Louise Randall Bailey
May 17, 1917-Nov. 24, 1960

Niles Daily Star (Niles, Berrien Co, MI), Monday, November 28, 1960, page 2, col. 4, microfilm Niles District Library

Funeral services were held at 3 o'clock today in Austin, Tex., for Mrs. Louise Randall Bailey, 43, a former resident of Niles. She was the daughter of C.A. Randall and the brother of Ralph H. Randall, both of Niles.

Mrs. Randall died a 8:45 a.m. Thursday, Nov. 24, in the M.D. Anderson Hospital at Houston, Tex. She had been in ill health for several months.

Survivors, in addition to her father and brother, are the husband, Dr. Phillip S. Bailey; two sons, Jonathan Field and Christopher Field, both at home; her mother, Elma Blackman Randall of Athens, Ohio, and other brother, Charles A. Randall of Athens, Ohio.

Niles Daily Star (Niles, Berrien Co, MI), Thursday, December 6, 1960, page 2, col. 1, microfilm Niles District Library

COMMITTAL RITES SET

Committal rites will be conducted at 3 p.m. Saturday at Silverbrook Cemetery for Mrs. Louise R. Bailey, 43, Austin, Tex., daughter of C.A. Randall of Niles, who died on Nov. 25 in Houston, Tex. Dr. Maurice McKean, pastor of the First Methodist Church, will officiate.

Mrs. Bailey was born May 17, 1917, in Daytona Beach, Fla., and prior to her death had been a teacher in Texas schools. Surviving besides her fathers are: her husband, Dr. Phillip S. Bailey; her mother, Mrs. Elma Randall, Athens, Ohio; her step-mother, Mrs. C.A. Randall, Niles; two sons, Jonathan and Christopher Field, and two brothers, Ralph Randall, Niles, and Dr. C.A. Randall, Jr. Athens, Ohio.

Leola Shephard
Nov. 23, 1945-May 11, 1971

Niles Daily Star (Niles, Berrien Co, MI), Wednesday, May 12, 1971, page 2, col. 2, microfilm Niles District Library

Woman in coma two years dies

NILES―Mrs. Leola Shephard, 26, Mendon, Mich., who had been in a coma since she was injured in an auto accident Nov. 15, 1968, died at 3 p.m. Monday in Saginaw County Hospital.

The fiery US-12 crash more than two years ago killed three persons, including Mrs. Shephard's 7-year-old son.

Local volunteer efforts by community members and Andrews University students to educate brain cells not damaged in the injured Mrs. Shephard were somewhat encouraging, although she never came out of a coma. Mrs. Shephard spent more than two years in Pawating Hospital.

Survivors include her husband, Ernest; two daughters, Sheila and Donna, both at home; three brothers, Lee Brachen of Mississippi and Larry and Charles Brachen of Texas; two sisters, Mrs. Robert Wine of Texas and Linda Brachen of Mississippi.

Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. Friday in the Pifer Funeral Home, with the Rev. Carl Thurston of the Pentecostal Church of Three Rivers officiating. Burial will be in Silverbrook Cemetery.

Friends may call after 3 p.m. Thursday in the Pifer Funeral Home.

Baker, Infant Son
May 10, 1971-May 10, 1971

Niles Daily Star (Niles, Berrien Co, MI), Wednesday, May 12, 1971, page 2, col. 2, microfilm Niles District Library

NILES-- A son was stillborn at 10:52 a.m. Tuesday in Pawating Hospital to Mr. and Mrs. George A. Baker, 1311 Merrifield Ave.

Survivors include his grandparents, Henry J. Denaway of Niles and Mrs. Marietta Brown and Mrs. Margaret Czuk, both of Kalamazoo; great-grandparents, Mrs. Fleeta Fry and Mrs. Mable Denaway, both of Kalamazoo and a brother, John at home.

Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. Thursday in the Silverbrook Cemetery, with the Rev. John R. Wyngarden of the First Presbyterian Church officiating.

Funeral arrangements are being handled by the Halbritter Funeral Home.

Robert Tiffany
Nov. 27, 1960-Nov. 27, 1960

Niles Daily Star (Niles, Berrien Co, MI), Monday, November 28, 1960, page 2, col. 4, microfilm Niles District Library

STILLBORN BOY

A stillborn boy was born to Mr. and Mrs. Robert L. Tiffany, 404 Michigan St., at 6 p.m. Sunday at Buchanan Community Hospital. The body is at the Halbritter Funeral Home and committal services will be held at Silverbrook Cemetery.

