Obituaries

Leon Alvin Bush
June 20, 1900-July 24, 1952

Niles Daily Star, Friday, July 25, 1952; page 2, col. 6, microfilm, Niles District Library

Leon Alvin Bush, 53, died at his home, 122 ½ North Front street, at 12:15 p.m. Thursday.

Funeral services will be held in the Pifer funeral home Monday at 2 p.m., with the Rev. John Carlton, of the Trinity Episcopal church, officiating.  Burial will be in Oak Wood cemetery at Allegan.

Bush was born in Bloomingdale on June 20, 1900.  He was employed as a dispatcher for the Harlan Cab company at the time of his death.

Survivors include: his widow, Hazel; one stepdaughter, Mrs. Claude Thompson, of the city, nine children, Mrs. Max Storey, Mrs. Clyde Gleason, Mrs. Marjorie Wissler, Bernath Bush, Bernard Bush, Donald and Bonnie June Bush, all of Niles, Mrs. James Babcock of Bertrand, and Mrs. Ray Tweedy, of Shelbyville, Ind.; ten grandchildren; and three sisters, Mrs. Ella Brainard, of Allegan, and Mrs. Alpha Huntly, of Huntington, Ind.

Reinterred at Silverbrook in 1972.

Margaret Callahan
Jan. 1, 1903-May 23, 1945

Niles Daily Star, Thursday, May 24, 1945, page 2, col. 3, microfilm Niles District Library

Mrs. Callahan Dies Wednesday

Mrs. Margaret Callahan, 42, of 1446 Sheridan avenue, died at 6 p.m. Wednesday in her home after four months of illness.

She was born in Dubuque, Ia , on Jan. 1, 1903, and came to Niles from LaPorte, Ind. 20 years ago.

Surviving are her husband, Clem; a daughter, Thelma Callahan, in training at Cook county hospital, Chicago; a son, Richard Callahan, at home and a grandchild.

Another son, S. Sgt. William J. Callahan, was killed in action in Belgium on  Jan. 16, 1945. Mrs. Callahan was a member of Mothers of World War II.

Friends may call at the Pifer Funeral home where the Rev. L. George Beacock will officiate at services at 2 p.m. Saturday.  Burial will be in Silverbrook Cemetery.

Niles Daily Star, Friday, May 25, 1945, page 2, col. 5, microfilm Niles District Library

Conduct Rites Saturday for Mrs. Callahan, 42

Funeral services for Mrs. Margaret Callahan, 442, of 1448 Sheridan avenue, will be conducted at 2 pm. Saturday in the Pifer funeral home by the Rev. L. George Beacock.  Burial will be in Silverbrook cemetery.

Mrs. Callahan died Wednesday afternoon in her home.

Survivors are her husband, Clem; a daughter, Thelma Callahan, Chicago; a son, Richard Callahan, at home; a grandchild; two brothers, Clarence Oswald, Niles, and Donald Oswald, with the Army in Germany, and three sisters, Mrs. Howard Adams, Mrs. George Hirsch and Mrs. Theo Ewert, all of Dubuque, Ia.

Robert Conrad Cain
Dec. 28, 1924-Aug. 6, 1952

Niles Daily Star, Wednesday, August 6, 1952, page 2, col. 5, microfilm, Niles District Library from K. Alton

Robert Cain, formerly of Niles, died this morning in Marshall, where he had resided for the past five years. He was the son of Mr. and Mrs. Lynn Cain of Marshall. 

Among survivors are his uncle and aunt, Mr. and Mrs. Thomas E. Cain, of Niles. Burial will be in Silverbrook cemetery, following services at Marshall. Details are incomplete.

Also,

Marshall Evening Chronicle, Wednesday August 6, 1952; page 1, col. 7, Newspaperarchives.com from K. Alton

Robert C. Cain Dies Today

Robert Conrad Cain, 27, of 218 Dayton Street, South Bend, Ind., died at 5:15 a.m. today at the home of his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Lynn N. Cain, 210 North Kalamazoo Avenue, Marshall. He had been in failing health the past six months.

