Edna Callahan
June 30, 1931-October 1, 2009

Edna Callahan, 78, of Old US 31 in Berrien Springs, passed away at her home, after a long battle with cancer, on Thursday, October 1, 2009 with her family by her side.

Edna was born on June 20, 1931 to the late Walter and Edith (Ball) Harrison in Skegness, Lincolnshire, England.

In 1952 Edna came to the United States. She had 2 daughters with the late Leonard Standen. She worked as a secretary for Buchanan Steel and then for Attorney Herbert Hass in Berrien Springs.

On August 28, 1991 Edna wed Kenneth "Ken" Callahan at a ceremony in Las Vegas, Nevada.

She and Ken enjoyed traveling around the globe. They traveled from England to California and many places in between. Edna was also an avid gardener.

She is preceded in death by her parents.

Edna is survived by her husband Ken, daughters Linda (Joseph) Fox of Niles and Valerie (Haroune) Ang of San Gabriel, California and 2 grandchildren Hans and Stephanie.

A graveside service will be held to honor Edna’s life at 1:30 in the afternoon on Monday, October 5, 2009 at Silverbrook Cemetery in Niles.

Memorial donations may be made in Edna’s name to Hospice at Home located at 4025 Health Park Lane, St. Joseph, Michigan 49085.

Condolences, photos and memories may be left for the family at www.BrownFuneralHomeNiles.com.

Arrangements have been entrusted to Brown Funeral Home & Cremation Services of Niles.

Submitted by family member; publication details unknown

Ava Lynae Perry
Feb. 22, 2009-Sept. 28, 2009

Ava Lynae Perry, 7 months, of Hickory St., Niles, died Monday Sept. 28, 2009, in Mott Children's Hospital, Ann Arbor, unexpectedly but of natural causes. She was born Feb. 22, 2009. Surviving are her parents, Anthony Perry and April Evans; brothers, Brandon and Darrion Peterson; grandparents, Deborah and Haskel Woodard and Linda and Fred Tredwell; great-grandparents, Betty Perry, Edna Croom and Matt Croom; great-grandmothers, Edith Evans and Emma Davis. Graveside services will be held at 11 a.m. Tuesday in Silverbrook Cemetery, Niles. There will be no visitation. Arrangements were made by Halbritter Funeral Home.

Submitted by family member; publication details unknown

Opal L. Dickeson
Dec. 10, 1916-Oct. 25, 2009

Opal L. "Gram" Dickeson, 92, of Stateline Road, Niles, and formerly of Howard St., died Sunday Oct. 25, 2009 at West Woods of Niles, following an extended illness. She is survived by her son, Richard Dickeson of Niles; grandchildren, Doug, Danny, Donald and Diane Dickeson; great-grandchildren, Joshua Dickeson and Danielle Keysor.  She was born Dec. 10, 1916. The family is gathering privately at the graveside at Silverbrook Cemetery for services. There will be no visitation. Arrangements were mad be Halbritter Funeral Home, Niles.

Submitted by family member; publication details unknown 

Emma Jane Bromley
November 3, 1950-October 20, 2009

Emma Jane Bromley, 58 of Niles passed away at her residence on Tuesday, October 20, 2009, suddenly, but of natural causes.

She was born on November 3, 1950 in Illinois to Earl and Clythera (Winkler) Howard.

A homemaker most of her life, Emma enjoyed reading, watching mysteries, sewing, scrapbooking, reading her Bible, and most of all spending time with her family.

She is preceded in death by her father Earl Howard, brother, Earl Howard Jr., and sister, Alice Howard.

Emma is survived by her mother Clythera Howard of Centralia, Illinois, a son, John Finley of Niles, three daughters; Lisa (Andrew) Huff of Plainfield, Illinois, Gaynell (Adam) Christie of Niles and Christina (Jayson) Albright of Niles, eight grandchildren; Cleyton and Chas Huff, Racquel and Brandon Finley, Maddison and Isabella Christie, and Tyler and Jakob Albright, two brothers; Clarence (Millie) Howard of Arkansas and Raymond Howard of Illinois, six sisters; Luella Cook, Patsy Masters, Janice Obermeier, Judy (Gene) Howard-Chappell, Beryl Ann Snyder and Susan Whitledge all of Centralia, Illinois.

A funeral service will be held on Friday, October 23, 2009 in Brown Funeral Home at 12:00 p.m. with a public visitation one hour prior. An interment will follow at Silverbrook Cemetery.

Memorial Contributions may be made in Emma’s memory to the American Diabetes Association.

Condolences, photos, and memories may be left for the family at www.brownfuneralhomeniles.com.

