Julane A. Porenta, of Noblesville, Indiana
Dec. 21, 1925 — Aug. 6, 2018

Niles Daily Star, Published 8:35 am Friday, August 10, 2018

Julane A. Porenta, 92, of Noblesville, Indiana, passed away on Monday, Aug. 6, 2018, at Riverwalk Commons in Noblesville. She was born on Dec. 21, 1925, to Alfred and Hilda (Swanson) Waite in Niles.

For 25 years, Julane worked as a telephone operator for Michigan Bell, retiring in 1978. She was a member of First Presbyterian Church of Niles and Telephone pioneers of America. Julane was an avid reader who enjoyed music and traveling to Europe, Hawaii and Mexico.

Julane A. Porenta

She is survived by her nieces and nephews, Rebecca L. Hiles, Alan T. and Connie (Waldroup) Waite, Philip A. and Regina (Jekwi) Waite, and Brenda J. Milthaler; great-nieces and nephews, Sean J. and Sarah (England) Waite, Ian M. and Kimberly (Fusco) Waite, Michelle Hiles, Jacquline L. (Waite) and Ron Huett; and great-great-niece and nephew, Samantha L. Taylor, Garrett J. Waite, Camden M. Waite, Annalise L. Waite, Henry A. Huett, and Benjamin P. Huett.

In addition to her parents, Julane was preceded in death by her husband, Roy H. Porenta; and siblings, Grant Waite, Lois B. Milthaler, Gordon A. Waite, and Edna C. Carlson.

Services will be held at 4 p.m. on Sunday, Aug. 12, 2018, at Randall and Roberts Funeral Home, 1150 Logan Street in Noblesville, with visitation from 1 p.m. to the time of service. Rev. Byron Fritz will officiate. Graveside services will be held at noon on Monday, Aug. 13, at Silver Brook Cemetery in Niles, Michigan, with Rev. Dr. Joyce Kuhn officiating.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to American Cancer Society, 5635 West 96th Street, Suite 100, Indianapolis, IN 46278.

Condolences: randallroberts.com

Grant E. “Bud” Stauffer Jr., of Niles
Aug. 13, 1938 — July 29, 2018

Niles Daily Star, Published 9:17 am Wednesday, August 1, 2018

Grant E. “Bud” Stauffer Jr., 79, of Niles, died peacefully at 10:13 p.m. on Sunday, July 29, 2018, at the Saint Joseph Regional Medical Center in Mishawaka, Indiana following a brief illness.

He was born on Aug. 13, 1938, at Saint David, Illinois to Grant E. and Irene (Branchfield) Stauffer Sr. and was graduated from the Canton (Illinois) High School. He was employed as a manager at Jack Hood Transportation of Michigan City, Indiana, which specializes in the distribution of national newspapers such as the Wall Street Journal. He has lived in Niles since 1968, coming from South Bend, Indiana.

Grant E. “Bud” Stauffer Jr.

Bud loved his family, and was most fond of the “get-togethers” to celebrate birthdays, holidays, and any other reason. For Bud, getting-together was worth celebrating.

On Nov. 13, 1970, in Niles, he married the former Lillian C. (Wojcik) Sabat, with whom he celebrated last year the 47 anniversary of their wedding.

Surviving family includes his wife, Lillian Stauffer; his children, Charles (Debby) Stauffer, Jackie (Ed) Banfi, Patrick (Dianne) Stauffer, Sherri Stauffer, and Judy Adams, all of South Bend, Indiana; Lillian’s children, Patricia (Neil) Ledet, of Fremont, Indiana, and Chad (Gail) Sabat, Andy Sabat, and Dan (Kelly) Sabat, all of Niles; 18 grandchildren, 16 great-grandchildren; Bud’s sister, Judy (Dean) Weaver, of Troy, Ohio; and many nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his parents, and by a sister, Shelby Rice.

