 1916, coming from Illinois.

On April 2, 1921 in Niles, she married Wiley N. Bryant, who died Feb. 26, 1964.

Survivors include six sons, Arthur Line of Niles, Lawrence Bryant of Niles, Lemuel Bryant of Nunica, Mich., Edward Bryant of Grand Haven and Wiley Jr. of Grand Haven,and Harry L. Bryant of Muskegon; three daughters, Mrs. Clara Light of Grand Rapids, Mrs. Shirley Lee of South Bend, and Mrs. Frances Keene of Jackson; a brother, George Stack of South Bend; 10 grandchildren; 17 great-grandchildren; and two great-great-grandchildren.

Funeral services will be at 1:30 p.m. Tuesday at the Halbritter Funeral Home with the Rev. Arnold O. Schaap of Edwardsburg officiating. Burial will be at Silverbrook Cemetery.

Friends may call at the funeral home after 4 p.m. Monday.

Mabel Cody
Aug. 26, 1882-April 11, 1959

Niles Daily Star, Wednesday, April 22, 1959, page 2, col. 4, microfilm Niles District Library

Funeral services will be held at 10 a.m. Thursday in the Pifer Funeral Home for Mrs. Mabel Cody, 76, formerly of Niles, who died on April 11 in Long Beach, Calif. The Rev. L. George Beacock, pastor of the First Methodist Church, will officiate and burial will be in Silverbrook Cemetery.

Mrs. Cody was born Aug. 26, 1882, in Tillsonburg, Ontario, Canada, and was a member of Eastern Star, the White Shrine and the Idies of Temple, all in California.

Surviving are: two sons, Cmdr. Duane Cody, in Germany, and Harold Cody, of Long Beach, Calif., and several nieces and nephews in Niles. Her husband, Loren, preceded her in death a number of years ago.

Friends may call at the funeral home.

Mary Ann Crago
Feb. 23, 1959-April 29, 1959

Niles Daily Star, Wednesday, April 29, 1959, page 1, col. 8, microfilm Niles District Library

Infant Found Dead in Crib
Respiratory Ailment Believed to Be Cause

MARY ANN Crago, two months old, the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. John Crago, of 1405 1/2 North Fifth Street, was found dead in her crib by her mother at 6:18 a.m. today.

The girl had been suffering from a respiratory ailment most of her life, according to her physician, Dr. Robert L. Landgraf. Dr. Landgraf said an autopsy would be performed today to determine the exact cause of death, if the parents agreed.

Mrs. Crago told Niles Police Mary Ann was breathing when she found her. Police, called by Mrs. Crago, brought the Niels Fire Department's resuscitator.

Efforts to revive the girl were futile.

* * *

THE GIRL was pronounced dead by Dr. Landgraf a short time later. Dr. Landgraf said the girl had been dead about an hour.

The doctor said he had been attempting to have the baby admitted to the University Medical Center, Ann Arbor, for treatment of the respiratory ailment.

He said the baby had suffered no unusual effects from her ailment before today.

* * *

MARY ANN was born in South Bend on Feb. 23. She is survived by her parents; her grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. John Crago, of St. Joseph, Mrs. Grace Crago, of Roanoke, Ind.; and Mr. and Mrs. William Poole, of Cromwell, Ky.; and two sisters, Elizabeth Marie and Phyllis Lee, both at home.

Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. Friday, at the Pifer Funeral Home, the Rev. H. Allen Maxwell, pastor of the Holy Trinity Church, officiating. Friends may call at the funeral home beginning Thursday.

Emma Messner
Aug. 6, 1906-July 28, 1978

Niles Daily Star, Monday, July 31, 1978, page 2, col. 4, microfilm Niles District Library

NILES--Emma R. Messner, 71, of 728 Broadway, died at 10:50 p.m. Friday at Pawating Hospital, following a brief illness.

A member of the DAV Auxiliary, she was a retired employee of Berrien General Hospital. Mrs. Messner was born Aug. 6, 106 in Valparaiso, Ind., and had lived her lifetime in the area.

On Aug. 24, 1921 in Valparaiso, she married Elvin Mark Messner, who died July 9, 1957.

Survivors include three sons, Lewis E. and Robert W., both of Niles, and Donald L. of Benton Harbor; two brothers, Jerry Meadows of Valparaiso, Ind., and Thomas Meadows of Green Valley, Ill.; a sister, Mrs. Agnes Hopper of Portage, Ind.; five grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.

Funeral services will be at 2 p.m. Tuesday at the Halbritter Funeral Home with the Rev. Gordon Everett of the Wesley United Methodist Church officiating. Burial will be in Silverbrook Cemetery.

Friends may call at the funeral home after 4 p.m .today. Memorials may be made to the Open Door Residences, Inc.