Obituaries

Leo E. Grove
Feb. 12, 1883-Nov. 14, 1950

Niles Daily Star, Wednesday, November 15, 1950; page 2, col. 6, microfilm, Niles District Library

Leo Edward Grove, of rural route one, Edwardsburg, died at 3:45 pm. Tuesday in his home.

Surviving are his widow, Magdalena; a daughter, Pauline, a student at Michigan State College, East Lansing, and one sister, Mrs. Harvey Doran, Monticello Ind.

Grove came to Edwardsburg from Chicago 11 years ago, and was a retired mechanical engineer. He was born in Warsaw, Ind. Feb. 12, 1883.

Friends may call at the Pifer funeral home, where services will be conducted at 1:30 p.m. Friday (illegible text) Edwardsburg Presbyterian pastor. Burial will be in Silverbrook cemetery, Niles.

Grove was a member of the Masonic lodge of St. Louis, Mo., and was a Spanish-American war veteran.

Walter Smotherman
March 29, 1888-July 30, 1954

Niles Daily Star, Saturday, July 31, 1954, page 2, col. 4, microfilm Niles District Library

Walter Smotherman, 1272 South Fifth street, died at 10:45 p.m. Friday in his home. He had been ill for some time.

Surviving are his wife, Nobia; three sons, Marvin, William and Walter Jr., of Niles; one daughter, Mrs. Ilamae Evans, of Olivehurst, Calif.; 12 grandchildren, and two brothers, Oscar, of Newport, Ark., and Pasco, of Yuba City, Calif.

Smotherman was born on March 29, 1888, in Newport, Arks., and came here from Arkansas in 1940. He was employed by the Tyler Refrigeration Corporation.

Friends may call at the Pifer Funeral Home were[sic] services will be held at 2 p.m. Monday with the Rev. R.L. McCoy, pastor of the First baptist church, officiating.  Burial will be in Silverbrook Cemetery.

Infant Male Southworth
Dec. 8, 1950-Dec. 9, 1950

Niles Daily Star, Saturday, December 9, 1950; page 2, col. 4, microfilm, Niles District Library

Committal services for the infant son of Mr. Mrs. Eugene A. Southworth, 1999 Lewis drive, will be held at 4 p.m. today at Silverbrook cemetery.  The Rev. L George Beacock will officiate.  The infant was born prematurely at 2:52 p.m. yesterday in Pawating hospital

Kenneth Wayne Steinbarger
May 6, 1940-Aug. 30, 1975

Niles Daily Star, Tuesday, September 2, 1975,  page 2, col. 7, microfilm Niles District Library

NILES―Kenneth Wayne Steinbarger, 35, of Albany, Ga., formerly of Niles , died at 1 a.m. Saturday in Jacksonville University Hospital in Jacksonville, Fla.

He was a member of the Chruch of Jesus Christ in Niles, and was employed as a truck driver of the Dixie Drivers Service.

He was born May 6, 1940 in Gadsen, Ala., and lived int eh Niels area most of his life.

One Dec. 31, 1959 he married the former Nadine Green in Muncie, Ind. She survives, along with his mother, Mrs. Ernest (Gail) Bokhart of Edwardsburg; two sons, Darrell Wayne and Michael Ray, both at thome and a sister, Mrs. Sharon Bane of Niles.

Funeral arrangements are incomplete at the Pifer Chapel of the Swem-Smith Funeral Home.

Niles Daily Star, Wednesday, September 3, 1975, page 2, col. 7, microfilm Niles District Library

NILES-- Kenneth Wayne Steinbarger, 35, of Albany, Ga., who lived most of his life in Niles, died at 1 a.m. Saturday in the Jacksonville University Hospital, Jacksonville, Fla.

A member of the Teamsters Union, he was a driver for the Dixie Drives Service.

Mr. Steinbarger was born  May 6, 1940 in Gadsden, Ala. He married Phyllis Nadine Green on Dec. 31, 1959 in Muncie, Ind. She survives.

