May Alma (Rossman) Burge
June 28, 1878-June 26, 1968

Mrs. May Alma Burge, 89, of 1533 Huron St., died at 1:15 p.m. Wednesday in the Berrien General Hospital, Berrien Center, following a seven-moth illness.

A lifetime resident of this area, Mrs. Burge was born in Niles on June 28, 1878. Her husband, Wesley, died in 1948.

She is survived by three daughters, Mrs. Raymond McBride and Mrs. Bessie Ward, both of Niles; and Mrs. David Ossmer of Brooklyn; three sons, Samuel of Niles, Charles of Detroit and Arthur of Los Angels. Calif.; a sister Mrs. Bessie Brockhaus of Benton Harbor, 19 grandchildren, 41 great-grandchildren and four great-great-grandchildren.

Funeral services will be held at 10 a.m. Saturday in the St. Mark Catholic church with the Rev. Francis E. Timmons officiating. Burial will be in Silverbrook Cemetery.

Rosary services will be recited at 8:30 p.m. Friday in the Halbritter-Swem Funeral Home.

Friends may call at the funeral home, after 7 p.m. today.

Submitted by family member; publication details unknown

Pleasant N. Burge
Oct. 20, 1900-July 9, 1995

Pleasant Niagara Burge, 94, of 55378 Wilbur Road, Three Rivers, formerly of 1643 Ferry St,, died at 11:06 Sunday in Riverview Manor, Three Rivers.

Mrs. Burge was born October 20, 1900 in Galien, living most of her life in Niles, and California from 1941 to 1966. In 1917 in Three Oaks, she married Robert Thompson.  He died in 1926.  In 1928, in Niles, she married Kenneth R. Burge.  He died May 29, 1966.

Surviving are two daughters, Betty Lou Garn of Three Rivers and Barbara Ann Ward of Kalamazoo; a son, Kenneth R. of Wyoming; 13 grandchildren; 19 great-grandchildren; two great-great-grandchildren; four sisters, Flora Cusick and Lillian Graham, both of Niles, Virginia Jacobs of South Bend and Shirley Ortez of New York city; and two brothers, Allison Smith of Florida and Merlyn Smith of Kalamazoo.  A daughter, Audrey Cunningham and a stepson, Donald Burge, preceded her in death. She was a member of Morris Chapel United Methodist Church and a 50 years member of Daughters of the American Revolution.

Services will be at 2 p.m. Wednesday in the church. Burial will be in Silverbrook Cemetery. Friends may call from 2 to 4 and 6 to 8 p.m. Tuesday in Halbritter Funeral Home. Memorial contributions may be made to the church or Riverview Manor Auxiliary.

Submitted by family member; publication details unknown

Samuel W. Burge
July 28, 1870-December 21, 1948

Samuel Wesley Burge, 78, a life long resident of Niles, died at 4:45 a.m. today at the Clear Lake rest home near Buchanan. He had been in poor health for three years.

He was born in Niles, July 28, 1870, and lived here all his life. His home was at 513 North Fifteenth Street. He is survived by his wife, May; four sons, John and Samuel of Niles, Elmer of Los Angeles, CA, and Charles of Detroit; three daughters, Mrs. M. C. Ward and Mrs. Ray McBride of Niles and Miss Josephine Burge of Three Rivers; nineteen grandchildren; five great-grandchildren and a sister. Mrs. Millie Albright of South Bend, also survive,

Friends may call at the Pifer Funeral Home, where the rosary will be said at 8 p.m. Wednesday. Services will be conducted at 9 a.m. Thursday in St. Mary’s Catholic Church, of which he was a member, by the Rev. Cletus M. Rose. Burial will be at Silver Brook Cemetery.

Submitted by family member; publication details unknown

Timothy P. Burge
Sept. 19, 1954-Dec. 10, 1954

Niles Daiiy Star, Saturday, December 11, 1954, page 2, col. 5, microfilm Niles District Library

Timothy Patrick Burge, three months old son of Mr. and Mrs. Charles C. Burge Jr. of Milwaukee, Wis., died Friday in Milwaukee.

The child was born Sept. 19, in Milwaukee. Surviving besides the parents are his grandmother, Mrs. Frank Hajieck of Milwaukee and his great-grandmother, Mrs. Margaret Hatton of Niles.

Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. Monday in the Kiger Funeral Home, where A. M. Meliander of Jehovah’s Witnesses in South Bend officiating. Burial will be in Silverbrook Cemetery. Friends may call at the funeral home.

William Burge
Dec. 22, 1861-March 21, 1944

William Burge, 82, Ill two days, dies

One of Niles older residents William E. Burge, 82, died in his home at 436 North Fifteenth Street this morning at 4:45 after an illness of two days.

Born in Darke County, Ohio, Dec. 22, 1861. He had lived most of his life in Niles. He was a carpenter.

Surviving are three sons, Kenneth and Earl Burge of Niles and Pfc. Lauris Burge, Langley Field, VA.; a daughter, Mrs. Ruth Hayes, Niles; a sister, Mrs. Millie Albright; and a brother, Wesley Burge, both of Niles. His wife died Jan. 27, 1943.

Friends may call at the Pifer Funeral Home, where services will be conducted at 2 Friday afternoon by the Rev. J. Kenneth Hoffmaster. Burial will be in Silverbrook Cemetery.

2nd obit:

William Burge, 82, whose wife was a sister of Mrs. Bertha Robinson of Berrien Springs, died at his home in Niles at 4:45 o’clock Tuesday morning after an illness of two days.

Mrs. Burge was a carpenter by trade and although born in Ohio, had spent most of his life in Niles.

Surviving are three sons, Kenneth and Earl Burge of Niles and Pfc. Lauris Burge, Langley Field, VA; a daughter, Mrs. Ruth Hayes, Niles; a sister, Mrs. Millie Albright, and a brother, Wesley Burge, both of Niles. His wife died Jan. 27,1943.

Funeral service will be held at the Pifer Funeral Home at two o’clock Friday afternoon with the Rev. J. Kenneth Hoffmaster officiating. Burial will be at Silverbrook cemetery.

Submitted by family member; publication details unknown

Hazel B. Bush
July 31, 1899-May 19, 1972

Mrs. Hazel B. Bush, 72, of 1324 N. Fifth St., died at 3:20 p.m. Friday in South Bend Osteopathic Hospital after an illness of one week.

A retired employee of Simplicity Pattern Co., Mrs. Bush was born July 31, 1899, in Allegan and had lived her since 1934, coming from Allegan.  On May 1, 1920, in Kalamazoo, she married Leon Bush, who died July 24, 1952. She was a member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars Auxiliary, the American Legion Auxiliary, Disabled American Veteran’s Auxiliary and Four Flags Barracks of Veterans of World War I.

Survivors include two sons, Bernard and Donald Alvin, both of Niles; six daughters, Mrs. Claude Thompson, Mrs. Lester Yehtes, Mrs. Carlotta Gleason, Mrs. Kenneth Walter Sr., and Mrs. Luis Thurston, all of Niles and Mrs. Marjorie Jackson of Ellwood, Ind.; a sister, Mrs. Mildred Murphy of Allegan, 28 grandchildren and 18 great-grandchildren.

Funeral services will be held at 1 p.m. Monday in the Pifer funeral Home, with the Rev. Theodore Laesch of St. Paul’s Lutheran Church officiating. Burial will be in Silverbrook Cemetery.

Friends may call after 7 tonight at the funeral home.

Submitted by family member; publcation details unknown