Marlene Vandenburg, of Niles
May 7, 1937 — March 17, 2020

Niles Daily Star, Published 8:52 am Friday, March 20, 2020

Marlene Lorraine Vandenburg, 82, of Niles, wife, mother, grandmother, creative crafter, seasonal celebrator, photographer and cat lady, died peacefully at 3:23 p.m. on Saint Patrick’s Day Tuesday, March 17, 2020, with family at her side in the Emergency Department of Spectrum Health Lakeland Hospital, in Niles, following a brief illness.

She was born on May 7, 1937, in Niles, to Irving S. and Gladys M. (Williams) [lines missing in original] 18 years administering employee benefits in the former Buchanan and South Bend offices of Clark Equipment Company.

Marlene was a lifelong member of the First Baptist Church of Niles, and was elected to the City of Niles Board of Review where she served for 19 years. She was very creative and had a great sense of humor. She best used these talents to display seasonal decorations on lamp post outside the family home at Ninth and Hickory Streets. Photographs of the display were often published in the Niles Daily Star and one winter scene was selected by the Associated Press for national publication.

She was also a talented amateur photographer, focusing mostly on her family, which left her out of most of the family’s photos. Shortly after moving into the house on Hickory Street, a cat wandered in, beginning a legacy of household cats, continuing in the new house in Ballard Hills, with the ultimate successor cat still in residence there.

On Saint Patrick’s Day of 1957, fellow 1955 classmate Donald K. Vandenburg proposed marriage to Marlene. She agreed and they were wed on Aug. 17, 1957, in the First Baptist Church when it was a white frame building at Fourth and Broadway (now Harding’s parking lot). They celebrated last year the remarkable 62nd anniversary of their wedding.

She was preceded in death by her parents and by a granddaughter, Alexandra Marie Vandenburg who died on Dec. 4, 1996.

Surviving family includes her husband, Don Vandenburg; and their children, Steven Vandenburg, of Niles, Michael (Christine) Vandenburg, of Union, Kentucky and Lisa (Norman) Sowards, of Chapel Hill, North Carolina; grandchildren, Elaine (Michael) Rowland, Paul (Raquel) Vandenburg, Thomas Vandenburg, Sarah Vandenburg, Morgan Sowards and Grant Sowards; great-grandchildren, Ruby Rowland, Jack Rowland, Parker Earl and Braxton Vandenburg; and Marlene’s brother, Norman (Fay) Boulton, of Phoenix, Arizona; and their children.

The funeral service for Marlene Vandenburg will be attended by only her immediate family at 10 a.m. on Saturday, March 21, 2020, at the Halbritter-Wickens Funeral Home, in Niles, with the Rev. John Schindler officiating.

Interment will follow at the Silverbrook Cemetery in Niles.

Relatives and friends are invited to witness the ceremony via the livestreamed broadcast available on the Halbritter-Wickens Facebook page: facebook.com/halbritterwickensfuneralservices/contributions in memory of Marlene may be made to Fernwood Botanic Garden and Nature Preserve, 13988 Rangeline Road, Niles, MI, 49120; fernwoodbotanical.org. During this time of limited social contact, please continue in personal contact using greeting cards and the postal service or with online condolences which may be left at: halbritterwickens.com.

Malcolm R. Walters
Jan. 28, 1917-March 24, 1992

Niles Daily Star (Niles, Michigan), Thursday, March 26, 1992.

Former Niles fire captain dies

A former Niles city fire department captain has died.

Funeral services for Malcolm R. Walters, 75, of 313 S. 15th St., Niles are Friday at 1:30 p.m. at Halbritter Funeral Home in Niles by the Rev. Louie J. Schweppe, pastor of St. John's United Church of Christ.

Burial will follow in Silverbrook Cemetery, Niles.

Walters died Tuesday at 10:50 p.m. at Pawating Hospital in Niles, following an illness.

Born Jan. 28, 1917, in Niles, he lived his entire life here.

On April 12, 1941, in Niles, he married June M. Fenters, who survives.

Walters retired from the Niles City Fire Department in 1972 after serving 31 years there.

He was a member of St. John's United Church of Christ, was a U.S. Navy veteran of World War II, a member of the American Legion Post No. 26, the Niles Elks Lodge and the Niles Senior Citizens Center.

In addition to his wife, survivors include a sister, Mildred L. Wozniak of Niles; and several nieces and nephews.

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

Memorial contributions may be made to St. John's United Church of Christ or the charity of the donor's choice.

Melvina Ribble Walton
March 17, 1841-July 19, 1919

Niles Daily Sun (Niles, Michigan), Saturday, July 19, 1919, page 1

DEATH CLAIMS MRS. WALTON

Was One of Niles' Most Beloved Residents—Funeral Monday

Melvina Ribble Walton was born March 17, 1841, in Berrien Center, Mich., of which state her parents were early settlers, locating in the same about 1828. Her devout soul escaped from a pain-worn body this morning at 4:15 o'clock.

On Oct. 4, 1866, she was united in marriage to Robert A. Walton, whom death claimed June 25, four years ago.

She is survived by her six sons—Byron of Aberdeen, S. Dak.; Jay, Hubert, Roy and Arthur, of Niles; Dwight, who resides on the old homestead—two sisters, Mrs. Fannie Miller and Mrs. Nellie Park of Berrien Springs, and one brother, Jasper Park, of Copemish, Mich.