Jean C. Leda
June 11, 1933-Oct. 20, 2009

Jean C. House Leda, 76, of Fulkerson Road, Niles, MI, died at 12:01 a.m. Tuesday, October 20,2009 in West Woods of Niles, following an extended illness.

She was born on June 11, 1933 in Lincoln Township, MI, to William and Hattie (Grieger) Kolberg. She was a lifetime area resident having lived in Niles, Buchanan and Baroda. She retired in 1995, after 4 years of service form Simplicity Pattern Company, Niles.

Jean was a member of Saint Paul's Lutheran Church, Niles. She was also a member of the Bookbinders Union at Simplicity Pattern Company. She enjoyed traveling and casinos.

On March 28, 1977 in Saint Paul's Lutheran Church she married Paul Leda who survives. She is also survived by her children, Kevin (Sue) House and Kimberly (Terry) Eldridge, both of Niles, and David (Lisa) House of Bristol, IN; grandchildren, Todd, Mandee, Brooke, Dustin, Carly and Montana; great-grandchildren, Macey, Dayton, Willow and Talon; sisters, Joyce Schmidt and Jane Kolberg, both of Saint Joseph, MI.

Mrs. Lead was preceded in death by her son, Daniel House who died October 25, 2004; brother, Wayne Kolberg and sister, Joan Kolberg.

The funeral service for Jean C. House Leda will be held at 11 a.m. Friday, October 23, in Halbritter Funeral Home, Niles, with Rev. Carl W. Bassett of Saint Paul's Lutheran Church officiating. Burial will be at Silverbrook Cemetery, Niles.

The family will receive relatives and friends from 5 to 8 .m. today, Oct. 22 in the funeral home.

Contributions in memory of Jean may be made to Saint Paul's Lutheran Church.

Grace L. (Simmonds) Kiger
March 4, 1907-February 23, 1999

Funeral services for Grace Louella Simmonds Kiger, 91, 1451 Bronson Way, Kalamazoo, formerly of 615 E. Main St., Niles will be Friday at 9 a.m. in Halbritter Funeral Home, Niles, by the Rev. Dr. Ronald W. Wakeman of first Presbyterian Church.

Burial will follow at Silverbrook Cemetery, Niles.

Mrs. Kiger died Tuesday Feb. 23, 1999, at 6:15 p.m. in Bronson Place Care Center, Kalamazoo.

She was born March 4, 1907 in Camp Point, IL. She had lived in Niles since 1926 until moving to Kalamazoo in Aug. 1989.

On June 24, 1934 in Lake Forest IL, she married Frederick Harry Kiger, who preceded her in death on May 2, 1995.

Mrs. Kiger was a retired English teacher, teaching at Bloom Township High School, Chicago Heights, IL, and Niles High School.

She was a 50 plus year member of First Presbyterian Church, a member of United Presbyterian Women Sigma Kappa Sorority, Daughtrs of the American Revolution and an honorary member of Seepewa reading club, AAUW.

She was a graduate of Deerfield Shields High School, Highland Park, IL, and Illinois Wesleyan University, Bloomington, IL. Mrs. Kiger was descended from three Mayflower passengers, John Billington, Thomas Rogers and Richard Warren.

She also had helped hr husband operate Kiger Funeral Home (now Halbritter Funeral Home)

Mrs. Kiger was also preceded in death by a sister, Martha; and five brothers, Charles, Harold, Walter, Herbert and James.

Surviving family includes two daughters, Kay Kiger Petruska of Kalamazoo and Wendy (William Kiger Boughton of Sebring, FL; three grandchildren, Nicholas (Katie) Kiger Petruska of Wayland, Dr. Amny Kathryn Petruska and her husband Dr. Mike C. Lin of West Lima, Ore, and Kristin Dorothy Kiehn of New York City, NY, and a great-grandson, Corey Dylan Petruska of Falls church, VA.

Friends may call Thursday form 5 to 7 p.m. in Halbritter Funeral Home.

Memorial contributions may be made to the Alzheimer's Association or Bronson Place Care Center Activity Fund. Kalamazoo.

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Grace Louella (Simmonds) Kiger, 91, of Kalamazoo, formerly of Niles, died Tuesday  Feb. 23, 1999, in Bronson Place Care Center, Kalamazoo.  She was born March 4, 1907. Survivors include two daughters, Kay (Kiger) Petruska of Kalamazoo, and Wendy (Kiger) Boughton of Sebring, Fla. Services will be at 9 a.m. Friday in Halbritter Funeral Home, where friends may call from 5 to 7 p.m. today.

Submitted by family member; publication details unknown