Obituaries

Anna L. Reynolds
Feb. 2, 1872-June 9, 1954

Niles Daily Star, Thursday, June 10, 1954, page 2, col. 1, microfilm Niles District Library

Mrs. Anna L. Reynolds, 82, 9 South State street, died at 5:30 p.m. Wednesday in the Berrien County Hospital after a three-year illness.

She was born in Atchison County, Kan., on Feb. 2, 1872, and came here from Kansas 14 years ago.  She was a member of the Episcopal Church.

Survivors include a son, Walter Hilligoss of Niles, nine grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.

Friends may call at the Kiger Funeral Home until time of services at 10 a.m. Saturday.  The Rev. John G. Carlton will officiate at the funeral services and burial will be in Silverbrook Cemetery.

Helen Rhea
Aug. 9, 1901-Feb. 21, 1935

Niles Daily Star, Friday, February 22, 1935, page 2, col. 2, microfilm Niles District Library

Niles News In Brief: DIES AFTER SHORT ILLNESS

Mrs. Helen Rhea, State Line, died at 8:30 o'clock Thursday night only about an hour after she was taken to Pawating hospital. She was born in the Philippine Islands on Aug. 9, 1901, and came to Michigan 6 years ago.

Surviving besides her husband, Leslie, are five children, Mary, Grace, Zana, Edith and Florence, all at home; and a sister, Susana Patering, Manila, P. I.

Funeral services will be held at 2 o'clock Sunday afternoon at the Price and Kiger funeral home with the Rev. M. C. Guild of the Adventist church officiating.   Burial will be in Silverbrook cemetery. Friends may call at the funeral home until time for the services.

Mary D. Roscoe
April 3, 1806-Nov. 28, 1880

Niles Republican, Thursday, December 2, 1880, page 3, col. 2, microfilm Niles District Library

Mrs. Mary D. Roscoe, an old and very highly esteemed lady of this city, died at her home on Third street, on Saturday morning last, after a long and painful illness.  Mrs. Roscoe was a sister of Mr. Samuel Dodge, a well known resident of this city. She was born in Onondago county, New York, April 3, 1806, and was married to Zalmon Roscoe in January, 1831.  Her husband died twenty years ago, and she came to this place five years later.  Mrs. Roscoe was a consistent member of the M. E. Church, and was a devoted Christian.

Niles Democrat, Saturday, December 4, 1880, page 3, col. 2, microfilm Niles District Library

Mrs. Polly Roscoe, sister of S.S. Dodge, died at her residence in this place on Sunday night last, in the 76th year of her age. She was a resident of this city for many years and was much respected by all her acquaintances.

Joseph L. Ross
Dec. 22, 1938-April 30, 1954

Niles Daily Star, Saturday, May 1, 1954, page 1, col. 2 continued page 2, col. 5, microfilm Niles District Library

Five Traffic Deaths in 24 Hours

Two Others Hurt Critically May Push Toll Higher

M-60 Accident Claims Fourth Life After a Niles boy is Killed

The death toll from traffic accidents in Berrien county in 24 hours climbed to five today—the worst tool for such a period in many years.

The toll, however, may go higher. Two more persons injured in highway mishaps are reported as critical.

An accident on M-60 near Three Oaks yesterday claimed the life of a fourth person today. An auto-motorcycle accident in Niles yesterday took the life of a 15 year-old boy.  The M-60 tragedy also threatened to take the life of a fifth person, and a Coloma girl injured in an accident near Eau Claire is not expected to live.

The additional death of the person in the M-60 accident and the Niles boy raised the county's highway death toll to 12 for the year. 

. . . [omitted section about other accident] . .

PROBE TRAFFIC DEATH

A coroner's jury met at 8:30 a.m. today in investigate the traffic death Friday of 15 year-old Joseph Leon Ross. His death ended the city's record of 200 days without a traffic fatality.

The boy, son of Mr. and Mrs. Joseph N. Ross, 214 South Fifteenth street, succumbed at Pawating Hospital at 2:28 p.m. from injuries incurred at 12:30 p.m. when his motorcycle crashed into a station wagon at Main and Hickory street.

City police held the driver of the station wagon, Robert Emmett Miller, 34, of Chicago, for investigation pending the outcome of the inquest. He was detained overnight in the city jail.

According to the police accident report, the Ross boy was driving his motorcycle west on Main street on his way back to school. Miller was headed east and had missed a turn onto Oak street, the report said.  When Miller reached Hickory, he made a left turn across the westbound traffic lane and crossed in front of the boy's motorcycle, the report said.

