Obituaries

Stella F. Bucher
Sept. 21, 1888-Aug. 30, 1954

Niles Daily Star, Tuesday, August 31, 1954, page 2, col. 5, microfilm Niles District Library

Mrs Stella F. Bucher of 968 South Thirteenth street, died at 9:45 p.m. Monday at Pawating Hospital. She had been ill since October, 1953.

She was born in Kentucky Sept. 21, 1888, and lived in Niles 47 years. 

Survivors are her husband, Jacob; a son, Earnest Bucher of Los Angeles, Calif.; a daughter, Mrs. Beatrice Frankland, Niles; five grandchildren, and two great-grandchildren,; two brothers, Warren Crow, Granger, Ind., Vete Crow, Plymouth, Ind., and two sisters, Mrs. Mark Feighner of Niles and Mrs. Helen Hostetter of Detroit.

Friends may call at the Pifer Funeral Home where services will be conducted at 2 p.m. Thursday by the Rev. Richard Bonner, Church of Christ, pastor. Burial will be at Silverbrook Cemetery.

Goldie E. Bybee
June 19, 1884-Sept. 2, 1975

Niles Daily Star, Wednesday, September 3, 1975, page 2, col. 8, microfilm Niles District Library

NILES—Mrs. Goldie E. Bybee, 91, of 1320 Fort St., died at 3:20 p.m. Tuesday in Pawating Hospital, where she was admitted Sunday.

A member of the Loyal Star, she was a lifetime resident of Niles. She was born June 19, 1884 in Topeka, Ind., where she married Lyman Lee Bybee May 17, 1911. He died May 25, 1971.

Mrs. Bybee is survived by two sons, Cletis and Kenneth, both of Niles; four grandchildren and 10 great-grandchildren.

Services will be at 10 a.m. Friday in the Pifer Chapel of the Swem-Smith Funeral Home 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. today at the funeral home.

Clarence M. Clark
Sept. 24, 1897-June 19, 1950

Niles Daily Star, Tuesday, June 20, 1950; page 2, col. 5, microfilm, Niles District Library

A full military funeral will be held at 2 p.m. Wednesday in the American Legion home for Clarence M. Clark, 52, who died Monday in Chicago after falling from a train in that city Wednesday.

Clark was born Sept. 24, 1897, in South Bend, and came to Niles 30 years ago from Michigan City Ind.  He had worked for the New York Central railroad since 1917.

Surviving are his wife, Kathryn, three sisters, Mrs. F. M. Barnhart, of Niles, (Illegible text) son, and a brother, Walter, of Michigan City, IN.

Clark was a past commander of the Disabled American Veterans here, was recently elected chaplain of the Niles American Legion post, and was a member of the local 40 & 8 Voiture and the Brotherhood of Railroad Trainmen.  He had been prominent for many years in Legion affairs.

Fred Solloway will officiate as Legion commander and William Hardy as chaplain, Pallbearers will be Reginald Mould, Volney Gerold, George Stock, Glenn Daisy, Milo Webster and Earl Bachman.

Jack Stanner will serve as bugler.  Color bearers will be: Keith Bunker and Stanly Zukowski from the Legion; Harry Beagles and Harold Willard from the 40 &8; James Moore and Vernon Collins from the DAV.

Raymond Parker and Ray Baton will be the honor guard and the Legion post color guard will be Charles Aln and Howard Cornwell. The Firing squad, commanded by Harold Smith, will consist of Vernon Rhoades, Walter Forbes, Burt Luth, Kenneth Coons, Richard Warburton, Harry Fellas, Thomas Mitchell and Roe Abshire.

Friends may call at the Kiger funeral home until noon Wednesday, when the remains will be taken to the Legion home.  Burial will be in Silverbrook cemetery.   All Legion, DAV and 40 & 8 members are requested to meet at the Legion home at 1:30 p.m. Wednesday.

Sylvia Cochran
Nov. 27, 1886-July 31, 1954

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

Mrs. Sylvia Cochran, 67, of 807 South Lincoln avenue, died at 1:30 a.m. today at her home following an illness of nine years.

. . . [illegible] . .came to Niles from Burkett, Ind., in 1918.

Surviving are: her husband, Clyde; five sons, Herbert, Herman, Earl, Clay and Robert, all of Niles; three daughters, Mrs. John LaRonge, Mrs. Charles Lizzi and Mrs. Jack Seals, also all from Niles; 12 grandchildren, four great-grandchildren; a brother Ira Neiswander, Buchanan, and two sisters, Mrs. Clara Miller and Mrs. Clarence Kinney, both Niles.

Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. Monday in the Evangelical United Brethren Church here with Rev. J.W. Hill, pastor, officiating.  Burial will be in Silverbrook Cemetery.  Friends may call at the Kiger Funeral Home here.

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.