Obituaries

Millie Salee
Sept. 6, 1859-Feb. 4, 1943

Niles Daily Star, Monday, February 8, 1943, page 2, col. 6, microfilm Niles District Library

FUNERAL TUESDAY FOR MILLIE SALEE

Funeral services for Miss Millie Salee, 83, life-long resident of Niles, will be conducted Tuesday afternoon at 2 in the Price Kiger chapel.

The Reverend . .Hoffmaster, pastor of the Methodist church, will officiate, with burial in Silverbrook cemetery. The funeral will be private.

Miss Salee, native of Niles township, died Saturday morning at 11:30 in her home, 209 South Eleventh street, after a year's illness. She was born Sept. 6, 1859.

Surviving are a brother and two sisters, Mrs. Mary Lamberton, Niles; Mrs. Homer Lamberton, Jones, Mich., and Charles Salee, Elkhart.

Miss Salee was a member of the Methodist church.  Friends may call at the funeral home.

Susan J. Samson
July 1, 1871-Jan. 25, 1943

Niles Daily Star, Monday, January 25, 1943, page 2, col. 7, microfilm Niles District Library

SUSAN SAMPSON, 71, BUCHANAN, DIES

BUCHANAN, Jan. 25--Mrs. Susan J. Samson, 71, life-long resident of Buchanan township, died this morning at 3:15 in her home on Route 2.

Daughter of the late Woodbury and Mary Spaulding, she was born July 1, 1871, in the township.  Her husband, Harry Samson, died Oct. 26, 1940. She was a member of the Royal Neighbor lodge and of the Buchanan Methodist church.

Surviving are three sons, Harry, Ward and Fred Samson, and a daughter, Mrs. Harry Berry, all of Buchanan.

Friends may call at the Swem funeral home.

Gertrude Smith
Sept. 20, 1873-Feb. 23, 1943

Niles Daily Star, Tuesday, February 23, 1943, page 2, col. 8, microfilm Niles District Library

GERTRUDE SMITH TAKEN BY DEATH

Mrs. Gertrude Brown Smith, 69, member of a pioneer Niles family and life-long resident of the city, died this morning at 5 in her home, 1915 North Fifth street, after an illness of four years.

Daughter of the late William A. and Clara Brown, Mrs. Smith was born in Niles Sept. 20, 1873. Her grandfather, the late Jacob Kingery Brown, came to Niles as a contractor in 1828.

Among Mrs. Smith's many interests were her flower garden, antiques and needlework. Her antiques were considered one of the finest general private collections in the country.

Funeral Thursday

Surviving are her husband, W.A. Smith, to whom she was married June 22, 1894 in Elkhart; two daughters, Mrs. G.D. Benson and Mrs. John M. Babbitt, Niles; a brother, Lawrence Brown, Lexington, Ky., and two granddaughters, Patricia Benson and Judith Babbitt.

Friends may call in the Price and Kiger funeral home where the service will be conducted Thursday afternoon at 2:30. The Rev. Harry  L. Nicholson, rector of Trinity Episcopal church of which she was a member, will officiate. Burial will be in Silverbrook cemetery.

Mary Louise Smith
March 22, 1854-Jan. 7, 1943

Niles Daily Star, Friday, January 8, 1943, page 2, col. 4, microfilm Niles District Library

MRS. MARY SMITH, 88, DIES IN HOME; RITES 2:30 MONDAY

Mrs. Mary Louise Smith, 88, resident of this community more than 80 years, died Thursday afternoon at 1 in her home, 726 North Fourth street. She had been ill of arthritis and complications since April.

Daughter of the late Anna Marie and Carl Gerblich, Mrs. Smith was born in Falkenberg, Germany, March 22, 1854, and came here at the age of four.

Wed in Edwardsburg

She was preceded in death by her husband, the late Frederick C. Smith to whom she was married July 30, 1871, in Edwardsburg.  The Smiths lived for many years on the property now occupied by the municipal airport.

Surviving are a daughter, Mrs. Laura L. Taylor; a son, W. Arthur Smith;  two grandchildren, Mrs. John Babbitt and Mrs. Dwight Benson and two great-granddaughters, Judith Ann Babbitt and Patricia Benson, all of Niles.

Friends may call at the Rutherford funeral home where the service will be conducted Monday afternoon at 2:30. The Rev. Guy W. Simon, pastor of the First Presbyterian church, of which she was a member, will officiate. Burial will be in Silverbrook abbey.

Mary Walker
abt. 1857-Feb. 4, 1943

Niles Daily Star, Thursday, February 4, 1943, page 2, col. 2, microfilm Niles District Library

Mary Walker, 85, Niles Ex-Resident, Stricken in Illinois

Mrs. Mary Walker, 85, mother of David N. Walker, north of Niles, died this morning in the home of another son, Clyde S. Walker, Rock Island, Ill.

As the former Miss Mary Cameron, Mrs. Walker came to Niles during her childhood and lived here until eight years ago when she went to Rock Island.

Other survivors are two brothers, George Cameron, near Sumnerville, and Frank Cameron, Chicago.

Niles Daily Star, Friday, February 5, 1943, page 2, col. 3, microfilm Niles District Library

Walker Funeral Set for Saturday

Funeral services for Mrs. Mary Walker, who died Thursday morning in Rock Island, Ill., will be conducted Saturday afternoon at 2 in the Price and Kiger chapel.

The Rev. O.W. Carr, Fennville, will officiate with burial in the Silverbrook mausoleum. Friends may call at the funeral home after  noon today.

Mrs. Walker, long a resident of Niles, was the mother of David N. Walker, North of Niles.

Niles Daily Star, Saturday, February 6, 1943, page 2, col. 2microfilm Niles District Library

Walker Rites

Three grandsons of the late Mrs. Mary Walker served as pallbearers this afternoon at 2 when funeral rites were conducted by the Rev. O.A. Carr, Fennville, in the Price and Kiger chapel.  They were Clayton, Elwood and Ray Walker; who served with Fred Frost, Albert Frost and Max White, all near Niles. Burial was in the mausoleum in Silverbrook cemetery.

Minnie Young
April 7, 1860-Feb. 1, 1943

Niles Daily Star, Tuesday, February 2, 1943, page 2, col. 5, microfilm Niles District Library

MINNIE YOUNG, 82, DIES IN BERTRAND

Mrs. Minnie Young, 82, widow of the late James Young, died Monday afternoon at 3:40 in her Bertrand home. She had been a resident of the community 25 years.

Born April 7, 1860, near Butler, Ind., Mrs. Young was married Oct. 12, 1907. Mr. Young died in 1939. The only survivor is a nephew, Paul Maxwell, Bertrand.

Friends may call at the residence until Wednesday afternoon when the body will be taken to the Bertrand Community church, of which she was a member, for services at 2:30.

The Rev. Joseph Hyink will officiate with burial in Silverbrook cemetery.