Surviving besides the parents, are the grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. John R. Sigfrids and Mr. and Mrs. Robert G. Tiffany, all of Niles.

Harriet E. White
July 16, 1866-Nov. 26, 1960

Niles Daily Star (Niles, Berrien Co., MI), Monday, November 28, 1960, page 2, col. 4, microfilm Niles District Library

Funeral services were held at 3:30 o'clock today in Trinity Episcopal Church here for Mrs. Harriet E. White, 94, mother of the late Stuart B. White, Niles attorney, who died Saturday afternoon in Pawating Hospital where she had been a patient since Nov. 19. The rector, the Rev. John G. Carlton, officiated, and burial was in Silverbrook Cemetery.

Mrs. White had been in failing health for the past four years and had been a patient at the Bry-Fern Rest Home, Berrien Center, prior to being admitted to Pawating. She formerly had lived at 1302 Broadway.

Mrs. White was born July 16, 1866, at Pewano, and came to Niles in 1913 from River Forest, Ill. Her husband, William, preceded her in death in 1921. She was a past president of the Women's Association of Trinity Episcopal Church, and had served as president of the Daughters of the American Revolution in Illinois in 1910.

Surviving are: two daughters, Mrs. Harold Fletcher, San Francisco, Calif., and Mrs. John Riley, Freeport, Maine; 10 grandchildren; 23 great-grandchildren and a brother Harper Trask, Benton Harbor.

Arrangements were made by the Pifer Funeral Home.

Walter J. Zabel
April 7, 1891-Nov. 18, 1975

Niles Daily Star (Niles, Berrien Co., MI), Tuesday, November 18, 1975, page 1, col. 1-3, microfilm Niles District Library

Zabel, former Niles principal, dies at 84

NILES – Walter J. Zabel, 84, who served the Niles School District for 38 years before his retirement in 1957, died at 8:05 a.m. Today in Kansas City, Mo. He had lived in Kansas City since 1969.

Mr. Zabel was born April 7, 1891, at Sturgis, where he taught for two years before entering the Army. He was a second lieutenant in the artillery in World War I and came to Niles in 1919 to begin 50 years of residence here. His first Niles High School post was a mathematics teacher, and he also had charge of the Tattler yearbook, athletics and financial supervision of all extracurricular activities.

In 1922, he was named junior high school principal, a post he held for two years before he became senior high school principal and athletic director. Eight years later, he was named principal of both junior and senior high schools and continued in that capacity for 24 years. After construction of the new high school made it necessary to separate the two positions, he again became high school principal in 1956, where he served the year for which his retirement had been extended.

During the time he was principal, Mr. Zabel saw the graduation of 5,444 students, a major portion of the total of 6,591 students graduated from the time the high school was opened until his retirement.

Mr. Zabel also serviced as basketball tournament manager at Niles for 33 years, the longest continuous service of any tournament manager in the state at that time. He won praise many times from the director of the Michigan High School Athletic Assn. For the excellence of Niles tournaments.

Mr. Zabel held both bachelor's and master's degrees from the University of Michigan. He was a director and member of the appraisal committee of First Federal Servings and loan Assn. For 35 years and became a director emeritus upon leaving Niles. He was a past president of the Niles Lions Club and as an honorary member continued to support scholarship and sight conservation projects of the club.

He was ordained an elder in the First United Presbyterian Church in 1931, served five terms on the church Session and was an usher for 25 years. Mr. Zabel was a member of LaRue Messenger Post of the American Legion, the Michigan Education Assn., the Michigan Retired Teachers Assn., National Retired Teachers Assn. And a life member of the University of Michigan Union.

On Aug. 14, 1922, he married the former Adah Milligan at Monmouth, Ill. She died Aug. 26, 1963.

Mr. Zabel is survived by a son, Robert, of Edina, Minn.; a daughter, Dr. Jane Z Waxman of Kansas City; a sister, Mrs. Frances Ginther of Sturgis, and nine grandchildren.

Funeral services will be held at 1:30 p.m. Friday at 1:30 p.m. at the First Presbyterian Church. The Rev. John R. Wyngarden will officiate and burial will be in Silverbrook Cemetery. Friends may call after noon Thursday at the Halbritter Funeral Home.

Memorials may be made to the Niles Community Schools scholarship fund or the First Presbyterian Church memorial fund.