Obituaries

Clifford B. McCreary
Sept. 29, 1913-July 28, 1978

Niles Daily Star, Saturday, July 29, 1978, page 2, col. 3-5, microfilm Niles District Library

NILES--Clifford B. McCreary, 64, of 204 1/2 S. St. Joseph St. died at 7 p.m. Friday in his home folowing a two-month illness.

Mr. McCreary was born on Spet. 29, 1913, in Melcher, Iowa, and lived in Niles since 1977 coming from Elkhart. On May 5, 1941, in Laramie, Wyo., he was married to Gail S. Stoneburner, who survives.

Also surviving are three daughters, Mrs. Robert (Mary) Mills, Niles; Mrs. Barney (Jean) Stockman and Mrs. Timothy (Doris) Smith, both of Elkhart; his mother, Mrs. Belle McCreary, Paramont, Calif.; three brothers, Richard and George, of Elkhart, and John of Los Angeles; two sisters, Mrs. Thelma Van Skyhawk, Eagle River, Wis., and Mrs. Katherine Willis, Anaheim, Calif., and seven grandchildren.

Funeral services will be Monday at 2 p.m. at the First Assembly of God Church.  Burial will be in Silverbrook Cemetery with the Rev. Paul A. Fisher officiating. Friends may call at the Halbritter Funeral Home after 2 p.m. Sunday.

Mr. McCreary was a member of the First Assembly of God Church, an Army veteran of WW II, a life member of the D.A.V. No. 19, Elkhart, and a member of the National Order of Trench Rats Dugout No. 389, Elkhart.

Memorial contributions may be given to the First Assembly of God Church Memorial Fund.

Irene L. Russell
June 13, 1913-July 6, 1980

Niles Daily Star, Tuesday, July 8, 1980, page 3, col. 7-8, microfilm Niles District Library

NILES--Mrs. Irene L. Russell, 67, of 1011 Cass St., died at 5 p.m. Sunday at Baldwin, Mich.

She was born June 13, 1913 in Buchanan, and had lived her lifetime in the area.

On Nov. 11, 1928, in LaPorte Ind., she married Lester W. Russell, who survives.

Also surviving are three daughters, Mrs. Harry (Janet) Walters of Mishawaka, Mrs. Walter (Phyllis) Kater and Mrs. Marjorie Merica, both of Niles; four brothers, Donald, Eli Lewey and George Opala, all of Battle Creek; five sisters, Mrs. Lou Green, Mrs. Mable Rose, Mrs. Mildred Hammon, Mrs. Amelia Taylor, and Mrs. Mary VanFleet, all of Battle Creek; eight grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.

Funeral services willl be at 1 p.m. Wednesday at the Halbritter Funeral Home with the Rev. Morton J. Hempel of the Church of God officiating. Burial will be at Silverbrook Cemetery.

Friends may call after 4 p.m. Tuesday at the funeral home. Memorials may be made to the Niles Community Library.

Samuel Shriner
June 5, 1895-July 26, 1980

Niles Daily Star, Monday, July 28, 1980, page 3, col. 1, microfilm Niles District Library

Samuel Shriner, 85, of 2403 Redfield Road, died Saturday at Osteopathic Hospital, South Bend, after a lengthy illness.

A lifetime resident of the area, Mr. Shriner was an employee of Tyler Refrigeration Company.

He was born June 5, 1895 in Bremen, Ind., and married Emma Batchelor on July 17, 1927 in Niles.

She survives along with three daughters, Mrs. John (Marie) Smith of Fort Wayne, Ind.; Mrs. Wayne (Marjorie) Baxter of Niles and Mrs. Jack (Betty) Duis, also of Niles; 15 grandchildren and 17 great grandchildren.

He was a member of the Church of God Full Gospel.

Funeral services will take place at Pifer-Smith Funeral Home at 10:30 a.m. Tuesday with Rev. Morton Hemple of the Church of God officiating. Burial will be in Silverbrook Cemetery.

Friends may call between 7 and 9 p.m.  tonight and memorials may be made to the Church of God Full Gospel.

Billy A. Strickland
Feb. 10, 1938-April 25, 1959

Niles Daily Star, Saturday, April 25, 1959, page 1, col. 2, cont. page 2, col. 6 microfilm Niles District Library

Niles Young Man Killed As Auto

M-40 Fatality Takes Life of Billy Strickland

Early Morning Accident Near Dowagiac Fifth Cass County Fatality

DOWAGIAC [Special]--Billy (Bill) Ashley Strickland, 21, of 2831 Adams Road, Niles, was killed instantly early today when his car slammed nearly head-on into a tree after going off M-40 a mile south of Dowagiac.

A passenger riding beside Strickland on the front seat, Paul Donald Yeager, 22, of route three, Dowagiac, is listed in fair condition today in Lee Memorial Hospital. He was still unconscious early today.

Cass County Coroner Rollo Schoff said Strickland died instantly of multiple skull fractures and a fractured right leg. Strickland was found inside the car lying almost flat. Schoff said the impact of the crash broke the back of the seat.

