Delbert D. Fox Sr.
July 25, 1900-Dec. 29, 1984

Niles Daily Star, Monday, December 31, 1984, page 2, col. 2-3, microfilm Niles District Library

Delbert D. Fox, Sr. 84, 1924 River Bluff, died at 11:13 p.m. Friday at Pawating Hospital following an extended illness.

He was a retired employee of Davis Products.

Born July 25, 1900 in Berrien Springs, he was a lifetime area resident.

On Aug. 13, 1924 in St. Joseph, he married Lillian N. Dunn, who survives.

Also surviving are a son, Delbert D. Fox Jr. of Niles; two daughters, Mrs. Mary Jane Harker of Niles and Mrs. Gloria Hellingstine of South Bend; two brothers, W. Fay Fox of Buchanan and Clifford Fox of Berrien Springs; a sister, Mrs. Rosemary Rietz of Berrien Springs; 11 grandchildren; and eight great-grandchildren.

Services will be at 11 a.m. Wednesday at Halbritter Funeral Home with Rev. Arnold O. Schaap of Edwardsburg officiating.  Burial will be at Silverbrook Cemetery.

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

Memorials may be made to the Berrien County Cancer Service.

Mrs. Donnabelle Finney
Aug. 1, 1921-Dec. 29, 1984

Niles Daily Star, Monday, December 31, 1984, page 2, col. 3-4, microfilm Niles District Library

Mrs. Donnabelle Finney, 63, 709 Rynearson St., Buchanan, died at 3:34 p.m. Saturday at Pawating Hospital following an extended illness.

She was a member of the First Church of Christ Christian and the Senior Citizens Bowling League.

Born Aug. 1, 1921 in South Bend, she was a lifetime area resident.

On June 8, 1941 in South Bend, she married Orban Finney, who died Feb. 18, 1974.

Surviving are four daughters, Mrs. Dee Stewart, Mrs. Charlene Pierson, Mrs. Marlene Hunsberger and Mrs. Beverly McCavitt, all of Niles; two brothers, Theodore Roose of Mishawaka, Ind., and Robert Roose of Granger, Ind.; six sisters, Mrs. Mildred Bookmiller of Cleveland; Mrs. Evelyn Vancuren of Mishawaka; Mrs. Elizabeth Beckett of Hohenwald, Tenn., Mrs. Mary Jane Schrader of East Moline, Ill., and Mrs. Audrey Nicodemus and Mrs. Roberta Nemeth, both of South Bend; eight grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren.

A sister, Mrs. Helen Meyer, died last Friday.

Services will be at 2 p.m Wednesday at the First Church of Christ Christian with Brother Russell Ross of that church officiating. Burial will be at Silverbrook Cemetery.

Friends may call from 2 to 9 p.m. Tuesday at the Halbritter Funeral Home.

Memorials may be made to the First Church of Christ Christian Memorial Fund.

Richard Lee Anderson
April 2, 1925-Dec. 17, 1984

Niles Daily Star, Wednesday, December 19, 1984, page 2, col. 1-2, microfilm Niles District Library

Richard Lee Anderson, 59, of 4620 Proctor Rd., Sarasota, Fla., died at 10:15 a.m. , Monday, Dec. 17, at Sarasota Memorial Hospital following a brief illness.

Anderson, a self employed contractor, was born April 2, 1925 in Cassopolis, Mich.  He lived in the Niles-Cassopolis area until 1971 moving to Kalamazoo. He is survived by his former wife, Mildred A. Anderson of Sarasota.

Also surviving are his mother, Rose E. Anderson of Cassopolis; four sons, David M. Anderson, of Vicksburg, Mich., William S. of Chicago, Ill., Douglas P. of Sarasota, Fla., and Thomas G. of Sarasota, Fla. as well as one daughter, Mrs. Carol Parks, of Sarasota and one grandchild.

Services will be held Friday, Dec. 21, at 11 a.m. at the Halbritter Funeral Home.  The reverend Bradley Heiple of the Union Protestant Church in Dailey, Mich. will officiate. Friends may call at the funeral home from 2-4 and from 7-9 p.m., Thursday.  Burial will be held at Silverbrook Cemetery.

Sarah Blinka
Nov. 9, 1871-March 11, 1942

Niles Daily Star, Wednesday, March 11, 1942, page 2, col. 7, microfilm Niles District Library

Mrs. Sarah Blinka, Life Resident of Niles, Dies at 70

Mrs. Sarah Blinka, 70, of 609 North Front street, died this morning at 9:30 in the Berrien Center hospital after an illness of two years.  Death resulted from complications. She had been seriously ill for two months.

