Jack A. Spence, Sr.
July 20, 1918-Oct. 17, 2001

Niles Daily Star (Niles, Michigan), Friday, October 19, 2001, page 2, col. 1-2

Jack Spence, long-time assistant city engineer, dies

Funeral services for Jack A. Spence, Sr., 83, of 750 Broadway, Niles will be Saturday, Oct. 20, at 10 a.m. at Halbritter Funeral Home in Niles. The Rev. Dr. Ronald H. Wakeman of First Presbyterian Church will be officiating.

Burial will be in Silverbrook Cemetery.

Spence died Wednesday, Oct. 17, at 3:30 p.m. at Memorial Hospital in South Bend, Ind., following an extended illness.

Spence was born July 20, 1918 in Brantford, Ontario, to Peter Stanger Spence and Mathilda Jane Scott. He came to Niles from Windsor, Ontario. He has lived in the same house for 50 years. On Sept. 14, 1943, he married Gertrude Elizabeth (Clover) Spence in South Bend, Ind. She survives.

He had worked on the New York Central Railroad for many years. In 1985, he retired from a position of Assistant City Engineer of the City of Niles after 20 years of employment.

He served Canada during World War II in the Royal Canadian Navy. In Canada, he attended the United Church of Canada.

He was a special life member of American Legion Post No. 26 in Niles. He enjoyed gardening vegetables and woodworking in his home shop.

Survivors (in addition to his wife) include: two sons, Jack A. Spence, Jr. of Richland and George Scott Spence of Niles; two grandsons; two great-granddaughters; and one sister, Margaret Hooper of Toronto, Ontario.

He was preceded in death by two sisters.

Friends may call Saturday at 9 a.m. at the funeral home.

Memorial contributions may be made to Respite Care Center.

Dorothy E. Spenner
Feb. 3, 1911-Jan. 8, 1994

The Herald-Palladium (Saint Joseph, Michigan) · Monday, January 10, 1994 · Page 7, col 5-6

NILES—Dorothy E. Spenner, 82, of Niles died Saturday at Woodfield Manor Nursing Home, Niles.

The funeral will be held Wednesday at 11:30 a.m. at the Kingdom Hall of Jehovah's Witnesses, Niles, where friends may call after 10 a.m. Wednesday. Cremation will follow at Silverbrook Cemetery, Niles. Memorials may be made to the Kingdom Hall of Jehovah's Witnesses.

Mrs. Spenner was born Feb. 3, 1911, in Rosedale, Kan. She retired from French Paper Co. Survivors include: a daughter, Geraldine Mullins of Arkansas; a son, Paul of Wisconsin; six grandchildren; a sister, Irene Williams of Niles; and a half brother, Earl Wood of Niles. She was preceded in death by her husband, Paul, in 1970, and by a daughter, Norma Schneck, in 1992.

Joan Bachman Spenner
Aug. 7, 1924-June 18, 2005

Niles Daily Star (Niles, Michigan), Monday, June 20, 2005

Funeral services for Joan Bachman Spenner, 80, of Cedar Street, Niles, are 11 a.m. Wednesday, June 22, at Halbritter Funeral Home, Niles, by the Rev. Emmett H. Kadwell Jr. of Wesley United Methodist church.

Spenner died at 2:55 a.m. Saturday, June 18, 2005, at Lakeland Hospital, St. Joseph, following a brief illness.

Burial will be in Silverbrook cemetery, Niles.

Spenner was born Aug. 7, 1924, in Niles to Hartman Bachman and Myrtle Mell. She was a lifetime resident of Niles, and graduated from Niles High School.

Spenner was the owner/operator of Fessco-Centurion-Twin Cities Fire and Safety in Niles.

She was past president of the Niles City PTA, past treasurer of the Niles Service League, and past secretary of the Saint Joseph Historical Society. She was a member of the Cass County Historical Society, a volunteer at Pawating Hospital Auxiliary, a board member of the YMCA, Niles, and a board member of Love, Inc.

Spenner was preceded in death by two sisters, Ruth Bachman Abreu, who died Oct. 21, 2000, and Dorothy Snyder, and five brothers Walter L. Bachman, who died June 28, 1991 Clarence Bachman, who died May 2, 1988, Lyle Bachman who died May 20, 1976, Robert Bachman, who died in 1975, and Roy Bachman, who died in 1975.

Survivors include one son, Jeffery Bachman Spenner of Niles; one grandson, Colton Bachman Spenner of Niles; and several nieces and nephews.

Visitation will be from 6 to 8 p.m. Tuesday at the funeral home.

Memorial contributions may be made to Love, Inc.

Arrangements by Halbritter Funeral Home.

Courtney Frederick Steere
Oct. 27, 1904-June 25, 1982

Niles Daily Star (Niles, Michigan), Saturday, June 26, 1982.