The boy was rushed to Pawating Hospital where he was treated for a compound skull fracture. He died about two hours after the accident.

Miller's wife and their children were passengers in the station wagon but were uninjured. Police said the Chicagoan's children, Robert, 7, Jean Anne, 4 and Joseph, were asleep in the rear of the station wagon at the time of the accident.

Members of the coroner's jury investigating the death are Elmer Jones, Henry Starr, Harry Blake, Richard Morris, Leon Washburn and Leo Anstiss.

Ross, a ninth grade student at Niles High School, was born Dec. 22, 1938, in Billings, Mont., the son of Mr. and Mrs. Joseph N. Ross and came to Niles with his parents 13 years ago.

Surviving besides his parents are: two sisters, Ruth Elizabeth and Norma Jean, both at home; his paternal grandmother, Elsie C. Ross, Bozeman, Mont., and his maternal grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. Ernest Ferguson, Doane, Ind.

Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. Monday in the New Apostolic Church here, where he was a member.  The Rev. Hugh Lee, pastor, will officiate, and burial will be in Silverbrook Cemetery.  Friends may call at the Pifer Funeral Home until noon Monday when the body will be removed to the church.

Wilma Royan
Feb. 17, 1923-April 12, 2001

Niles Daily Star, Friday, April 12, 2001, page 2, col. 1, microfilm Niles District Library

Wilma J. “Jeanne” Royan

1923-2001

Funeral services for Wilma J. “Jeanne” Royan, 78, of 1123 Ferry Street, Niles, are Saturday at 10 a.m. At Halbritter Funeral Home, Niles, by the Rev. Robert M. Zagore of Saint Paul's Lutheran Church.

Burial will be in Silverbrook Cemetery, Niles.

Royan died Thursday at 1:10 a.m. Thursday at Lakeland Medical Center, Niles, following a brief illness.

She was born Feb. 17, 1923, in South Bend, Ind., to William and Louise Stair Holley. She had lived in the Niles area since 1959, coming from Portland, Ore.

On Jan. 25, 1962, in Detroit, she married John C. Royan, who preceded her in death.

Royan was a former employee of Simplicity Pattern Company, Niles.  She was a member of saint Paul's Lutheran church in Niles. During her retirement, she was a part-time lunchtime supervisor at Howard school. She was a welder in a Vancouver shipyard during World War II.

In addition to her husband, she was preceded in death by a son, John M. Miller.

Survivors include: Two daughters, Laurel J. Rosebush of Findlay, Oh.  and Kathleen Powell of South Bend, Ind.; a son, Vernon L. Lovell of Detroit; a step-son Raymond S. Royan of Naples, Fla.; a stepdaughter, Cheryl Lynn Whiteman of Edwardsburg; a sister Betty Brown; a brother, Jim Holley of Peru, Ind.; 11 grandchildren; and 4 great-grandchildren.

Friends may call from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. and 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Friday at Halbritter Funeral Home.

Memorial contributions may be made to the Niles Lions Club.

Ada Rupert
March 26, 1878-April 10, 1935

Niles Daily Star, Wednesday, April 10, 1935, page 1, col. 6, microfilm Niles District Library

Brief Illness Fatal to Mrs. Ada Rupert

Mrs. Ada Rupert, 1621 Huron street, died at her home this morning at 9 o'clock after a two weeks' illness. Diabetes was the cause of her death.

Mrs. Rupert was 57 years old. She had lived in Niles for the last three years, coming here from Dowagiac.  She was born in Berrien Springs, March 26, 1878.

Surviving are her husband, Thomas, and three children, Mrs. Helen Etzcorn and Mrs. Nettie Rogers, Niles, and Lyle Wallace of Canada.  She also leaves two sisters, Mrs. Lena Abbs, Dowagiac, Mrs. Jacob Mangold and William Long, all of Dowagiac.

Funeral arrangements have not been completed.

&

Niles Daily Star, Thursday, April 11, 1935, page 2, col. 2, microfilm Niles District Library

Niles News In Brief:  RUPERT SERVICE SATURDAY

Funeral services for Mrs. Ada Rupert, 1621 Huron street, who died Wednesday morning, will be held in the Rutherford funeral home Saturday afternoon at 2 o'clock.  The Rev. Robert E. Meader will officiate and burial will be in Silverbrook cemetery.