Strickland's death was Cass County's fifth traffic fatality of 1959.

* * *

YEAGER WHO was thrown out the right-hand door of the car, suffered internal injuries and a broken right leg. Cass County Sheriff's deputies said Yeager's life was probably saved because he was thrown out of the car.

The youths' wrecked car was found at 2:30 a.m. today by Arthur Baer, of Goshen, Ind., who was driving by. Deputies said the accident occurred about five minutes earlier.

From evidence at the scene, deputies said the car, going north, crossed over the center line on a straight portion of the road. The car's left wheels ran along the left shoulder for 145 feet before striking a tree which stood 16 1/2 feet off the road.

The tree was in the front yard

(Continued on Page Two)

of the home of Richard Casey, of route one, Dowagiac.

* * *

THE ENGINE of the 1955 model two-door sedan was pushed through the firewall into the front seat.  It was the engine that broke Strickland's right leg., deputies said.

Deputies said the youths reportedly had left a Niles Township tavern at 2 a.m. Strickland was apparently driving to Yeager's home. A sample of the driver's blood was taken for laboratory analysis.

Strickland was born in Lake City, Ark., Feb. 10, 1939[sic], the son of Levi H. and Virginia Strickland.  The Stricklands came to Niles 15 years ago.

Surviving are his parents; five sisters, Mrs. Montene Summers, of Niles, and Sarah, Josephine, Joyce and Retha, all at home; a brother, Franklin, at home; and a half-brother, William, of Peoria, Ill.

Strickland, a Navy veteran, was discharged Jan. 30 after 3 1/2 years of service. He was employed at the Rudy Mfg. Co., Dowagiac.

The remains were taken to the Pifer Funeral Home, Niles, where arrangements are incomplete.

Friends may call at the Pifer Funeral Home, Niles, beginning Sunday afternoon and until 1 p.m Tuesday, when the remains will be taken to the United Missionary Church. Services will be held there at 2 p.m. Tuesday, the Rev. Wayne Speicher officiating.  Burial will be in Silverbrook Cemetery.

 Note:  DOB is given as Feb. 10, 1939 in obituary but cemetery record and Michigan Death Record have date as Feb. 10, 1938.

Virginia Mae Strickland
Sept. 3, 1921-July 9, 1980

Niles Daily Star, Thursday, July 10, 1980, page 2, col. 4, microfilm Niles District Library

NILES--Mrs. Virginia Mae Strickland, 58, formerly of 911 S. Third St., died at 3:25 a.m. Wednesday at Pawating Hospital, following an extended illness.

A homemaker, she was born Sept. 3, 1921 in Lake City, Ark., and came here 37 years ago from Jonesboro, Ark.

On March 25, 1938 in Lake City, she married Levi Strickland, who died May 13, 1968.

Survivors include her father and mothers, Orla Curtner Sr.,and Lockie Cullins Curtner, both of Jonesboro,; a son, Frank of Dalton, Mich.; five daughters, Ms. Montene Summers of South Bend, Mrs. Howard (Sarah) Gogley of Niles, Ms. Josephine Westfall of Edwardsburg, Mrs. Frank (Joyce) Jendrezewski of Edwardsburg,and Mrs. Jack (Reta) Tesch of Niles; a step-son, William A. Strickland of Peoria, Ill.; five brothers, Orla Curtner Jr., Dean Curtner, Jerry Curtner and Richard Curtner, all of Jonesboro, and Don Curtner of Sacremento, Calif;. four sisters, Mrs. Louise Bunch Mrs. Mattie Cunningham, both of Jonesboro, Mrs. Maxine Carlton of Rockford, Ill, and Mrs. Fayon Henderson of Stutgard, Ark.; 12 grandchildren and one great-grandchild.

Mrs. Strickland was a member of the Missionary Church where funeral services will be conducted at 1:30 p.m. Saturday with the Rev. K.W. Phipps officiating. Burial will be at Silverbrook Cemetery.

Friends may call from 6 to 9 p.m. Thursday and Friday at the Pifer-Smith Funeral Home. Memorials may be made to the Berrien County Cancer Service.

John LaVerne Stueber
Jan. 9, 1926-July 16, 1980

Niles Daily Star, Thursday, July 17, 1980, page 2, col. 7, microfilm Niles District Library

John LaVerne Stueber, 54, of 115 S. Third St., Niles, died at 6:07 a.m. Wednesday in Pawating Hospital.

A janitor for Elixir Industries, Elkhart, he was born on Jan. 9, 1926 in Niles and had spent his lifetime in this area. He was a member of the Niles Eagles Lodge and the Buchanan Moose Lodge.

Survivors include a stepson, Kenneth Brewster of Detroit; three sisters, Mrs. Esther Cox and Mrs. Edward (Geneva) Schrader, both of Niles, and Mrs. William (Alice) Karstens of Winterhaven, Fla.

Funeral services will be held at 10:30 a.m. Friday in the Pifer-Smith Funeral Home in Niles. Burial will be in Silverbrook Cemetery.