Louis E.R. Stennis
Sept. 26, 1893-April 5, 1987

Niles Daily Star (Niles, Berrien Co., MI), Monday, April 6, 1987, page 2, col. 3, microfilm Niles District Library

Louis E.R. Stennis, 93, 497 Gumwood Road, Niles, died at 4:23 a.m. Sunday at Pawating Hospital following an extended illness.

He was a retired employee of the U.S. Post Office, Chicago, and was a member of Franklin A.M.E. Church. He also was a U.S. Army veteran of World War I.

Born Sept. 26, 1893 in Meridian, Miss., he lived in this area since 1938, coming from Chicago.

On Mary 2, 1961 in Niles, in[sic] married Lela McMillon, who survives. He previously was married to Sarah Louise Wilkes,who died Oct. 28, 1973.

Also surviving is a son, Louis E.R. Stennis Jr., of Chicago; three stepdaughters, Addie Driver, Dorothy Powell and Christinea Southerland, all of South Bend; a brother, Ulysses Stennis of Chicago; two sisters, Rosa Marie Bufkin of Meridian and Fredna Blanks of Daleville, Miss.; 14 grandchildren; and a great-granddaughter.

Services are 11 a.m. Friday at Franklin A.M.E. Church, Niles, with Rev. Louis T. Perry of that church officiating. Burial will be at Silverbrook Cemetery.

Friends may call from 7 to 9 p.m. at Halbritter Funeral Home.

Memorials may be made to the Berrien County Cancer Service.

Clinton Sweisberger
Feb. 14 1896-April 18, 1987

Niles Daily Star (Niles, Berrien Co., MI), Monday, April 20, 1987, page 2, col. 3, microfilm Niles District Library

Clinton Sweisberger, 91, 19657 Orchard St., South Bend, Ind., died at 10:30 p.m. Saturday at his home.

He was born Feb. 14, 1896 in St. Joseph County, Ind., and was a lifetime area resident. He was a life member of St. Joseph Valley Lodge Number four F. & A.M. and . . .[illegible]. .Veteran of World Was I. He was a member of Veterans of World War I and a life member of the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers No. 300. He was a retired employee of Penn Central Railroad.

On June 13, 1924 he married Carrie Messinger who died July 9, 1985. Surviving are one daughter, Eva Kelley of Niles and two grandchildren.

Services are at 1:30 p.m. Wednesday at Halbritter Funeral Home. Rev. John Charter officiating. Burial will be at Silverbrook Cemetery.

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

Harriet Zimmer
Nov. 18, 1906-March 20, 1987

Niles Daily Star (Niles, Berrien Co., MI), Tuesday, April 7, 1987, page 2, col. 3-4, microfilm Niles District Library

Harriet Zimmer, 81, of Mesa, Ariz., formerly of 501 N. 11^th St., Niles, died March 20 in Mesa.

She was a Niles resident since 1977. She was married to Walter “Windy” Zimmer who preceded her in death.

Burial was in Silverbrook Cemetery.

Geraldine S. S. Nicholson
Dec. 4, 1891-Nov. 7, 1945

Niles Daily Star (Niles, Berrien Co., MI), Wednesday, November 7, 1945, page 1, col. 8, microfilm Niles District Library

Wife of Pastor Dies in Hospital

Mrs. Geraldine S.S. Nicholson, 53, of 9 South Fourth street, wife of the Rev. Harry L. Nicholson, pastor of Trinity Episcopal church, died suddenly at 5:45 a.m. today in Pawating hospital. Apparently in good health, she had been engaged in her regular household tasks Tuesday.

Born in Brockville, Ont., on Dec. 4, 1891 she was married to Rev. Harry L. Nicholson in 1916 and the family moved to Niles from Flint in February, 1931 when the Rev. Nicholson was appointed pastor of Trinity church.

