John Quincy Mikels
April 6, 1853-Nov. 1, 1946

Niles Daily Star, Saturday, November 2, 1946, page 2, col. 7, microfilm Niles District Library

John Mikels, 93, Succumbs After Year's Illness

John Quincy Mikels, 93, died at 11:30 p.m. last night in Pawating hospital. He had been ill for over a year.

Mikels made his home with his daughter, Mrs. Edith Evans, 334 South Fourth street. Also surviving are two grand children, John Evans, Niles, and Mrs. Fred Carroll, South Bend, and four great grandchildren.

Services will be held Monday at 2:30 p.m. in the Pifer funeral chapel where friends may call. The Rev. T.M. Greenhoe, Presbyterian pastor, will officiate. Burial will be in Silverbrook cemetery.

Mikels was born in Darlington, Ind., April 6, 1853.  He came to Niles from Lafayette, Ind., in 1929. He was a life long member of the Lafayette Presbyterian church.

Marie Ann Morgan
Feb. 20, 1948-June 28, 1948

Niles Daily Star, Monday, June 28, 1948, page 2, col. 5, microfilm Niles District Library

Marie Ann Morgan, four-month-old daughter of Mr.and Mrs. Ward Morgan, 1634 Taft street, died at 5 a.m. today at home. The child was born February 20, 1938, in Niles. Surviving are the parents, two sisters, Vada and May, at home; and grandparents, Mr.and Mrs. John Keyes, Niles; and Mrs. Josephine Morgan, Kalamazoo. Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. Tuesday at Pifer funeral home; the Rev. J.B. Alexander, pastor of Second Baptist church, will officiate. Burial will be in Silverbrook cemetery.

Harry T. Owen
Sept. 2, 1880-Nov. 15, 1946

Niles Daily Star, Monday, November 18, 1946, page 2, col. 3, microfilm Niles District Library

Funeral conducted Today for Harry T. Owen, Aged 66

Last rites were conducted for Harry Tilford Owen today at 1:30 p.m. in the Kiger funeral home. The Rev. G.A. Steeby, pastor of the Evangelical United Brethren church, and the Elks lodge members officiated.  Burial was in Silverbrook cemetery.

Mr. Owen died Friday p.m., at his residence, 511 French street, after a four weeks' illness.

Surviving are his wife, Orpha; a daughter, Mrs. Floyd Huss, Niles; two grandchildren; four brothers, James Owen, East St. Louis, Mo.; William Owen, Anchorage, Ky.; Robert Owen, Finchville, Ky.; and Albert Owen, Huntington, W. Va.; two sisters, Mrs. Clarence Stout, Normandy, Ky.; and Mrs. Robert Watson, Huntington, W.Va.

The deceased was born in Simponsville, Ky., Sept 2, 1880. He came to Niles from Kentucky 35 years ago and was employed as a carpenter. Owen married Orpha Hinkley in St. Joseph Oct. 13, 1917. He was a member of the Elks Lodge for 25 years.

Rev. James Ridley
June 15, 1919-May 26, 1981

Niles Daily Star, Wednesday, May 27, 1981, page 2, col. 5, microfilm Niles District Library

Rev. James Ridley, 61, of South Bend died at 11:00 a.m. Tuesday at the Memorial Hospital in South Bend following a lengthy illness.

He was born June 15, 1919 in LaGrange, Georgia, and had been a resident of South Bend for 15 years. He was the pastor of the Bethlehem Missionary Baptist Chruch[sic] in Niles. He was married to Mary Jones, on January 18, 1975 in South Bend. His wife survives.

He is also survived by one son, James Williams of Nashville, Tenn.; three stepsons, Michael Richey of Fort Benning, Georgia, Preston Richey of Sandusky, Ohio, Carl Richey of South Bend; four stepdaughters: Mrs. Betty Newsom of Niles, Mrs. Twila Newsom of Muncie, Ind., Mrs. Denise Chase of South Bend, and Sue Richey of South Bend. A stepson, Terry Richey, died in 1978. He has 11 grandchildren.

Reverend Richey[sic] was the past treasurer of the South Bend Club, and belonged to the Inter-denominational Ministers Alliance of South Bend and Niles.

Furneral[sic] arrangements are pending at the Pifer-Smith Funeral Home in Niles.

Niles Daily Star, Thursday, May 28, 1981, page 2, col. 3, microfilm Niles District Library

Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. (Indiana time) Saturday at Mount Olive Baptist Church in South Bend for Rev. James Ridley, 61, of South Bend, who died Tuesday.

He was pastor of the Bethlehem Missionary Baptist Church of Niles.

Rev. Ridley was first vice president and treasurer of the Baptist Training Unit Congress, Northwestern District, a member of the Inter-Denominational Ministers Alliance of South Bend and Niles and a past treasurer of the South Bend Club.

The Rev. Henry L. Giden of Mount Olive Baptist Church will officiate at the funeral services. Burial will be in Silverbrook Cemetery in Niles.

Friends may call from 7 to 10 p.m. Friday at the Bethlehem Missionary Baptist Church, 1709 Fulkerson Dr.

The family suggests that memorials may be made to the Berrien County Cancer Society.

Sarah Greta Sandberg
Dec. 21, 1858-Feb. 22, 1947

Niles Daily Star, Monday, February 24, 1947, page 2, col. 3, microfilm Niles District Library

Services will be held Tuesday for Mrs. Sarah Greta Sandberg, 88, who died Saturday morning in the home of her daughter on Yankee street. She had been ill 19 months.

Friends may call at the Kiger funeral home, where the Rev. Theodore Laesch will officiate at services at 2 p.m. Burial will be in Silverbrook cemetery.

Mrs. Sandberg was born in Sweden Dec. 21, 1858, and came to Niles Nov. 8, 1926.  Her husband, Johanes Sandberg, had died in 1924.  Surviving are three children, Mrs. Fritz Beckman; with whom she lived; Mrs. John Lundberg, and John Sandberg, all of Niles; nine grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.

Major Smith
Nov. 24, 1873-March 4, 1947

Niles Daily Star, Tuesday, March 4, 1947, page 2, col. 5, microfilm Niles District Library

Major Smith, 74, died today at 6 a.m. at his home at 535 Huron street after two months' illness.

Born in Cass county Nov. 24, 1873, he had lived in this area all his life. Smith had been retired for some time.

Surviving are his wife, Amanda, and son, Robert Smith, Niles; and two sisters, Mrs. Charles Sallee, Elkhart, Ind., and Mrs. Amy Treadu, Homewood, Ill.

Friends may call at the Pifer funeral home, where services will be held Friday at 2 p.m. , the Rev. Clarence K. Graham officiating. Burial will be in Silverbrook cemetery.