Robert Conrad Kell
July 18, 1933-Jan. 19, 1934

Niles Daily Star, Saturday, January 20, 1934, page 1, col. 2, microfilm Niles District Library

Robert Conrad Kell Dies at Parents' Home

Robert Conrad Kell, 913 Regent street, died Friday afternoon at 5 o'clock at the home of his parents, Mr. and Mrs. William W. Kell. The deceased was born July 18, 1933 and, besides the parents, is survived by a brother, Billy Jean; a sister, Patricia Ann, and his grandparents, Mrs. J.F. Graham, Niles, and Mr. and Mrs. J.H. Kell, Imboten, Ark.

Funeral services will be held Monday afternoon at 2 o'clock at the Rutherford Funeral home with the Rev. Robert E. Meader officiating.  Friends may call at the home until noon Monday. Burial will be in Silverbrook cemetery.

Niles Daily Star, Tuesday, January 23, 1934, page 2, col. 3, microfilm Niles District Library

KELL FUNERAL HELD

Funeral services for Robert Conrad Kell, infant son of Mr. and Mrs. William W. Kell, 913 Regent street, who died Friday afternoon at 5 o'clock, were held at 2 o'clock at the Rutherford Funeral chapel with the Rev. Robert E. Meader officiating. Burial was in Silverbrook cemetery.

Gustave Klingbeil
Aug. 31, 1878-Jan. 23, 1934

Niles Daily Star, Tuesday, January 23, 1934, page 1, col. 3, microfilm Niles District Library

G. Klingbeil Ends His Life at Farm Home

Gustave Klingbeil, about 56 years old, committed suicide at 9 o'clock this morning at the home of Mrs. Ed Neib at the Bend of the River community in Niles township.  He had been dead about half an hour when the body was found hanging from a rafter in the barn by a helper on the farm.

Klingbeil had been in poor health for sometime and it is believed that despondency over his condition led to the act. No inquest will be held, according to County Coroner L.W. Kerlikowske who was called from St. Joseph immediately after the body was found.

Up until three years ago, Klingbeil had been with the Ball Band Rubber company, Mishawaka, over a period of 28 years. Two years ago he brought his family and came to live with Mrs. Neib, his wife's mother.  

The body was brought to the Rutherford Funeral home where the funeral arrangements will be made later.

The deceased is survived by his wife, two sons, Gorden Klingbeil, South Bend; Howard Robert Klingbeil at home; a sister, Mrs. Charles Montine, Mishawaka; a brother, Walter Klingbeil, South Bend; a half brother, Fred Kritz, Mishawaka; and two half sisters, Mrs. Dave Unruh, Niles, and Mrs. Charles Croneweather, Mishawaka.

Niles Daily Star, Wednesday, January 24, 1934, page 1, col. 2, microfilm Niles District Library

Set Klingbeil Rites for 2 P.M. Thursday

Funeral services for Gustave Klingbeil, Niles township, who ended his life yesterday by hanging, will be held at the Rutherford Funeral home chapel at 2 o'clock Thursday afternoon.  The services will be in charge of the Rev. G.W. Simons and burial will be in Silverbrook cemetery.

Niles Daily Star, Thursday, January 25, 1934, page 2, col. 2, microfilm Niles District Library

KLINGBEIL RITES HELD

Funeral rites for Gustave Klingbeil, Niles township, who hung himself Tuesday morning, were held this afternoon at 2 o'clock in the Rutherford Funeral home chapel. The services were in charge of the Rev. G.W. Simon. Burial was in Silverbrook cemetery.

Note: DOB from Michigan Death Records

Willard Lewis Meldrim
Jan. 21, 1930-March 3, 1934

Niles Daily Star, Monday, March 5, 1934, page 1, col. 7, microfilm Niles District Library

Meldrum Son Dies; Funeral on Tuesday

Willard Lewis Meldrum, four year old son of Mr. and Mrs. W.H. Meldrum, . .[illegible]. . .died of pneumonia at 7:30 o'clock Saturday night in Pawating hospital.

The deceased was born Jan. 21, 1930 and, besides his parents, is survived by a sister, Cara Lea, and a brother, William M., and also his grandparents.

Funeral services will be held at 2 o'clock Tuesday afternoon at the Rutherford funeral home with the Rev. Harry L. Nicholson, pastor of the Trinity Episcopal church, officiating. Burial will be in Silverbrook cemetery.

Niles Daily Star, Tuesday, March 6, 1934, page 2, col. 3, microfilm Niles District Library

MELDRIM RITES TODAY

Funeral services for Willard Lewis Meldrim, four year old son of Mr. and Mrs. W.H. Meldrim, 1409 Sheffield avenue, who died Saturday night in Pawating hospital, were held at 2 o'clock this afternoon in the Rutherford funeral home with the Rev. Harry L. Nicholson, pastor of the Trinity Episcopal church, officiating.  Burial was in Silverbrook cemetery.

Note: Cemetery record and grave marker read Willard Louis Meldrim.

William J. Whisenant, 70, of Niles
Dec. 27, 1943 — Feb. 4, 2014

Niles Daily Star, Published 9:05am Thursday, February 6, 2014

William J. Whisenant, 70, of Niles, died at 1:25 p.m. on Tuesday, Feb. 4, 2014, at Lakeland Community Hospital in Niles following an extended illness.

He was born on December 27, 1943, in Benton Harbor, Mich. to Lloyd Burley and Mozelle Gladys (Barnwell) Whisenant. He attended Eau Claire, Michigan schools and Southwestern Michigan College. He has lived in Niles since 1964. He was employed at the National-Standard Corporation for twenty-eight years, and then for several years at Berrien Metal Products, Inc. in Buchanan.

