Obituaries

Raymond Henry Neff
Sept. 20, 1943-March 3, 1953

Niles Daily Star, Tuesday, March 3, 1953, page 2, col. 2, microfilm Niles District Library

Raymond Henry Neff, 9, of rural route two, died at 12:45 a.m. today at Pawating Hospital. He had been ill a week, and entered the hospital at 6:40 p.m.  last night. An autopsy was to be performed this morning to determine the cause of death.

Surviving are his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Bruce Neff, rural route two; a grandfather, Robert Neff, East Moline, Ill.; a grandmother, Mrs. Henry Kallenbach, Davenport, Ia., and two brothers, Daniel and Michael, at home.

He was born on Sept. 20, 1943, in Davenport, Ia., and came here from that state two and one-half years ago. He was a student at Howard Community School.

Friends may call at the Pifer Funeral Home, where services will be conducted at 2 p.m. Thursday by the Rev. Vern F. Barr, pastor of the First Church of Christ. Burial will be in Silverbrook Cemetery.

Eva Smith Palmer
May 16, 1896-May 6, 1963

Niles Daily Star, Tuesday, May 7, 1963, page 2, col. 1-2, microfilm Niles District Library

Mrs. Eva Smith Palmer, 66, of 1265 S. 11th St., died at 8:35 a.m. Monday in her home. She had been in ill health five years. She was pronounced dead at Pawating Hospital.

Mrs. Palmer was born May 16, 1896, in Cassopolis, and lived her lifetime here. Her husband William Floyd, died in 1942.

Surviving are a son, Clair, Niles, and two grandchildren.

Funeral services will be conducted at 2 p.m. Wednesday in the Pifer Funeral Home, The Rev. Oreln Njus, pastor of the Bertrand Bible Church, will officiate. Burial will be in Silverbrook Cemetery.

Friends are being received at the funeral home.

Harry B. Pierce
Sept. 21, 1888-April 20, 1963

Niles Daily Star, Saturday, April 20, 1963, page 2, col. 5, microfilm Niles District Library

Harry B. Pierce, 74, of 541 First Court, died at 7:30 a.m. today in his home. He had been ill only a day.

Mr. Pierce,, a retired supervisor of the car department of the New York Central Railroad, was born Sept. 21, 1888 in Kalamazoo County. He came to Niles from South Haven 55 years ago. He married Cecil Milton Dec. 4, 1911 in South Bend. She survives.

Other survivors include a daughter, Mrs. Dean Wilkinson, Edwardsburg; a son, Homer H., