Betty C. Kelley
July 5, 1925-Sept. 27, 2001

Mrs. Betty C. Kelley, 76, of Walhalla, Mich., formerly of Niles, Mich., passed away on Thursday, Sept. 27,  2001, in Mercy Hospital, Muskegon, Mich.

Betty was born on July 5, 1925, in Niles, to Robert and Lucile (Swartz) Mann, and married Gene Kelley on June 12, 1970, in Lansing, Mich.

Betty was preceded in death by her daughters, Sharon Thompson and Bonnie Praklet; her grandson, Ronald Barnett Jr.; and by her sister, Helene Barnes.

She will be lovingly remembered by her husband, Gene; her children, Shirley VanDurmen of Tehachapi, Calif., Vickie Johnson of Granger, Ind., Ronald "Bud" Barnett of Bonita Springs, Fla.; her stepchildren, Gary Kelley of Houston, Texas, Janet Kelley of Tampa, Fla., Kendrick (Sandie) Kelley and Kristi (Raymond) Breashears, all of Lansing; 20 grandchildren, seven step-grandchildren and 40 great-grandchildren; her brothers, Robert Mann of Oceanside, Calif., and Fredrick (Beverly) Mann of Niles; her sisters, Bertha Lifer of Ocala, Fla., Janice Fox and Carol (Donald) Mitchell, all of Niles, and Marjorie (Julian) Papcynski of Berrien Springs, Mich.

Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. on Monday, Oct. 1, in the Halbritter Funeral Home, Niles, with Rev. Al Bastin of St. John's United Church of Christ officiating. Burial will take place at Silverbrook Cemetery, Niles, at 2 p.m. Monday.

Friends may meet with her family from 2 to 4 p.m. this afternoon, Sept. 30, in the Stephens Funeral Chapel, Scottville, Mich., or on Monday from 10 a.m. until time of services in the Halbritter Funeral Home, Niles.

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

Submitted by family member; publication details unknown

Jesse Lee Kelems IV
December 11, 1977-September 25, 2004

Jesse Lee Kelems IV, 26, of Niles, Mich., passed away on Saturday, Sept. 25,  2004, due to injuries sustained in a motorcycle accident.

Jesse was born to Jesse Lee III and Angela Kelems of Niles on Dec. 11, 1977. He was an electrician for Goshen Coach.

He is survived by Ralene Lausch, fiancée of Niles; Saelene C. Kelems, daughter of Niles; Tori Lausch, stepdaughter of Niles; Ryan A. Cowan, brother of Buchanan, Mich.; Jesse L. Jr. and Charlene Kelems, grandparents of Buchanan; Bill and Dorothy Webb, grandparents of Buchanan; Claudia Webb, great-grandmother of Niles; Earl and Letha Bell, great-grandparents of Niles; and a host of aunts, uncles and cousins.

Funeral services for Jesse will be held at 2 p.m. Friday, Oct. 1, in the Hoven Funeral Home, Buchanan. Pastor Bill Pollock of Apostolic Tabernacle, Niles, will be officiating. Friends may call 6 to 8 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 30, in the Hoven Funeral Home, Buchanan. Interment will be at Silverbrook Cemetery, Niles.

Contributions may be made to the Ralene Lausch and Saelene C. Kelems funds.

Theora L. Keeys
July 3, 1933-Sept. 28, 2005

Theora L. Keeys Services for Theora L. Keeys, 72, of Cass Street, who died Wednesday, Sept. 28, 2005 in Our Lady of Peace Hospital at Saint Joseph Regional Medical Center, South Bend after an illness, will be at 5 p.m. Saturday in Mount Calvary Baptist Church, where friends may call one hour before services. Halbritter Funeral Home is handling arrangements. Born July 3, 1933.

Submitted by family member; publication details unknown 

Merle M. Keene
June 26, 1900-November 15, 1994

Merle M. Keene, 94, of Ironwood Health and Rehabilitation Center, South Bend, formerly of Niles, died at 10:20 a.m. Tuesday, Nov. 15, 1994,  in the center. Mrs. Keene was retired from New York Central Railroad. She was born June 26, 1900, in Niles. In 1921, as Merle Sweitzer, she married Harry Keene. He died in 1934. Surviving is a nephew, William Hargreaves of South Bend. She was a member of Wesley United Methodist Church.

Services will be at 4 p.m. Friday in Halbritter Funeral Home. Burial will be in Silverbrook Cemetery. Friends may call one hour before services in the funeral home. Memorial contributions may be made to the church.

Submitted by family member; publication details unknown 

Barbara Ann Kane
January 4, 1934-September 4, 2005

Mrs. Barbara Ann Kane, 71,of Thomson Road, Niles, Michigan, died following a brief illness at 8:30 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 4, 2005, in West Woods of Niles.

Mrs. Kane was born January 4, 1934, in Rochester, to Robert and Dorothy P. (Barts) Sheperis.  She graduated from Niles High School in 1952 and had lived in Niles most of her life. She was employed by the former G.L. Perry Department Store, Niles, from its opening until shortly before it closed.

She was a member of the Pioneer Memorial Seventh-day Adventist Church on the campus of Andrews University, Berrien Springs, Michigan. She was formerly active in area bowling leagues, and enjoyed traveling and shopping, but mostly enjoyed spending time with her grandchildren.

In October 1956, in Niles, she was married to Arthur Leo Kane, who preceded her in death on April 23, 1991. She was also preceded in death by a granddaughter, Abigail Kane; and a sister, Marilyn "Jo" Miller. Surviving family includes her children, LeAnn Kane of South Bend, Indiana, Joseph (Sue) Kane of Bristol, Indiana, Patrick Kane of Marcellus, Michigan, Susan Welling of Niles, Cathlene Kane of Niles and Scott Kane of Niles; 10 grandchildren and six great-grandchildren; and a sister, Roberta "Bert" Sheperis of Clearwater, Florida.

The funeral service for Barbara Ann Kane will be at 2 p.m. today, Sept. 8, 2005, at The Graveside in Silverbrook Cemetery, Niles, with Pastor Skip MacCarty of Pioneer Memorial Seventh-day Adventist Church officiating. The family received relatives and friends from 2 to 4 and 6 to 8 p.m. Wednesday in the Halbritter Funeral Home, Niles.

Contributions in memory of Mrs. Kane may be made to the American Diabetes Associations.

Reta Kaiser
February 10, 1872-June 9, 1965

Reta Kaiser, 93, of 301 Pokagon St., died at 2 p.m. Wednesday in Berrien General Hospital, Berrien Center, where she had been a patient 11 months. She had been ill seven years.

Mrs. Kaiser was born Feb. 10, 1872, in Buchanan Township and was a lifetime resident of the area.  Her husband, George, died July 4, 1954.  Survivors include a daughter, Mrs. Gladys Voelkers, South Bend; a son, Raymond, Niles; a brother, Charles Conrad, Edwardsburg; a sister, Mrs. Gertrude Monroe, Niles; four grandchildren and 10 great-grandchildren.

Funeral services will be conducted at 2 p.m. Friday in the Halbritter-Swem funeral Home. the Rev. Leonard Putnam, pastor of the First Evangelical United Brethren church, will officiate. Burial will be in Silverbrook Cemetery.Friends are being received at the funeral home. 

Submitted by family member; publication details unknown