Laura C. Blee
March 23, 1886-Feb. 3, 1948

Niles Daily Star, Wednesday, February 4, 1948, page 2, col. 2, microfilm Niles District Library

     Mrs. Laura C. Blee, 61, of 60 River street, died suddenly at 11:45 p.m.Tuesday at her home.
     Born in Niles on March 23, 1886, Mrs. Blee lived here all her life. She had been employed at Pawating hospital.
     She is survived by her husband, Edward J.; a son, Dr. H.A. Kline, who is a Captain in the army and now stationed in Germany; one grandchild; her mother, Mrs. Agnes Kline, Niles; and the following brothers and sisters: John, Del, Harry, and Anderson Kline, all of Niles; Mrs. Ella Douglas, and Mrs. Genevieve Douglas, both of South Bend.
     Friends may call at the Pifer funeral home. Arrangements are incomplete, pending word from the son, who is returning from Germany.

Niles Daily Star, Friday, February 6, 1948, page 2, col. 1, microfilm Niles District Library

     Services will be held at 9 a.m. Saturday in St. Mary's Catholic church for Mrs. Laura C. Blee, 61, who died at her home at 60 River street Tuesday night. The Rev. Francis Bowen, pastor of the chuch, will officiate and burial will be in Silverbrook cemetery. Friends may call at the Pifer funeral home until the hour of the service.
     Mrs. Blee, wife of Edward J. Blee, had lived in Niles all her life.

Nettie Ely Brown
Sept. 3, 1873-March 15, 1948

Niles Daily Star, Tuesday, March 16, 1948, page 2, col. 1, microfilm Niles District Library

BROWN RITES WEDNESDAY

     Mrs. Nettie Ely Brown, 536 Cedar street, died at 3:50 p.m. Monday in Pawating hospital, following an illness of one year.
     Mrs. Brown was born on Sept. 3, 1873, in Niles township, and has lived in Niles, New York City and Dowagiac. She returned to Niles nine years ago.
     Her husband, Irving J. Brown, died in 1909. She leaves a son, Robert Brown, and a grandson, Bruce Brown, both of Toledo, O.; a sister, Mrs. Edward Stead, Farnwood, N.J., and a brother, George Ely, Dowagiac.
     Friends may call at the Kiger funeral home. Services will be conducted at 2 p.m., Wednesday by the Rev. T.M. Greenhoe, pastor of the First Presbyterian church, at the funeral home. Burial will be in Silverbrook cemetery.
     Mrs. Brown was a member of the Presbyterian church and the Whatsoever class of the church.

Benjamin Callahan
Nov. 18, 1880-Jan. 31, 1948

Niles Daily Star, Monday, February 2, 1948, page 2, col. 3, microfilm Niles District Library

     Benjamin Callahan, 67, died Saturday at the home of his brother, Clement Callahan, 1446 Sheridan avenue, a Daily Star linotype operator. He had been in ill health for three years.
     The body will lie in state at the Pifer funeral home where services will be held at 2 p.m. Tuesday. The Rev. L. George Beacock, pastor of the First Methodist church, will officiate. Burial will be in Silverbrook cemetery.
     Mr. Callahan had been a member of the Veterans of World War I.
     Born in Dubuque, Ia., Nov. 18, 1880, he came here about 25 years ago. He was a painter.
     Besides Clement, Mr. Callahan is survived by two other brothers, Jack and Joseph, both of Niles.

Josephine Cook
July 15, 1879-March 12, 1948

Niles Daily Star, Friday, March 12, 1948, page 2, col. 1, microfilm Niles District Library

     Josephine Cook, 68, died at 9:55 a.m. today at her 1332 Broadway residence where she was ill two years.
     Friends may call at the Pifer funeral home where services will be conducted 10:30 a.m. Monday. The Rev. L. George Beacock will officiate. Interment will be in Silverbrook cemetery.
     Surviving is her husband, Charles E. Cook; a son Floyd Cook, of Piper, Ill.; and a daughter, Mrs. Gladys Bosler, Niles; and three grandchildren. Also surviving are a sister, Mrs. May Brydon, Niles; and a brother, John Engeser, Whiting, Kans.
     Mrs. Cook was born in Chatsworth, Ill., July 15, 1879. She was married Jan. 1, 1902 at Piper city, and has lived in Niles since 1926. She was a member of the First Methodist church and the Royal Neighbors lodge.

Margaret Hively
Oct. 3, 1860-Feb. 5, 1948

Niles Daily Star, Friday, February 6, 1948, page 2, col. 1, microfilm Niles District Library

     Mrs. Margaret E. Hively, 87, Niles, died at 9 p.m. Thursday in the Berrien County hospital, Berrien Center. She had been ill several months.
     Friends may call at the Kiger funeral home where private services will be conducted at 1 p.m. Saturday. The Rev. Theo Laesch will officiate. Interment will be in Silverbrook cemetery.
     Mrs. Hively was born Oct. 3, 1860 in Whitley county, Ind. She lived in Niles many years.
     Surviving are a brother, Eli Miller, Hillsboro, Ind.; and the following nieces: Mrs. George Crane, Chicago; Mrs. Walter Koester and Mrs. John Benner, both of South Bend; Mrs. Eloise Wetzel, Ft. Wayne, Ind.; and Mrs. Roy Goodrich, Columbia City, Ind.

Mahlon J. Smith
June 15, 1909-April 7, 1999

Niles Daily Star, Thursday, April 8, 1999, page 2, col. 1, microfilm Niles District Library

     Funeral services or Mahlon J. Smith, 89, 16 Spruce St., Niles, will be Saturday at 11 a.m. At Halbritter Funeral Home, Niles, by the Rev. Nolan Williams of Wesley Untied Methodist Church, Niles.
     Burial will follow at Silverbrook Cemetery.
     Smith died Wednesday at 6:25 p.m. at Lakeland Medical Center, Niles, following a brief illness.
     He was born June 15, 1909, in Niles. He had lived in Niles all of his life and graduated from Niles High School.
     In 1943, in Terre Haute, Ind., he married the former Thelma Irene Carr, who preceded him in death May 15, 1995.
     He was manager for the former Michigan Wire Goods division of the Washburn Co., retiring in 1962 after 40 years of service.
     Smith was a member of Wesley United Church, where he had served on many committees. The congregation recently honored Smith as he had the most years of membership at Wesley.
     His descendants date back to the fourth generation in Niles, the Reddick family, who settled in 1832; and the Studley who came with the Michigan Central Rail Road in 1900.
     Smith served several years on the Board of Public Works.
     He was a graduate of Albion College and a member of the Sigma Chi fraternity.
     Smith enjoyed operas, musicals, hunting, fishing, reading the Wall Street Journal and reading novels.
     He was also preceded in death by a brother, Roland Smith and a sister, Grace Louise Apt.
     Surviving family includes a daughter, Ellen Smith Konopaski of Hansville, Wash.; two sons, Jerome B. Smith of Nashville, Tenn. and Bradford G. Smith of Portland, Ore.; two grandchildren; and four great-grandchildren.
     Visitation will be Friday from 2 to 4 p.m. at Halbritter Funeral Home.
Memorial contributions may be made to Wesley United Methodist Church Endowment Fund.