George L. Wittmack
Sept. 18, 1896-Jan. 18, 1971

Niles Daily Star (Niles, Berrien Co., MI), Tuesday, January 19, 1971, page 2, col. 4, microfilm Niles District Library

NILES-- George L. Wittmack, 74, of 1327 Oak St., died at 9:15 p.m. Monday in Pawating Hospital, where he was admitted on Jan. 1.

A retired engineer with the Penn-Central Railroad, Mr. Witmack was born Sept. 18, 1896, in Wanatah, Ind., and had lived here since 1919, coming from Michigan City. On March 8, 1923, in Niles, he married Ruth Moyer, who survives. He was a member of the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers.

Survivors include a daughter, Mrs. Janet Forte of Lexington, Mass.; Lewis and Harvey, both of Wanatah, Ind.; two sisters, Mrs. Clara McAlister of Hinckley, Ill., and Mrs. Dorothy Garrigan of Salt Lake City, Utah, and three grandchildren.

Funeral services will be held at 1 p.m. Thursday in the Pifer Funeral Home, with the Rev. Arlan Schlundt of St. John's United Church of Christ officiating. Burial will be in Silverbrook Cemetery.

Friends may call after 7 p.m. Wednesday, at the funeral home.

Memorials may be given to the Heart Fund.

Niles Daily Star (Niles, Berrien Co., MI), Wednesday, January 20, 1971, page 2, col. 2, microfilm Niles District Library

NILES—In addition to survivors listed in Tuesday's obituary, George Wittmack, 74, of 1327 Oak St., is survived by three brothers, Henry of South Bend, and Lewis and Harvey, both of Wanatah, Ind.

Ocie Pops
Aug. 10, 1923-Jan. 18, 1971

Niles Daily Star (Niles, Berrien Co., MI), Wednesday, January 20, 1971, page 2, col. 2, microfilm Niles District Library

NILES-- Mrs. Ocie Pops, 47, of 2480 Detroit Rd., died at 11:05 p.m. Monday in Pawating Hospital, after an illness of four days.

An employe of Pawating Hospital, Mrs. Pops was born Aug. 19, 1923, in Dallas, Tex., and had lived here since 1953, coming from Chicago. Her husband, Nathaniel, survives.

Additional survivors include a stepson, Nathaniel Jr. of Niles; two stepdaughters, Mrs. Evelyn Vaughan and Mrs. Sandra McCoy, both of Chicago and a sister, Mrs. Jessie May Camel of Dallas, Tex.

Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m Friday in the Pifer Funeral Home, with the Rev. Eugene Jones of the Mt. Galilee Baptist Church officiating. Burial will be in Silverbrook Cemetery.

Friends may call after 7 p.m. Wednesday at the funeral home.

Harold L. Ort, Sr.
June 11, 1901-Jan. 24, 1961

Niles Daily Star (Niles, Berrien Co., MI), Monday, January 25, 1971, page 2, col. 4, microfilm Niles District Library

Harold L. Ort, Sr., 59, 033 N. 4th St., retired shipping clerk at Kawneer Co., died at 410 a.m. Sunday in his home following an illness of seven months.

Mr. Ort was born June 11, 1891 in Mason Township, Cass County., and had lived most of his life-time in and around this community.

Surviving are: his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Ira Ort, Edwardsburg; his widow, Genevieve; two daughters, Mrs. Treva Vollman and Mrs. Melvina Thompson, both Niles; three sons, Harold L. Jr., Louis and Jack Ort, all Niles; seven grandchildren; a brother, Cecil Ort, Edwardsburg, and a sister, Mrs. Vena Laukus, also Edwardsburg.

Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. Tuesday in the Pifer Funeral home with the Rev. Earl J. Wickstrom, pastor of First Baptist Church, officiating. Burial will be in Silverbrook Cemetery.

Friends are being received at the funeral home.

Celia M. Nicholson Hossfeld
March 23, 1897-Jan. 23, 1993

Niles Daily Star (Niles, Berrien Co., MI), Thursday, January 29, 1993, page 2, col. 1, microfilm Niles District Library

Celia Nicholson
1897-1993
Former Niles resident

Celia M. Nicholson, 95, of Spring Arbor, Mich., formerly of Niles, died Saturday at Arbor Manor Care Center in Spring Arbor.

Burial was at Silverbrook Cemetery in Niles.

She was born March 23, 1897, in Chicago.

Nicholson was a former member of St. John's Evangelical Lutheran Church.

Survivors inlcude[sic] Betty Brigham of Concord, Mich., and Marjorie Sliger of Northville, Mich., six grandchildren and 11 grandchildren[sic].

Memorial contributions may be made to a charity of the donor's choice.

Arrangement were handled by S.D. Lauer Funeral Home in Concord.

Richard Backus, Sr. 
Jan. 10, 1950-Dec. 14, 2010

Niles Daily Star, Published 11:00 pm Thursday, December 16, 2010

Richard Allen Backus, Sr., 60, of Berrien Center, died at 3:52 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 14, 2010 at Lakeland Regional Medical Center, St. Joseph of natural causes.

Richard was born Jan. 10, 1950 in Berrien Center. He was a lifetime area resident.

He was a machine operator at Tyler Refrigeration for 23 years. He was a U.S. Army Vietnam veteran.

Richard married Diane Backus Nov. 22, 1969 in Niles. She survives and lives in Berrien Center.

He is also survived by his father, Victor Backus, Sr.; son, Richard Allen Backus, Jr. of Niles; daughter, Shelly (Jeffrey) Thompson of Niles; brother, Victor (Mary) Backus, Jr. of Buchanan; sister, Janice Leiter of Buchanan; and five grandchildren.

Richard was preceded in death by his mother, Joyce Backus, and father-in-law, LeRoy Hydorn.

Services will be held at 1 p.m. Monday, Dec. 20, 2010 at Hoven Funeral Home in Buchanan.

Burial will be at Oak Ridge Cemetery in Buchanan.

Friends may call from 4 to 8 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 19 at the funeral home.

Memorials may be made to the family.

Note: Reinterred at Silverbrook from Oak Ridge April 23, 2021.

Phyllis Ballard, of Niles
Jan. 2, 1945-April 7, 2021

Niles Daily Star, Published 4:24 pm Thursday, April 8, 2021

Jan. 2, 1945 — April 7, 2021

Phyllis Ballard, 76, of Niles, peacefully passed away at South Haven Nursing Home on Wednesday, April 7, 2021, following an extended illness.

She was born on Jan. 2, 1945, to the late Charles and Bernice (Hanes) Nichols in Niles.

After graduating from Niles High School, Phyllis went on to wed Ralph Ballard at a ceremony on December 30, 1962 in Niles. Phyllis was a homemaker most of her life and enjoyed doll collecting and always looked forward to the time she was able to spend with her grandchildren. A woman of faith, Phyllis was a member of St. Mary of the Immaculate Conception Catholic Church in Niles.

She was preceded in death by her parents; and several brothers and sisters.

Phyllis is survived by her sons, Brian (Robin) Ballard, of Hopkins, Michigan, and Jeffrey (Holly) Ballard, of Granger, Indiana; four grandchildren; two great-grandchildren; siblings, Mary Ellen Ickes and Norman “Bud” Nichols, both of Niles; and many extended family members and close friends.

Cremation has taken place and the family will be remembering Phyllis with a private family service followed by an interment at Silverbrook Cemetery.

Memorial contributions may be made in Phyllis’ memory to The Humane Society of Southwest Michigan & Kindred Hospice of Portage, Michigan.

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

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