Mr. Cain was born December 28, 1924, in South Bend, the son of Lynn N. and Margaret Cain. He attended public school in Niles, Mich., graduating from high school in 1942. For two years he attended the Houghton School of Mines and served in the naval air corps in World War II for one year. After his discharge, he came to Marshall where he worked in various factories, and last year was employed as draftsman at the U.S. rubber plant in Mishawaka, Ind.

Surviving are his wife, Mary Alice, and daughter, Lynda Jo; his parents, two brothers, Jack L. Cain of Lyon Lake and Bill Cain of Marshall, and his maternal grandmother, Mrs. Margaret Rieder of South Bend.

Friends may call at the Keiser Funeral Home where rosary services will be held at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, the Rev. Fr. P.S. McGuiness officiating.  Funeral and burial arrangements will be announced later.

Henry Christman
Oct. 14, 1865-May 22, 1945

Niles Daily Star, Tuesday, May 22, 1945, page 2 col. 4, microfilm Niles District Library

Christman, Age 79, Dies Today

Henry Christman, 79, of 109 South State street, died at 12:15 this morning in his home where he had been ill for five months.

He was born in Bavaria, Germany on Oct. 14, 1865, and come to Niles from North Dakota in 1919.

Surviving are his widow, Helena; eight children, Edward and Roy Christman, at home; Mrs. William Zerr, Mrs. Irvin Roebeck, Mrs. Calvin Jones and Mrs. Chester Curtis, Niles; Mrs. Gordon Willis, Hammond, Ind., and M. Sgt. Fred Christman, Fort Warren, Wy., and nine grandchildren.

Friends may call at the Pifer funeral home where services will be conducted at 2 p.m. Friday.  The Rev. G.A. Steeby and Capt. Garnett Townsend will officiate.  Burial will be in Silverbrook cemetery.

Robert Class
Oct. 25, 1862-April 29, 1945

Niles Daily Star, Monday, April 30, 1945, page 2, col. 6, microfilm Niles District Library

Robert Class, 82, Expires Sunday

After three months illness, Robert Class, 82, of 1355 Merrifield avenue, died in Pawating hospital at 3:50 Sunday afternoon.

Born Oct. 25, 1862, in St. Joseph county, Indiana, he came to Niles six years ago from Berrien Center. He was a carpenter by trade and was a member of Epworth Memorial Methodist church at South Bend.

He is survived by two daughters, Mrs. Charles Biederman, of Niles, and Mrs. John Toler, of South Bend; a brother, Richard, of South Bend; and six grandchildren. 

Friends may call at the Kiger funeral home until 2:30 Wednesday afternoon when services will be conducted by the Rev. Theo Eisen. Burial will be in Silverbrook cemetery.

L. Dwayne Clevering
May 11,1905- July 26, 1977

Niles Daily Star, Monday, July 27, 1977, page 2, col. 5-6, microfilm Niles District Library

NILES—L. Dwayne Clevering, 72, of 36 S. Fifth St., died at 6:30 a.m. Sunday at Pawating Hospital, following an illness of nine years.

A former member of the Niles Elks and Exchange Clubs, Mr. Clevering was a retired florist, who has been an antique dealer since 1957.  He lived his lifetime in the area.

On August 3, 1929 in Three Rivers, he married Irene Van De Voorde, who survives. Also surviving are two sisters, Miss Berylle Clevering of Niles, and Mrs. R. Whitney Jones, of Conroe, Tex.

Funeral services will be at 1:30 p.m. Tuesday at the Pifer Chapel of the Swem-Smith Funeral Home with the Rev. Keith Morrow of the First Presbyterian Church of Buchanan officiating.  Burial will be in Silverbrook Cemetery.

Friends may call after 4 p.m. at the Pifer Chapel.