Bill loved God, and prior to his illness was active at the Community Evangelical Free Church in Niles. He was an accomplished artist, practicing in oil painting and photography.

On Aug. 2, 1963, in Eau Claire he married the former Pat M. Prillwitz with whom he celebrated last year the fiftieth anniversary of their wedding.

He was preceded in death by their son, William T. Whisenant on March 6, 2002 and by Bill’s parents and brother, Dave Whisenant.

Bill is survived by his wife, Pat Whisenant and by their son, Rob (Carrie) Whisenant of Niles; grandchildren William Charles Whisenant and Charles Franklin Whisenant; and Bill’s sister, Sandy Whisenant of Dowagiac, Mich. and brothers Jim Whisenant of Niles and John Whisenant of Dowagiac and several nieces and nephews.

The funeral service for Bill Whisenant will be at 3: p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 8, 2014, at the Community Evangelical Free Church with the Rev. Collin D. Seitz of Crossroads Evangelical Free Church in Plymouth, Ind. officiating. Interment will be private, next week at Silverbrook Cemetery in Niles.

The family will receive relatives and friends on Saturday at the church, beginning at 2 p.m. Arrangements were made at the Halbritter Funeral Home in Niles.

www.halbritterfunerals.com

Celia M. Webber, of Niles, Mich.
May 5, 1935 — Jan. 26, 2014

Niles Daily Star, Published 9:20am Thursday, January 30, 2014

Celia M. Webber, age 78 years of Niles, Mich. died at 1 a.m. on Sunday, Jan. 26, 2014 at Memorial Hospital in South Bend, Ind. following an extended illness.

Webber

She was born on May 5, 1935 in Virginia, Ill. to Emmett Lee and Audrey Anita (Edwards) Revis. She spent some of her childhood in Wisconsin, was graduated from Niles High School, and has lived in Niles and in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula communities of Rapid River and Trenary. In Niles, she was employed for many years at the former U.S.D.A. Biological Laboratory, and at MRC Tech in South Bend.

Celia was a devout Christian, and a loyal supporter of the Ernest Angley Ministries. She enjoyed outdoor activities, mostly in the U.P. including hunting, fishing, sport shooting, and keeping a farm with horses, dairy goats, and chickens. She was proficient in art as a painter using all media, and other crafts; and she loved her dog, Tito.

She had formerly been married to Daniel Haley and then to Rodrick Webber. She was preceded in death by a son, Edison Vance Haley on July 4, 1999 and by her brothers, Roland and Gerald Revis.

Surviving family includes her daughter, Annitta (Alan) Hostetler of Niles; grandchildren, Clayton Hostetler, Chaney Hostetler, and Audrey Hostetler; great-grandchildren Haley, Nicholas, Destiny, Deena, Douglas, and Taylor; and Celia’s brothers, Commander James Revis, U.S.Air Force, Retired of Escanaba, Michigan and Theodore Revis of Wilmington, Ill. and sisters, Rossella (Pat) Yokeum of Security, Colorado, and Noretta Stevens of Niles; and many nieces and nephews.

The funeral service for Celia Webber will be at 7 p.m. on Friday, Jan. 31, 2014 at the Halbritter Funeral Home in Niles. Interment will be private on Monday at Silverbrook Cemetery in Niles. The family will receive relatives and friends beginning at 5 p.m. at the funeral home.

www.halbritterfunerals.com

Nila June Phillips, 79, of Niles
Dec. 9, 1934 — Feb. 13, 2014

Niles Daily Star, Published 9:10am Friday, February 14, 2014

Nila June Phillips, 79, of Niles passed away at Memorial Hospital in South Bend on Thursday, Feb. 13, 2014.

Nila was born on Dec. 9, 1934, to the late Harvey and Bernice (Michelson) Andress in Niles. After graduating from Niles High School, in 1953, Nila wed Harry Phillips Jr. on March 21, 1959. Together they had three children. She enjoyed camping and spending time outdoors. She also loved to travel, especially to Las Vegas.

She is preceded in death by her father, Harvey Andress; mother, Bernice Green; husband, Harry Phillips Jr. and brother Richard Myers.

Nila is survived by her children, Kevin (Chris) Phillips of South Bend, Ind., Pamela (Gary) Fisk of Edwardsburg, Mich. and Timothy (Kim) Phillips of Niles; grandchildren April, Joshua, Angelina, Tyler and Trenton; great-grandchildren Jonathan, Lexi, Ashlynn and Autumn and siblings Basil (Bessie) Andress of Plainwell, Mich., Carla Collmer of Niles, Marcille Jochem of Kalamazoo, Mich. and Susan (Jeff Palmer) Andress of Kalamazoo.

A time of visitation will be held on Monday, Feb. 17, 2014, at Brown Funeral Home from 5 p.m. until 7 p.m. Services to honor Nila’s life will be held on Tuesday, Feb. 18, 2014, at Hope United Methodist Church in Edwardsburg at 11 a.m. with pastor Jeffery Reese officiating.

Those wishing to make memorial donations may do so in Nila’s name to the National Parkinson Foundation located at PO Box 5018, Hagerstown, MD 21741 or Hope United Methodist Church located at 69941 Elkhart Road, Edwardsburg, MI 49112.

Those wishing to leave a message for the family or upload a photo of Nila may do so on our website at www.BrownFuneralHomeNiles.com or on our Facebook page at www.Facebook.com/BrownFuneralHomeNiles.

Arrangements have been entrusted to Brown Funeral Home & Cremation Services of Niles.