Mrs. Walton has long been a member of the Methodist church of this city. The funeral services will be held from the home on South Fourth street Monday afternoon at 10 o'clock. Rev. E.G. Lewis, officiating.

 Also

Berrien Springs Era (Berrien Springs, Michigan), Thursday, June 24, 1919

Mrs. Melvina Ribble Walton, widow of Robert A. Walton of Niles, sister of Mrs. Nellie Park, and Mrs. Fannie Miller of this place, died at her home in Niles, Saturday morning. She was born in Berrien Center in 1841.

Virginia A. Wegner
Nov. 7, 1900-Sept. 17, 1987

The Herald-Palladium (St. Joseph, Michigan), Saturday, September 19, 1987, page 13, col. 5-6

Mrs. Virginia A. Wegner, 86, widow of Ralph H. Wegner, former mayor of Niles, died at 2:30 p.m. Thursday in the Greater Laurel Nursing Home, Hyattsville, Md., after a long illness. She resided at 1507 Inner Drive, Niles.

The funeral will be held at 11 a.m. Monday in the Halbritter Funeral Home, Niles, where friends may call beginning at 2 p.m. Sunday. Burial will be in Silverbrook Cemetery, Niles, Memorials may be made to the Niles Community Library Children's Fund.

Mrs. Wegner was born Nov. 7, 1900, in Paw Paw and was a lifetime area resident. She was a graduate of Western Michigan University and was a teacher at Southside School in Niles until her retirement. She was a member of Alpha Beta Epsilon and the American Association of University Women. During World War II, she was a Red Cross aide at Pawating Hospital, Niles.

Survivors include a daughter, Judith Ann Kolig of Silver Spring, Md.; two sons, John and James, both of Niles; six grandchildren; and eight great-grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her husband, Ralph H., on March 18, 1975.

Paul L. Weiss
July 2, 1919-June 21, 1997

Niles Daily Star (Niles, Michigan), Monday, June 23, 1997, page 2, col. 2-3

Paul L. Weiss
1919—1997
retired, Paul's Lawn Service

Funeral services for Paul L. Weiss, 77, Iroquois Trail, Niles, are 2 p.m. Tuesday, at Halbritter Funeral Home, Niles, by Rev. Al Bastin of Saint John's United Church of Christ. Burial will follow at Silverbrook Cemetery. A Flag Presentation by American Legion Commander John McLaughlin will follow the burial.

Mr. Weiss died Saturday, June 21, at 6:45 a.m. at Ferguson Convalescent Home, Lapeer, following an extended illness.

He was born July 2, 1919, in Bluffs, Ill., and lived in Niles most of his life.

One[sic] March 24, 1946, in Niles, he married Mary Louise Hahn, who preceded him in death Aug. 27, 1995.

Mr. Weiss owned and operated Paul's Lawn service in Niles, retiring in 1996.

He was a member of Saint John's United Church of Christ, Niles. He was a Life Member and Past Exalted Ruler (1973-74) of the B.P.O. of Niles Elks Lodge, No. 1322; and a member of Saint Joseph Valley Lodge No. 4 F.&A.M. and the Scottish Rite.

Mr. Weiss was a veteran of World War II, having served in the U.S. Marine Corps.

Survivors include two sons, Paul E. Weiss of Davison, and Jerry Weiss of Germany; five grandchildren; and a sister, Bonnie Puffer of Dell City, Okla. He was preceded in death by a brother, Marvin Weiss.

Friends may call today from 2-4 p.m. and 6-8 p.m. at Halbritter Funeral Home.

Memorial contributions may be made to Saint John's United Church of Christ.

Theodore Wienke
Dec. 31, 1911-Sept. 12, 1995

Niles Daily Star (Niles, Michigan), Thursday, September 14, 1995, page 2, col. 1

Funeral services for Theodore “Ted” Wienke, 83, of 14 N. 13th St., Niles, will be Friday at 11 a.m. at Halbritter Funeral Home in Niles by the Rev. Dr. Ronald H. Wakeman of First Presbyterian Church.

Burial will follow in Silverbrook Cemetery.

Mr. Wienke died at 4:30 p.m. Tuesday at Silverbrook Manor in Niles, following an extended illness.

He was born Dec. 31, 1911, in Michigan City, Ind., and had lived in Niles since 1922, coming from Michigan City.

On Dec. 21, 1934, in Niles, he married the former Phena E. Kingston, who survives.

Mr. Wienke retired in 1975 as a conductor for the Penn Central Railroad.

He was a member of First Presbyterian Church in Niles and the United Trainmen Union, He was a summer resident of Copper Harbor.

In addition to his wife, survivors include a daughter, Phoebe A. Wienke, Ph. D., Columbus, Ohio; a son, Peter K. Wienke of Palatine, Ill.; three grandchildren; and a sister, Mrs. Marjorie Moe of South Bend, Ind. One brother, Warren Wienke, died Oct. 3, 1979.

Visitation will be at the funeral home on Friday, one hour prior to services.

Memorial contributions may be made to the Foundation of the First Presbyterian Church or the Berrien County Cancer Service.