Besides her husband, survivors include two daughters, Mrs. Suzanne Cockrell and Elizabeth L. Nicholson, both at home; a granddaughter; and two sisters, Mrs. John A. Davies, of Kingsville, Ont., and Miss Mildred Chapman, of Brockville, Ont.

Friends may call at the Pifer funeral home until Friday morning when the body will be taken to Trinity Episcopal church. Funeral services will be conducted there at 2 p.m., Friday, by Bishop Lewis B. Whittemore, of Grand Rapids, and burial will be in Silverbrook cemetery.

Rev. Harry L. Nicholson
April 9, 1887-March 14, 1956

Niles Daily Star (Niles, Berrien Co., MI), Friday, March 16, 1956, page 2, col. 4-5, microfilm Niles District Library

Services to Be Held Monday for Former Episcopal Rector

The Rev. Harry L. Nicholson, 69, of Jackson, Mich., former rector of Trinity Episcopal Church in Niles, died suddenly Wednesday night on a train while enroute to Holy Cross Monastery on the Hudson River, N.Y.

Mr. Nicholson, who served as rector of the parish here from 1931 to 1948, was born April 9, 1887, in St. Catherine's, Ontario, Canada. He retired in 1951 after serving the parish at Henrietta, Mich., from 1948 to 1951.

He entered the ministry Dec. 19, 1914, in Toronto, Canada, and came to Niles on Feb. 27, 1931. He graduated from the University of Toronto and the Wyoliffe Theological Seminary at Toronto, and served as chaplain of a Toronto battalion for two years during World War I. Prior to entering the ministry he was an engineer for the Coniagas Mines in Cobalt, Ontario.

He also served as chairman of the department of Christian education of the fifth province of the Episcopal Church, and was a member of the national department of Christian education and the National Youth Commission.

Surviving are: his wife, the former Miss Thelma Church, of Niles; two daughters, Miss Elizabeth Nicholson, at home, and Mrs. James Cockrell, of East Lansing, and five grandchildren.

Funeral services will be held at 10 a.m. Monday in St. Paul's Episcopal Church in Jackson with the Right Rev. Richard S. M. Emrich, bishop of the Diocese of Michigan officiating. Graveside rites will be conducted at 1:30 p.m. Monday at Silverbrook Cemetery.

Fred W. Serviss
Sept. 5, 1874-July 3, 1939

Niles Daily Star (Niles, Berrien Co., MI), Monday, July 3, 1939, page 2, col. 4, microfilm Niles District Library

Fred W. Serviss, 64, Dies After 2-Year Illness

Fred W. Serviss, who had spent his entire life in Niles, died at 1:15 o'clock this morning in his home, 1364 Ferry street. He was 64 years old.

Friends may call at the Pifer funeral home where services will be held at 2:30 o'clock Wednesday afternoon. Rites will be conducted by the Rev. Kenneth Hoffmaster, of the First Methodist church, of which Mr. Serviss was a member. Burial will be in Silverbrook cemetery.

Mr. Serviss had been in ill health for the last two and one-half years. Prior to his illness he had been employed by the Garden City Fan company and for 18 years by the late John Baumann. He had also served as janitor for about a year at the Eastside school.

Never married Mr. Serviss leaves a brother, Herbert W., Oakland, Calif., a sister, Mrs. Elizabeth Smith, San Francisco, Calif., also three cousins, Mrs. William Graham, Niles; Miss May Stowell and Miss Dora Brickell, South Bend.

Niles Daily Star (Niles, Berrien Co., MI), Wednesday, July 5, 1939, page 2, col. 3, microfilm Niles District Library

Niles News in Brief: SERVE AS PALLBEARERS

Henry Martin, Chester Hollenbeck, T.W. Johnson, C.E. Brockway, Frank Widw and Robert Middleton served as pallbearers this afternoon for the services of Fred Serviss. The Rev. Kenneth Hoffmaster conducted rites in the Pifer funeral home. Burial was in Silverbrook cemetery.