The funeral service for Bud Stauffer will be at 11 a.m. on Thursday, Aug. 2, 2018, at the Halbritter-Wickens Funeral Home, 615 East Main Street, in Niles, with Mr. Jim Snyder — nephew of Bud — officiating. Committal services will follow at the Silverbrook Cemetery in Niles.

The family will receive relatives and friends beginning at 10 a.m. on Thursday at the funeral home. Contributions in memory of Bud may be made to the Berrien County Cancer Services, 7301 Red Arrow Highway, Stevensville, Michigan 49127bccancerservice.org/ways-to-give. Online condolences may be left at: halbritterwickens.com

Mary Jo Rinker, of Cassopolis
June 28, 1968 — Aug. 11, 2018

Niles Daily Star, Published 8:19 am Wednesday, August 15, 2018

Mary Jo Rinker, 50, of Cassopolis, died peacefully Saturday evening, Aug. 11, 2018, in her residence with her husband at her bedside.

She was born June 28, 1968, in Niles, the only daughter and youngest of three children of Joseph Wiemer and Joy Ann Paugh. She married Scott Norman Rinker July 4, 1987, in Las Vegas, Nevada. He survives.

Mary Jo Rinker,

Mary will be greatly missed by family and friends. She is survived by her husband of 31 years, Scott Rinker Sr., of Cassopolis; one son, Scott (Torie Conner) Rinker Jr., of Cassopolis; two grandchildren, Skylar Conner, Tyler Rinker; two brothers, Joe (Bambi) Paugh, of Benton Harbor, Dwayne (Liz) Elrod, of Flagstaff, Arizona; and a host of nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her parents.

The family will observe a private remembrance. Mrs. Rinker’s remains will be laid to rest near her parents in Silverbrook Cemetery in Niles, Michigan.

The family prefers contributions in Mary’s memory be made to Reverence Hospice, 348 North Burdick Street, Kalamazoo, Michigan 49007.

Arrangements have been entrusted to Connelly Chapel Wagner Family Funerals, Cassopolis. Please share a memory or a message online: wagnercares.com.

AnnMarie Arikka Taylor
July 25, 2018-July 25, 2018

Niles Daily Star, Published 9:18 am Wednesday, August 1, 2018

July 25, 2018

AnnMarie Arikka Taylor, infant daughter of Keshia Marie Lemna and Joshua Lane Taylor of Niles was stillborn, near term, on Wednesday, July 25, 2018, at Lakeland Hospital — Niles following umbilical cord complications.

AnnMarie’s mother remembers her as having been active and content for most of her life. Her father and siblings were able to see some of that activity.

AnnMarie Arikka Taylor

Surviving family includes her parents, Josh and Keshia; siblings, Zoey Beck and Braxton Taylor; grandparents, Yolanda and Kent Lemna and Todd Taylor; great-grandparents Robert and Phyllis Grice, and Robert and Gean Taylor; and aunts and uncles, Amanda, Shayla, Cassey, and Blake; and many cousins and great-aunts and uncles.

Sadly, AnnMarie was preceded in death by her cousin, one-year-old Leia AnnMarie McGee on March 19, 2018; and by her grandmother, Sandy Taylor.

Services for AnnMarie Taylor will be at 11 a.m. on Friday, Aug. 3, 2018, at the Halbritter-Wickens Funeral Home, 615 East Main St. in Niles, with her uncle, the Rev. Kenneth Overbey officiating. Committal will follow at the Silverbrook Cemetery in Niles, next to her cousin, Leia.

The family will receive relatives and friends on Friday at the funeral home, beginning at 10 a.m. Online condolences may be left at: halbritterwickens.com

Edward Alan Wurz, of Niles
July 15, 1953 — Aug. 28, 2018

Niles Daily Star, Published 8:51 am Friday, August 31, 2018

Edward Alan Wurz, 65, of Niles, died peacefully at 8:26 p.m. on Tuesday, Aug. 28, 2018, with family gathered around at the Saint Joseph Regional Medical Center in Mishawaka, Indiana, following an extended illness.

