Obituaries

Catherine A. McMenamin
Oct. 4, 1894-Feb. 25, 1980

Niles Daily Star, Tuesday, February 26, 1980, page 2, col. 6 (microfilm Niles District Library)

NILES—Mrs. Catherine A. McMenamin, 85, of 911 S. Third St., died at 6:45 p.m. Monday at Memorial Hospital, South Bend, following an extended illness.

A member of the Trinity Episcopal Church and the St. Agnes Guild, she was a retired employee of the National-Standard Company.

She was born Oct. 4, 1894 in Woodside, England, and had lived here since 1928, coming from Chicago.

On April 26, 1913 in St. Thomas, Ontario, Canada, she married Thomas G. McMenamin, who died Nov. 11, 1940.

Survivors include two sons, George E. McMenamin, of Indianapolis, Ind., and James R. of Berwyn, Ill.; a daughter, Mrs. Keith (Helen) Milburn of Niles; five grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren.

Funeral services will be at 11:30 a.m. Wednesday at the Trinity Episcopal Church with the Rev. Vincent J. Anderson of the Trinity Episcopal Church officiating. Burial will be at Silverbrook Cemetery.

Funeral arrangements are being handled by the Halbritter Funeral Home. Memorials may be made to the Altar Guild of the church.

Helen Mary Post
Nov. 22, 1918-Feb. 6, 1980

Niles Daily Star, Thursday, February 7, 1980, page 3, col. 6 (microfilm Niles District Library)

NILES-- Helen Mary Post, 61, of 2296 Westfield, died at 11:45 a.m. Wednesday at Pawating Hospital, following a lengthy illness.

A homemaker, she was born Nov. 22, 1918 in Indiana Harbor, Ind., and had lived here since 1959, coming from South Bend.

On June 29, 1946 in South Bend, she married Roger E. Post, who died Nov. 18, 1974.

Survivors include two sons, Glenn and Jeffrey, both of Niles; and a sister, Mrs. Paul Rubel of Sturgeon Bay, Wis.

She was a member of the Community Congregational Church of Roseland.

Funeral services will be at 10:30 a.m. Saturday at the Pifer-Smith Funeral Home wth the Rev. L. Paul Harris of the Community Congregational Church officiating.  Burial will be at Silverbrook Cemetery.

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

Alma L. Stevens
Aug. 24, 1891-Feb. 22, 1980

Niles Daily Star, Monday, February 25, 1980, page 2, col. 8 (microfilm Niles District Library)

NILES—Word has been received here of the death of Mrs. Alma L. Stevens, 88, formerly of Niles, of  Ada, Mich.

She died at 7:30 p.m. Friday at the Kent Community Hospital, Grand Rapids, following an extended illness.

She was born Aug. 24, 1891 in Chicago and lived in Niles before moving to Ada in 1976.

Mrs. Stevens was a member of the First Presbyterian Church, a 50-year and life member of the Order of the Eastern Star, past matron of the Eastern Star, past mother to Rainbow Girls and a member of the Lady Elks.

Her husband, J. Floyd Stevens, died in 1954.

Survivors include a son, Leland F. of Niles; two daughters, Mrs. Henrietta Welling of Niles, and Mrs. Doris Volkhardt of Grand Rapids; six grandchildren, eight great-grandchildren, and one great-great-grandson.

Funeral services will be at 1:30 pm. Wednesday at the Halbritter Funeral Home with the Rev. William J. Fuerstenau of the First Presbyterian Church officiating.  Burial will be at Silverbrook Cemetery.

Friends may call at the funeral home after 2 p.m. Tuesday.

Memorials may be made to the First Presbyterian Church Memorial Fund.

Emil Thau
Aug. 16, 1911-Feb. 1, 1980

Niles Daily Star, Monday, February 4, 1980, page 2, col. 8 (microfilm Niles District Library)

NILES—Email Thau, 68, of 746 Hickory St., died at 5:30 p.m. Friday at the Paul Stephan Nursing Home.

Funeral services were to be at 10:30 a.m. Today at the Pifer-Smith Funeral Home with the Rev. Robert L. Livingston of St. John's United Church of Christ officiating. Burial was to follow at Silverbrook Cemetery.

Mr. Thau was born Aug. 16, 1911 in South Bend, and had lived here since 1950, coming from South Bend.  He retired in 1972 from the Bendix Corporation.

