Obituaries

Emma Messner
Aug. 6, 1906-July 28, 1978

Niles Daily Star, Monday, July 31, 1978, page 2, col. 4, microfilm Niles District Library

NILES--Emma R. Messner, 71, of 728 Broadway, died at 10:50 p.m. Friday at Pawating Hospital, following a brief illness.

A member of the DAV Auxiliary, she was a retired employee of Berrien General Hospital. Mrs. Messner was born Aug. 6, 106 in Valparaiso, Ind., and had lived her lifetime in the area.

On Aug. 24, 1921 in Valparaiso, she married Elvin Mark Messner, who died July 9, 1957.

Survivors include three sons, Lewis E. and Robert W., both of Niles, and Donald L. of Benton Harbor; two brothers, Jerry Meadows of Valparaiso, Ind., and Thomas Meadows of Green Valley, Ill.; a sister, Mrs. Agnes Hopper of Portage, Ind.; five grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.

Funeral services will be at 2 p.m. Tuesday at the Halbritter Funeral Home with the Rev. Gordon Everett of the Wesley United Methodist Church officiating. Burial will be in Silverbrook Cemetery.

Friends may call at the funeral home after 4 p.m .today. Memorials may be made to the Open Door Residences, Inc.

James Lee Palmer
1924-April 7, 1959

Niles Daily Star, Wednesday, April 8, 1959, page 2, col. 4, microfilm Niles District Library

James Lee Palmer, 35, of 878 Carberry Road, died at 10:50 p.m Tuesday in Pawating Hospital where he had been a patient since March 24. He had been ill for the past two months.

Mr. Palmer was born in 1924 in Round Pound, Ark., and had lived in Niles for the past 21 years.

Surviving are: his parents, Mr.and Mrs. Haskin Palmer, of Niles; four brothers, Sylvester Palmer, Benton Harbor, Rubert Palmer, of Niles, Eugene Palmer in California, and Haskin Palmer, of Coloma, and four sisters, Mrs. Izola Reynolds, of Flint, Mrs. Ardessie Foster, of Detroit, and Mrs. Iola Riley and Mrs. Magnolia Murphy, both of Niles.

Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. Saturday in the Mount Olive Baptist Church here with the pastor, the Rev. E.J. Jones, officiating. Friends may call at the Pifer Funeral Home beginning Thursday evening.

Garth W. Westfall
Dec. 21, 1915-July 3, 1980

Niles Daily Star, Saturday, July 5, 1980, page 2, col. 3, microfilm Niles District Library

NILES--Garth W. Westfall, 65, of 955 Ruth Layne, died at 2:15 p.m. Thursday at St.Joseph Hospital, South Bend, following an extended illness.

A Niles High School graduate and veteran of the U.S. Navy in World War II, he was a retired Bendix Corporation employee.

Mr. Westfall was born Dec. 21, 1915 in Edwardsburg, and had lived his lifetime in the area.

On June 8, 1940 in Niles, he married Elouise Squier, who survives.

Also surviving are a son, Gerald W.S. of Niles; two brothers, Earl and Leo, both of Edwardsburg; a sister, Mrs. Mable Todd of Three Rivers; a granddaughter, Melissa and a grandson Andrew G. Westfall.

Funeral services will be at 3 p.m. Monday at Silverbrook Cemetery with the Rev. Aronold O. Shaap of Edwardsburg officiating. Full military rites will be conducted by the Niles American Legion Post 26.

There will be no visitation. Funeral arrangements are being handled by the Halbritter Funeral Home.

Memorials may be made to the Michigan Lung Association.

Louis T. Holecek
Feb. 28,  1896-April 23, 1963

Niles Daily Star, Wednesday, April 24, 1963, page 2, col. 3, microfilm Niles District Library

Louis T. Holecek, 67, of 218 N. 13th St., Died at 11:40 a.m. Tuesday in Pawating Hospital, where he had been a patient since April 4.

Mr. Holecek, a consulting engineer with the Kawneer Company, was born Feb. 28, 1896, in Chicago, and came to Niles from that city 25 years ago.

Survivors include his widow, Anna; a daughter, Mrs. William VanArman, Niels; a brother, Jerry, Cicero, Ill.; two sisters, Mrs. Steve Wolf, Miami, Fla., and Mrs. Joseph Janek, Brookfield, Ill., and a grandson.

He was a member of St. Mary's Catholic Church and the 25- Year Club at Kawneer.

Funeral services will be conducted at 10 a.m. Thursday in his church. The Rev. Cletus M. Rose, pastor, will officiate. Burial will be in Silverbrook Cemetery.

The Rosary will be recited at 7:30 p.m .tonight in the Pifer Funeral Home, where friends are being received.

Lucy May Sutter
Nov. 23, 1896-June 25, 1991

Niles Daily Star, Wednesday, June 26, 1991, page 2, col. 3-4, microfilm Niles District Library

Funeral services for Lucy May Sutter, 94, of 1342 Hickory St., Niles, will be 11 a.m. Friday at Halbritter Funeral Home by the Rev. Leo E. Kostizen, pastor of St. Paul's Lutheran Church.

Burial will be at Silverbrook Cemetery.

Mrs. Sutter died at 9:45 a.m. Tuesday at Pawating Hospital, following an extended illness.

She was born Nov. 23, 1896, in Logansport, Ind., and lived in Niles since 1927, coming from Logansport, Ind.

Mrs. Sutter was a member of the Ladies' Auxiliary to the Brotherhood of Railway Trainmen.

On Nov. 24, 1915, in Logansport, Ind., she married Edward C. Sutter, who preceded her in death.

Survivors include a daughter, Mae Smith of Niles; two granddaughters, Shirley Fender and Carol Krizenski, both of Niles; two great-grandchildren; one great-great-grandson; a daughter, Margaret Smith; who preceded her in death; and a great-grandson, Kevin Jones, who preceded her in death.

Visitation will be 2-4 and 7-9 p.m. Thursday at Halbritter Funeral Home.

Earl Thompson
Nov. 25, 1909-March 23, 1953

Niles Daily Star, Tuesday, March 24, 1953, page 2, col. 2, microfilm Niles District Library

Earl (Boney) Thompson, 43, of 1315 Hickory street, died at the Hines Veterans' Hospital, Hines, Ill, Monday night.  He had been a patient there since Dec. 15, 1952.

Thompson was born in Three Oaks Nov. 25, 1909, the son of Mr.and Mrs. Lennie Thompson, He lived in Niles since 1918.

He married the former Muriel Anderson in 1946.

Thompson was steward at the Eagles Lodge, and was a member of the American Legion, the Veterans of Foreign Wars, and Associate member of the Eagles Lodge, all in Niles.

Surviving are the widow; two children, Deanna and Jayme, both at home; four brothers, Harold, Elton, Leonard and Everett, all Niles; two sisters, Miss Jean Thompson and Mrs. Ward Conrad, both Niles; and his mother, Mrs. Lennie Thompson.

Friends may call at the Kiger Funeral Home Wednesday evening. Funeral arrangements are incomplete.