Obituaries

Alfred Millspaugh
May 24, 1876-Nov. 6, 1954

Niles Daily Star, Monday, November 8, 1954, page 2, col. 4-5, microfilm Niles District Library 

Alfred Millspaugh, 78, a retired attorney who came to Niles in 1953, died at 1:15 p.m. , Saturday in Pawating Hospital. He had been ill for some time.

Mr. Millspaugh lived at 3148 South Third street road. He was born May 24, 1876 in New Haven, Mich., and came to Niles from Detroit on Dec. 4, 1953.

Surviving is the widow, Ethel.

Friends may call at the Pifer Funeral Home where funeral services will be held at 2 p.m Tuesday.  Masonic rites will be conducted at the funeral home and at Silverbrook cemetery, where burial will be made.

Grace B. Robinson
Oct. 1, 1878-Jan. 13, 1955

Niles Daily Star, Friday, January 14, 1955, page 2, col. 5, microfilm Niles District Library 

Mrs. Grace B. Robinson, 76, of 15 North Seventh, died at 8 p.m. Thursday in the Berrien County Hospital followingan illness of one month. She had been in the hospital for the past two weeks.

Mrs. Robinson was born Oct. 1, 1878, in Dayton, Mich., and had lived most of her life in Mishawaka, Ind., and Niles.  Her husband, George, died in 1947.

Surviving are: a daughter, Mrs. Mabelle Beall, of Niles; a son, Clifford H. Perry, of Ishpeming; two grandchildren, and two great-grandchildren.

Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. Monday in the Kiger Funeral Home here. Burial will be in Silverbrook Cemetery.  Friends may call at the funeral home beginning Saturday evening.

Janet Rumbaugh
March 31, 1946-Jan. 13, 1955

Niles Daily Star, Thursday, January 13, 1955, page 2, col. 5, microfilm Niles District Library 

Janet Rumbaugh, 8-year old daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Eldon Rumbaugh, former Niles residents, died Thursday at her home in Ionia after a four-year illness.

Born March 31, 1946 at Dayton, Pa., she came to Niles with her family three months ago. The family moved to Ionia in December when the father began work in a factory there.

Removal was made to the Kiger Funeral Home.  Arrangements are incomplete.

Niles Daily Star, Friday, January 14, 1955, page 2, col. 5, microfilm Niles District Library 

Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. Saturday in the Kiger Funeral Home here for Janet Rumbaugh, eight-year-old daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Eldon Burroughs, of Ionia, formerly of Niles, who died Thursday at her home. The Rev. Chester Wetzel, assistant pastor of the First Presbyterian Church, will officiate and burial will be in Silverbrook Cemetery.  The parents' names were erroneously listed as Rumbaugh in a previous announcement.

Benjamin H. Smith
Feb. 7, 1878-Oct. 17, 1954

Niles Daily Star, Monday, October 18, 1954, page 2, col. 5, microfilm Niles District Library

Benjamin H. Smith, 731 Hickory street, vice president of the Michigan Wire Goods Company and active . . .[illegible] . . last Monday.

His wife, Grace, died on March 8, 1953. Surviving are two sons, Mahlon, of Niles, and Rolland, of New Orleans, La.; one daughter, Mrs. Dale Apt, of South Bend, and two grandchildren.

Smith was born Feb. 7, 1878, in Coldwater Township, Branch County, and came here from Coldwater in 1902.  He was a graduate of Cleary Business College, at Ypsilanti, and was a member of the Rotary Club, the Knights of Pythias, was a director of the Niles Federal Savings and Loan Association, chairman of the local Cemetery Board, trustee of the First Methodist Church, member of the South Bend Knife and Fork Club, and president of the Buff Wyandotte Club.

Friends may call at the Pifer Funeral Home. Services will be held at 2 p.m. Tuesday at the First Methodist Church, with the Rev. L. George Beacock, Methodist pastor, presiding.  Burial was in Silverbrook Cemetery.

Fern I. Shoemaker
Feb. 2, 1900-Sept. 6, 1975

Niles Daily Star, Monday, September 8, 1975, page 2, col. 6, microfilm Niles District Library 

NILES—Mrs. Fern I. Shoemaker, 75, 405 Brookfield, died at 8 a.m. Saturday at Pawating Hospital after an illness of two years.

She was born Feb. 2, 1900 in Mishawaka, Ind., and was a lifelong resident of the area.

Her husband, O.A. Shoemaker, died in 1945.

She is survived by several nieces and nephews.

Funeral services will be at 10 a.m. Tuesday at the Pifer Chapel of the Swem-Smith Funeral Home, with the Rev. Fred T. smith of the South Niles Community church officiating.

Burial will be in Silverbrook Cemetery.  Friends are calling at the funeral home.

William H. Wharton
July 26, 1878-July 13, 1954

Niles Daily Star, Thursday, July 15, 1954, page 2 col. 5, microfilm Niles District Library

William H. Wharton, 2114 Portland avenue, Nashville, Tenn., who moved from Niles several years ago, died Tuesday at Chattanooga, Tenn. He had been ill 10 months.

Surviving are his wife, Sue; one daughter, Mrs. J.F. Conover, Nashville, Tenn.; two sisters, Mrs. T.P. Yeatman, Columbia, Tenn., and Miss Anne L. Wharton, Chattanooga, Tenn., and one brother, Richard C. Wharton, Nashville, Tenn.

He was born on July 26, 1878, and moved from Niles several years ago. He was retired general agent of the N.C. & St. L. Railroad of Nashville, Tenn., and married the former Sue Landon of Niles.

He was a member of Trinity Episcopal Church, Nashville.  Arrangements are being made by the Kiger Funeral Home for graveside services at 1 p.m. Friday at Silverbrook Cemetery. The body will be taken directly from the train to the cemetery.