Obituaries

Albert A. Hoffman
March 16, 1875-June 3, 1944

Niles Daily Star, Monday, June 5, 1944, page 2, col. 8, microfilm Niles District Library

ALBERT HOFFMAN, EX-FARMER, DIES

Albert A. Hoffman, 69, retied farmer of Bertrand township, died Saturday afternoon at 3:30 in the Berrien County hospital after a cerebral hemorrhage. He had been ill two months.

He was born in Dauphin county, Penn., March 16, 1875, a son of Mr. and Mrs. James Hoffman. He was a resident of Bertrand township 54 years.

Surviving are two brothers, Charles Hoffman, Route 4, Niles, and Chester I. Hoffman, South Haven.

Friends may call at the Rutherford funeral home, where services will be conducted Wednesday afternoon at 2:30 by the Rev. C. H. Trueschel, of the Portage Prairie Evangelical church.  Burial will be in Silverbrook cemetery.

Niles Daily Star, Wednesday, June 7, 1944, page 2, col. 2, microfilm Niles District Library

HOFFMAN RITES

Funeral services for Albert A. Hoffman, 69, Bertrand township, who died Saturday, were conducted in the Rutherford funeral home this afternoon at 2:30 by the Rev. C.H. Trueschel, pastor of the Portage Prairie Evangelical church.  Pallbearers were Charles Gillette, John Young, Claude Haslett, Simon Messenger, Arthur Dillenbeck and Louis Griffith.  Burial was in Silverbrook cemetery.

Clifford I. Jayson
Nov. 2, 1920-Oct. 17, 1944

Niles Daily Star, Wednesday, October 18, 1944, page 1, col. 5-6, microfilm Niles District Library

Lt. Clifford Jayson of Niles Killed in Crash

Lt. Clifford I. Jayson, a fighter pilot, was killed Tuesday in an airplane crash at Naples air field, Naples, Fla. Word of the death reached his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Burton C. Jayson, M-40, Tuesday night.

Details of the accident are not known.

Commissioned on March 12, Lieutenant Jayson expected to leave for overseas soon.

The flyer was born in Niles, Nov. 2, 1920, and graduated from Niles high school in 1939. He attended Albion college for two years and Western Michgian college for a year before enlisting in the army in September, 1942.

Lieutenant Jayson was a member of Sigma Chi fraternity.

Surviving are the parents; a brother, Wesley Jayson, Niles, and a grandmother, Mrs. William Jayson, Milwaukee, Wis.

The body will be sent to Niles, where Price and Kiger funeral home will have charge od arrangements.

William B. Knowlton
Oct. 30, 1871-Dec. 4, 1944

Niles Daily Star, Wednesday, December 6, 1944, page 2, col. 4, microfilm Niles District Library

William B. Knowlton Funeral Set Friday

CASSOPOLIS, Dec. 6—Funeral services for William b. Knowlton, 73, of Milton township, who died Monday night in his home following three weeks illness of heart trouble, will be held Thursday afternoon at the home at 2.

The son of Chauncey and Katherine Border Knowlton, he was born Oct. 30, 1871 in the same house in Milton township where he spent his entire life.  He was married to Elizabeth Shriner Sept. 1, 1903, who survives.

Other survivers are a son, Walter, at home, and a daughter, Mrs. Mildred B. Reinebold, of Elgin, Ill.  The funeral service will be conducted by the Rev. O.H. Gerstenkorn, of Niles and burial will be in Silverbrook cemetery at Niles.

Marjorie Carolyn Lintz
Jan. 25, 1944-June 8, 1944

Niles Daily Star, Friday, June 9, 1944, page 2, col. 1, microfilm Niles District Library

Lintz Baby Dies; Funeral Saturday

Funeral services for Marjorie Carolyn Lintz, 4 ½ month old daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Earl Lintz, 534 Clark street, who died at her home Thursday night at ?:55, will be conducted Saturday afternoon at 2 in the Price and Kiger chapel by the Rev. H.L. Nicholson.