Other survivors include his mother, Mrs. Ernest (Gail) Bokhart of Edwardsburg; two sons, Darrell Wayne and Michael Ray, both at home, and a sister, Mrs. Sharon Bane of Niles.

Funeral services will be at 1:30 p.m. Friday in the Church of Jesus Christ with the Bishop Gerald Steinbarger of the Church of Jesus Christ officiating.  Burial will be in Silverbrook Cemetery.

Friends may call after 7 p.m. tonight at the Pifer Chapel of the Swem-Smith Funeral Home.

Ditlef J. Lagoni Jr.
April 30, 1924- Aug. 10, 1950 (MIA)
Feb. 15, 1954 (declared officially dead)

Niles Daily Star, Friday, February 26, 1954, page 1, col. 6-7, cont. Page 2, col. 4, microfilm Niles District Library

M/Sgt. Lagoni, Missing Since 1950, Officially Declared Dead

M/Sgt. Ditlef J. Lagoni Jr., mission in action in Korea since Aug. 10, 1950, has been officially declared dead as of Feb. 15, according to word received this week by his family from the adjutant general's office of the Department of Defense.

Lagoni enlisted in the Navy July 15, 1941, and received boot training at the naval training center, Great Lakes, Ill. After boot training, he was assigned aboard the USS Tuscaloosa and later entered submarine service, where he was assigned aboard the USS Jack for a Pacific tour of duty.

After World War II, he served aboard the USS Amberjack, and received his naval discharge in April 1947.

He enlisted in the Army May 18, 1948, and was sent overseas to Japan in Jul 1949. He was serving with an anti-aircraft battalion in the 24th Division under Maj. Gen. William Dean in Korea when he was first reported missing in action.  

Lagoni was decorated several times for meritorious service and held the World War II Victory medal, American Area Medal, American Defense Medal, Navy good conduct ribbon, European-Africa-Middle East medal with two bronze stars, Asiatic-Pacific medal with one bronze star, Presidential unit citation, submarine combat insigne with with three stars, Army good conduct ribbon and Japan occupation medal.

Surviving are his wife and two children, his parents and one brother. His wife Ruth L. Lagoni was with him in Japan and their daughter, Ruth Lynn, was born there. Mrs. Lagoni returned to the United States Aug. 22, 1950, and now makes her home at 17 South Tenth Street, with her daughter and son, Lance Joseph.

His father, D.J. Lagoni Sr., lives at 114 North Third street, and his mother, Mrs. Prudence Lagoni, lives on M-40 north.  A brother, William O., lives at 22 Market street.

Lagoni was a member of Trinity Episcopal Church here, and a member of the Masonic and Elks lodges. He was born April 30, 1924, in Salt Lake City, Utah, and was married July 6, 1945, in New London, Conn.

Note:  While not physically buried in Silverbrook, there is a gravemarker “in memory”.

Henry C. Pankow
Sept. 30, 1877-Jan. 28, 1954

Niles Daily Star, Friday, January 29, 1954, page 2, col. 4, microfilm Niles District Library

Henry C. Pankow, 78, retired locomotive engineer of the New York Central Railroad, died at 6 p.m. Thursday at his home on 7 South Twelfth street following an illness of two months.

Ponkow[sic] was born Sept 30, 1877, in LaGrange, Ill., and came here in 1921 from Michigan City, Ind. He was a member of the Brotherhood of Locomotive Fireman and Enginemen.  His wife Tincy, died April 21, 1946.

Surviving are:  three daughters, Miss Inez Pankow and Mrs. Eunice Kocker, both Niles, and Mrs. Jack Sheeler, Park Forest, Ill.; two grandchildren,; one great-grandchild; a brother, Leo of Winamac, Ind., and a sister, Mrs. J.H. Parcel, North Vernon, Ind.

Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. Monday in the Kiger Funeral Home with the Rev. T.M. Greenhoe, pastor of the First Presbyterian Church, officiating.

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