A Navy veteran of World War II, he was a member of the South Bend Odd Follows Lodge.

In 1946 in South Bend, he married Mary Weinmann.  She died in 1957.

Survivors include two brothers, William O. and Ernest Thau, both of South Bend; and three sisters, Mrs. Mildred Bushman and Miss Helen Thau, both of South Bend, and Mrs. Christine McGuire of St. Louis, Mo.

John F. Unley Jr.
March 12, 1891-Feb. 20, 1980

Niles Daily Star, Wednesday, February 20, 1980, page 2, col. 4 (microfilm Niles District Library)

John F. Unley, 88, formerly of 3406 N. Fifth St., died at 6:12 a.m. Wednesday after an extended illness. He was born March 12, 1891 and had lived in Niles all his life. He was a life member and the oldest living member of the Niles Elks club and was also a member of the Fraternal Order of Police. He was a local business man for over 30 years with the Unley Chrysler-Plymouth Agency.

On June 21, 1913, he married Carrie Chiverton in St. Joseph who died April 15, 1975.

He is survived by two daughters, Mrs. Ralph (Mary ) DePoy and Mrs. Frank (Vawn E.) Buheker, both of Niles; two brothers, Frank of Niles and Ray of South Bend and three sisters, Mrs. Margaret Taylor, Mrs. Nevada Rossow and Mrs. Florence Berger, all of Niles. He is also survived by three grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren.

Services will be at 2 p.m. Friday in the Halbritter Funeral Home with Rt. Rev. Msgr. John D. Slowey of St. Mary's Catholic Church officiating.  Burial will take place in Silverbrook Cemetery.  Friends may call between 2 and 4 p.m. and 7 and 9 p.m. Thursday at the funeral home.

Ivan Leroy ‘Lee’ Allen, of Niles
Sept. 6, 1940 — Jan. 23, 2016

Niles Daily Star, Published 9:51am Monday, January 25, 2016

Ivan Leroy “Lee” Allen, 75, of Niles, Michigan died on Saturday morning, Jan. 23, 2016, at Memorial Hospital in South Bend, Indiana following an extended illness.

Ivan Leroy “Lee” Allen

He was born on September 6, 1940 in Benton Harbor, Michigan to Theo Richmond and Ollie Ruth (Meyers) Allen. He was graduated from Benton Harbor High School, and completed the program for ordination at the Aenon Bible College in Columbus, Ohio (now moved to Indianapolis, Indiana). He has pastored a home church for twenty years.

Lee’s passion was the ministry, but he also formerly owned and operated the Allen Maintenance Services, and was a union employee at the D. C. Cook Nuclear Plant in Bridgman, Michigan. He enjoyed fishing, usually in Lake Michigan, was an avid fan of many sports, and enjoyed playing cards and dominoes with his family and friends. He also enjoyed reading, especially studying the Bible.

On Oct. 3, 1970 ,in Niles he married the former Wilma Lois (Samples) Evans with whom he celebrated last year the 45th anniversary of their wedding.

Surviving family includes his wife, Wilma Allen and their daughter, Angela (Brad) Williams of Niles; step-children Kim Yvonne Evans of Niles and Steven (Monique) Evans of Lint, Belgium; grandchildren Emma Williams, Bradley Evan Williams, Rick (Nicole) Evans, Sharon (Kevin Nuhs) VanDyck, Marcie Evans, and Alex Evans; great-grandchildren Dylan Evans, Nick Russo, Aleah Evans, and Zane and Chase Nuhs; and Lee’s siblings, Devonna (Mitch) Mitchell of Canton, Michigan, Ioma Davis, Wesley (Pat) Allen, Cathy Unsicker, and Joseph Allen, all of Niles, Patty (Wayne) Cooper of Florida, and Rita Faye Allen of Niles; and many nieces and nephews.

The funeral for Ivan Lee Allen will be at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, Jan. 26, 2016 at the Halbritter Funeral Home in Niles with members of the home church sharing. Interment will be private on Wednesday at Silverbrook Cemetery in Niles.

The family will receive relatives and friends on Tuesday at the funeral home beginning at 5 p.m. Contributions in memory of Lee may be made to the donor’s choice.

www.halbritterfunerals.com