George Henry Porter
Aug. 6, 1863-Oct. 29, 1936

Niles Daily Star, Friday, October 30, 1936, page 1, col. 5 microfilm Niles District Library

GEORGE H. PORTER DIES AT PAWATING
Widely Known Resident of Niles Passes Away After Long Illness

George Henry Porter, 72, of 526 Ferry street died at 8 o'clock Thursday following a three months' illness of pneumonia and complications.

A resident of Niles for the past 20 years, Mr. Porter was widely known in the section having operated the American Cleaner and Tailoring shop since moving the this city from Tipton, Ind.

Born in Crawfordsvile, Ind., Aug. 6, 1863, Mr. Porter was married to Miss Carolyn Schuler in 1891, at Covington, Ind.

Beside his wife, he is survived by one daughter, Mrs. Alma Walsh, Niles, and one brother, Edwin Porter, St. Paul, Minn.
Funeral services will be conducted at 4 o'clock Saturday afternoon at the Rutherford chapel by the Rev. T.O. Lee of the Methodist church, of which Mr. Porter was a member.

Burial will be in Silverbrook cemetery. Friends may call at the funeral home.

Lewis Petro
Jan 12, 1916-Feb. 28, 1978

Niles Daily Star, Wednesday, March 1, 1978, page 2, col. 3, microfilm Niles District Library

NILES--Word has been received here of the death of Lewis Petro, 62, of Phoenix, Ariz., formerly of Niles. He died at 4:40 a.m. Tuesday at Phoenix, following an extended illness.

A member of the William Penn Fraternity, Mr. Petro was a retired farmer.  He was born Jan. 12, 1916 in South Bend and had lived here until 1975, when he moved to Arizona.

On March 1, 1956 in Angola, Ind., he married Beatrice Jarrell, who survives.

Also surviving are his mother, Mrs. Rose Petro of Berrien Springs; two daughters, Mrs. Judith Muntz of Berwick, Pa., and Mrs. Sharon Smith of Phoenix; a sister, Mrs. Roy Hand of Berrien Springs, and three grandchildren.

Funeral services will be at 2 p.m. Friday at the Halbritter Funeral Home with the Rev. Ray C. Cunningham of the First Baptist Church officiating. Burial will be in Silverbrook Cemetery.

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

Julie S. Panos
April 12, 1908-July 2, 1979

Niles Daily Star, Tuesday, July 3, 1979, page 3, col. 7, microfilm Niles District Library

NILES--Julie S. Panos, 761, of 510 N. 11th St., died at 7:10 a.m. Monday at Pawating Hospial, following a short illness.

She was born April 12, 1908 in Kansas, and had lived here most of her lifetime. She was a homemaker.

In 1960 in South Bend, she married Harry Panos, who survives.

Funeral services will be at 10:30 a.m. Thursday at the Pifer-Smith Funeral Home with the Rt. Rev. Msgr. John D. Slowey, pastor of St. Mary's Catholic Church, officiating.  Burial will be at Silverbrook Cemetery.
Friends may call at the funeral home after 7 p.m. Wednesday.

Vickie Caison, one of the original Friends of Silverbrook Cemetery, passed away last Sunday after a long illness.  I remember meeting her at the local Hardees over 10 years ago.  I had recently moved here to Niles and wanted to document the local cemetery.  I found that Vickie had done much of that work already.  She was looking for some way to preserve and display her hard work.  A few months later, we met with other folks who had skills and interests in the physical appearance of the cemetery and history preservation.  And that's how the Friends of Silverbrook Cemetery was formed.

What you see here at www.friendsofsilverbrook.org owes much to her early work and tenancity.  We spent many hours discussing how the site should be designed and the quality of the uploads.  Many of the photos she uploaded have her signature watermarks on them.

As she got sicker, she was unable to do what she loved, which was to get outside, take pictures and do her research.  Even homebound, she would email corrections and give advice for several years.

We now have several volunteers who are carrying on her work.  

Her funeral service is later today at Halbritter Wickens.

https://www.halbritterfunerals.com/notices/Vickie-Caison

She will be missed.

Bob Nightingale, webmaster

Shane M. Grant
March 10, 1990-Oct. 9, 2017

Shane M. Grant, 27, of Douglasville, Georgia, formerly of Niles, Michigan, passed away on Monday, October 9, 2017 in Douglasville.

He was born on March 10, 1990 in Berrien Springs, Michigan to Michael H. and Tasha R. (Heckelsberg) Grant.

Shane was a graduate of Niles High School, class of 2008. Shortly after graduating, Shane enlisted in the U. S. Army and served proudly in the Iraq War. Shane was previously married Jordan M. Clinton and to that union was born a daughter, Haiden M. Grant. After being honorably discharged, Shane went to work as an auto mechanic. This allowed Shane to work in the field he loved. He had a passion for cars and could be found tinkering and fixing things from the time he was a small child. Shane also enjoyed cooking, disc golf, spending hours on YouTube and hiking as a family. He will be remembered for his great sense of humor. Shane’s greatest love and passion was for his daughter. 

He was preceded in death by his maternal grandfather, Richard Heckelsberg; his paternal grandmother, Patricia Grant. 

Shane is survived by his daughter, Haiden M. Grant of Georgia; his mother, Tasha R. (Jim) Ketchum of Niles; his father, Micheal Grant of Niles; his maternal grandmother, Beverly Heckelsberg of Niles; a sister, Rachelle (Michael) Myers of Indiana; a niece, Laila Myers; and his former wife, Jordan Grant of Georgia, along with countless cousins and friends. 

Funeral services will be held on Friday, October 20, 2017 at 1:00 pm at Brown Funeral Home in Niles with a time of visitation beginning two hours prior. Committal services will follow at Silverbrook Cemetery and will conclude with the Full Military Honors by the United States Army Honor Guard and American Legion Post 51 of Buchanan Michigan.

Memorial contributions may be in Shane’s memory online at https://www.gofundme.com/shane-grants-going-home or to Brown Funeral Home. 

http://www.brownfuneralhomeniles.com/obituaries/Shane-Grant/#!/Obituary

Ruth E. Sanford 
June 4, 1919 - March 11, 2017

Ruth E. Sanford, 97, passed away on March 11, 2017 in Buchanan, MI. Born June 4, 1919 in Bangor, MI to Byran and Alice Harris. She married Frank J. Neuens in 1935. He preceded her in 1962. She married Oscar Morris of Buchanan in 1963. He preceded her in 1971. She married Roy Sanford in 1973 and he preceded her in 1992. Ruth worked at ParmaLee’s and Montgomery Wards in Niles. She is survived by her two daughters, Alice (Pete) Mohr of Parma, MI, Penney (Marvin) Pruett of Buchanan; one son, L. Gordon (Mary) Neuens of Kalamazoo; six grandchildren, seven great-grandchildren. Cremation has taken place. Burial will take place at a later date at Silverbrook Cemetery in Niles. Arrangements have been entrusted to Hoven Funeral Home, Buchanan. Online condolences may be made at www.hovenfunerals.com.