The girl was born at the home Jan. 25. Survivors include three sisters, Earlene, Mildred and Florence, and a brother, James.

Oscar Copley
Jan. 3, 1876-Dec. 27, 1944

Niles Daily Star, Thursday, December 28, 1944, page 1, col. 4, microfilm Niles District Library

Hold Rail Worker in Man's Death

Niles police today held G.W. Foster, 56-year-old Negro railroad worker pending investigation of the death of Oscar Copley, 68, also colored.

Copley, an employe of the Clark Equipment Co., of Buchanan, died last night at Pawating hospital.  An autopsy conducted today by Coroner William Pifer showed death caused by a cerebral hemmorage[sic], caused by a blow over the left ear.

Plan Further Probe

It was understood that he information procured by police may be turned over to a local justice of peace, who will be authorized to make further investigation.

Foster was held for questioning by authorities because he was allegedly involved in a fight with Copley Sunday night at the River View Inn, 22 Front street.

Acting on information supplied by patrons of the tavern, Foster was arrested Tuesday by police.  Foster was reported to have “squabbled” with Copley in the basement of the tavern.

Copley's two daughters, who were with him at the tavern, related to authorities that their father had gone to the rest room of the tavern and failed to return.  The husband of Copley's elder daughter subsequently went in search of his father-in-law.

Police Chief L.O. Bates said Copley was found with his hand cut and bleeding. However, no report was made to police until the following morning.

Native of Cass County

Copley was born in Calvin township, Cass county, on Jan. 3, 1876, and come to Niles 35 years ago.

He is survived by three sons, Delbert Harris; Orman Copley, and Kenneth Copley, all of Niles; four daughters, Mrs. Valma Flint, Mrs. Hortense Moffett, Mrs. Alene Stewart and Mrs. Joyce Hoover, Niles; and four brothers, Charles, Ira and Fred Copley, Calvin township, and Richard Copley, Cassopolis.

The funeral will be conducted from the Pifer funeral home at 2 p.m. Saturday with Rev. Emory Davis officiating. Burial will be made in Silverbrook cemetery.

Pearl Dickeson
Sept. 22, 1890-Sept. 17, 1944

Niles Daily Star, Monday, September 18, 1944, page 2, col. 7, microfilm Niles District Library

Pearl Dickeson, 53, Dies in Pawating After Long Illness

Mrs. Pearl Dickeson, 53, of 641 North Seventh street, died Sunday morning at 6:30 in Pawating hospital after several years of illness.

Forty years ago Mrs. Dickeson moved to Niles from Disko, Ind., where she was born Sept. 22, 1890. She was married in 1907 to John Dickeson in St. Joseph.

She was a member of the Daughters of America, the St. John's Evangelical church, and of the Women's Guild of the church.

Funeral Wednesday

Surviving are the husband; her father, William Weidman; nine children, Mrs. Harold Craig, Indianapolis; Mrs. Helen Rogers, Mrs. Benjamin Hardy, Maxine Dickeson, Peggy Dickeson, John Dickeson, Jr., Walter Dickeson, Ernest Dickeson and Carl Dickeson, all of Niles; seven grandchildren; a brother, Harold Weidman, Niles; and two sisters, Mrs. Noble Meyers and Mrs. Mrs. Ruth Meldrim, Niles.

Friends may call at the Pifer funeral home until noon Wednesday. The Rev. Theo Eisen will officiate at the services Wednesday at 2 in the St. John's Evangelical church.  Burial will be in Silverbrook.

Niles Daily Star, Wednesday, September 20, 1944, page 2, col. 2, microfilm Niles District Library

DICKESON RITES

Mrs. Pearl Dickeson, 53, of 641 North Seventh street, was buried today in Silverbrook following services in the St. John's Evangelical church. She died Sunday.  Survivors are the husband, her father, nine children; seven grandchildren and a step grandchild, a brother and two sisters.  Pallbearers were Carl Schmidt, Herman Schrumpf, George Eisele, Charles Shaber, Percy Bosler and Rudolph Meyer.