Courtney Frederick Steere, 77, of Lake Panasoffkee, Fla., formerly of Niles, died at 2:45 p.m. Friday at Pawating Hospital in Niles following a brief illness.

A retired printer for National Printing Company, he was born Oct. 27, 1904 in Providence, R.I. and had lived here many years.

His first wife, Ida Stewart, preceded him in death. He married Genevieve C. Ort on Oct. 27, 1972 in Niles. His wife survives.

Also surviving are four step-sons, Carlisle Stewart of Niles, Harold Ort of Buchanan, Louis Ort of South Bend and Jack Ort of Niles; three stepdaughters, Mrs. Opal VanVlasselaer of Niles, Mrs. Melvina Thompson of Niles and Mrs. Treva Vollman of Niles; three brothers, Benjamin Steere of Salisbury Center, N.Y., Dean Steere of Rochester and Milton Steere of San Diego; two sisters, Mrs. William (Helen) Schultz of Buchanan and Mrs. Ruth Davis of Sun City, Az.; 25 grandchildren and 30 great-grandchildren.

He was a member of the First Baptist Church, the American Association of Retired Persons, and the Lake Panasoffkee, Fla. Moose Club.

Funeral services will be held at 1:30 p.m. Tuesday at the First Baptist Church of Niles with Rev. Ray Cunningham officiating. Burial will be in Silverbrook Cemetery.

Friends may call after noon Sunday at the Pifer-Smith Funeral Home in Niles.

The family suggests memorials be made to the First Baptist Church.

Dr. Gail C. Steiner
May 5, 1903-Feb. 19, 1984

Niles Daily Star (Niles, Michigan), Monday, February 20, 1984, page 1

NILES—Long-time Niles doctor, Gail C. Steiner, 80, died Sunday at 5:50 p.m. at Memorial Hospital in South Bend after an extended illness.

Dr. Steiner practiced medicine in Niles and South Beand[sic] for the last 53 years and was on the staffs of Pawating Hospital here and the South Bend Ostopathic[sic] Hospital.

The doctor was still seeing 10 to 12 patients each week and said in an interview in May of 1983 that he did not want to retire. “Hitting a golf ball and then trying to find it, “ said Steiner, was not for him.

He was born May 5, 1903 in Buchanan and lived his lifetime in the area.

Dr. Steiner was active in the Niles community. He served as president of the Niles Community School Board in 1950 and was a member of the Brandywine School Board for 15 years. He was a former President and past president of the Niles Lions club and was a life member of the Niles Shrine Club and the Niles Elks Club. He was a life member of the National Osteopathic Association. He was also a member of the Saladin Temple of Grand Rapids and Wesley United Methodist Church.

Dr. Steiner broke new ground in the local medical field when he was appointed to the Pawating Hospital board of directors in 1959. At the time the board was “purely medical” and he was the first osteopath on the board.

In the May 1983 interview, Dr. Steiner said he missed making house calls. “I made house calls for 30 years, even delivered babies right in the house. And up until 14 years ago, when the practice was stopped, I had a steady clientele from Dowagiac, Edwardsburg and South Bend.”

Dr. Steiner graduated from South Bend High School in 1922 and attended the Kansas City College of Osteopathy and Surgery. He met his wife Helen in Kansas City and marriedd[sic] on Aug. 29, 1929 in Atchinson, Kansas. She survives.

Also surviving are: two sons, Charles L. Steiner of Ann Arbor and Timothy Gail Steiner of Biloxi, Miss.; a daughter, Mrs. Marcia Cousins of Niles; a sister Miss Sylvia Steiner of South Bend; and four grandchildren.

Services will be held at 2 p.m. Wednesday at the Wesley United Methodist Church. Rev. Mark D. Graham of that church will officiate. Burial will follow at Silverbrook Cemetery.

There will be no visitation. Arrangements are being made by the Halbritter Funeral Home. Memorials may be given to the Berrien County Cancer Service or the Wesley United Methodist Church Memorial Fund.

Bruce Stewart
Jan. 4, 1945-Sept. 9, 1988

Niles Daily Star (Niles, Michigan), Friday, September 9, 1988, page 2, col. 3-4

Bruce Stewart, 43, 1001 N. 15th St., Niles, died today at 4:14 a.m. at Memorial Hospital in South Bend, Ind.

He was born Jan. 4, 1945 in Austin, Texas, and lived in Niles for 14 years coming from Texas. Stewart was a Niles High School counselor and a 1967 graduate of Kalamazoo College. He received his master's degree from Western Michigan University in 1970.

He married the former Merle Rickles in 1967 in Massachusetts. She survives.

Survivors also include his parents, Powell and Mary Stewart of Austin; and two sons, Michael and Alan at home.

Graveside services are today at 3:30 p.m. at Silverbrook Cemetery. Forest G. Hay Funeral Home in South Bend, Ind., handled arrangements.

Memorials may be made to the Bruce Stewart Scholarship Fund in care of Niles Community Schools.