He was born on July 15, 1953, in Niles, to C. Richard and Marilyn M. (Hubble) Wurz. He graduated from Niles High School in 1971 and earned an associate’s degree from Southwestern Michigan College in Dowagiac. He served in the U.S. Navy, and was honorably discharged as a Veteran of the Vietnam era. He has been employed in the engineering office of the former Bendix Aerospace — now Honeywell International — for 28 years.

Edward Alan Wurz

Ed’s interest in engineering and technology was evident at home with creative and inventive solutions to various needs, home construction projects and automobile repair. He enjoyed hunting and fishing, and skeet shooting — usually at the Back Forty Sporting Clays in Bourbon, Indiana.

As a young man, he played baseball, and later played softball, and most recently has enjoyed watching televised broadcasts of major league baseball games. His greatest joy was his family, taking his young children on day trips in the station wagon, going camping, and then loving his grandsons.

On July 21, 1973, in Niles, he married the former Pamela Sue Inman with whom he celebrated last month the 45th anniversary of their wedding.

Surviving family includes his wife, Pam Wurz and their children, Jenny (Daniel) Aykroyd, of Elgin, Illinois, Timothy A. Wurz, of Niles and Anna (Keith Matthews) Wurz, of Cassopolis, grandsons, Lucas Wurz, D. Alexander Aykroyd, Benjamin Wurz, and Brendan Aykroyd; Ed’s father, Richard Wurz, of Niles; Ed’s siblings, Kay (Jordan) Camenker, of Winter Springs, Florida, Fay (Richard) Appleget, of Niles, W. Quinn (Jayne) Wurzm of South Bend, Indiana, Ava (Rev. Martin, D.C.) Schmaltzm of Florissant, Missouri, Tia (Mike) Otman, of Sun Lakes, Arizona, and many nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his mother, Marilyn Wurz on March 4, 2005.

The funeral service for Ed Wurz will be at 4 p.m. on Friday, Aug. 31, 2018, at the Halbritter-Wickens Funeral Home, 615 East Main Street, in Niles, with the Rev. Fran Lane-Lawrence of First Presbyterian Church officiating. Committal will be private, later at Silverbrook Cemetery in Niles.

The family will receive relatives and friends beginning at 3 p.m. on Friday at the funeral home. Contributions in memory of Ed may be made to the National Kidney Foundation, kidney.org. Online condolences may be left at: halbritterwickens.com.

Genevieve R. Abair, of South Bend
July 19, 1920 — Jan. 17, 2018

Niles Daily Star, Published 8:21 am Monday, January 22, 2018

July 19, 1920 — Jan. 17, 2018

Genevieve R. Abair, 97, passed away at 10:20 a.m. on Wednesday, Jan. 17, 2018, in Wellbrooke of South Bend on what would have been her mother’s 125 birthday.

Geni was born on July 19, 1920, in Niles to the late Asa and Matilda (Fisher) Hamilton. On Oct. 30, 1938, Geni married Calvin Abair and he passed away on Feb. 26, 1973. She was also preceded in death by sisters, Mary Hill, Shirley Sarratore and Lucille Hand.

Genevieve R. Abair

Geni retired from Michigan Bell Telephone in April 1981 and was a member of the Coronado Chapter of Telephone Pioneers of America. She was also a former member of the Wesley United Methodist Church in Niles and a former member of the City of Niles Planning Committee. Geni will always be remembered by her family and friends as a loving and generous spirit who was an inspiration to all that were blessed to know and love her.

Cremation has taken place. There will be no services at this time. Burial will take place in Silverbrook Cemetery at a later date. Halbritter Wickens Funeral Home 615 E. Main St. Niles is assisting the family.

Condolences for the family may be made at halbritterwickens.com.