Survivors include a niece, Mrs. William Swartz, South Bend; a nephew, Harold George, Niles; two step-grandchildren, Miss Martha Hood, Niles; and Mrs. Flossie Wade, South Bend; and several great-nieces and great-nephews.

She was born Nov. 9, 1871, in Niles and lived here all her life. She was a member of the First Evangelical church.

Friends may call at the Rutherford funeral home.

Niles Daily Star, Thursday, March 12, 1942, page 2, col. 3, microfilm Niles District Library

BLINKA FUNERAL

The Rev. John Schurman, Ann Arbor, former pastor of the First Evangelical church here, will officiate at rites Friday afternoon at 3 in the Rutherford funeral home for Mrs. Sarah Blinka, 609 North Front street, who died Wednesday morning.  Burial will be in Silverbrook cemetery. Pallbearers will include William Edwards, Walter Martin, William Weiser, Chris Rader, Edward Hahn and Dennis Cook.

NB: The obits spell last name "Blinka" while the gravemarker at Silverbrook spells the name "Blimka".

Arthur F. Hess
March 27, 1894*-March 15, 1942

Niles Daily Star, Monday, March 16, 1942, page 2, col. 2, microfilm Niles District Library

ARTHUR HESS, 47, STRICKEN SUNDAY

Arthur F. Hess, 47, a veteran of World War I, was stricken in the American Legion hospital at Battle Creek, Sunday afternoon at 4:25.  He had been ill a week.

Mr. Hess, a resident of Niles all his life, lived at 303 Dey street. He is survived by his wife, Frances; a step-son, Albert Conover; four brothers, William, of Kalamazoo, Clarence, of Lansing, Edwin and Melvin, of Niles, and two sisters, Mrs. Joseph Barker, Niles, and Mrs. Joseph Miller, South Bend.

A railroad employe most of his life, he was a member of St. John's Evangelical church, its Brotherhood, the Carmen's union, Odd Fellows and the American Legion.

Services will be Wednesday afternoon at 2:30 in St. John's Evangelical church.  The Rev. Theo Eisen, pastor, will officiate.  LaRue Messinger American Legion post members will conduct special rites at Silverbrook cemetery.

Niles Daily Star, Tuesday, March 12, 1942, page 2, col. 2, microfilm Niles District Library

PLAN SERVICES

Members of the Men's Brotherhood of St. John's Evangelical church, and the Niles American Legion post, plan special services for Arthur F. Hess, who died Sunday. Members of the Brotherhood will meet tonight in the church and will go to the Hess home in a group. Legionnaires will meet Wednesday afternoon at 2 in the police station and attend final services in a group.

*dob from WWI Draft Registration for Arthur F. Hess @Ancestry.com

John A. Mapes
May 10, 1873-March 16, 1942

Niles Daily Star, Monday, March 16, 1942, page 2, col. 5, microfilm Niles District Library

John A. Mapes, Niles Resident 22 Years, Dies

John A. Mapes, 68, a Niles resident 22 years, died in his home at 126 South Fifth street, early Sunday morning after a four months' illness of pneumonia.

Born in Oakland county, May 10, 1873, he came to Niles from Tustin. Five years ago he retired after working for the Niles National-Standard company most of his time here.

Mr. and Mrs. Mapes celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary Feb. 3, a little more than a month ago.

Mr. Mapes is survived by his wife, Effie Mae; four daughters, Mrs. Glen West, Mrs. Melbourne Hall, Mrs. Homer Baird and Miss Lucille Mapes, all of Niles, and Mrs. Elmer Green, Grand Rapids; a son, Adelbert, of Niles; a brother, Elmer, of Capac, 17 grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.

Services will be in the Rutherford funeral home at 2:30 Wednesday afternoon. The Rev. Floyd W. Johnston will officiate and burial will be in Silverbrook cemetery.

Niles Daily Star, Tuesday, March 16, 1942, page 2, col. 3, microfilm Niles District Library

MAPES RITES

Six grandsons will serve as pallbearers at the funeral for John A. Mapes, 68, who was stricken Sunday in his home at 126 South Fifth street.  Services will be in the Rutherford funeral home at 2:30 Wednesday. Burial will be in Silverbrook cemetery.  Jesse West, Charles Cronin, Fred West, Norman Baird, Homer Baird, Jr., and Howard Keltz will be pallbearers.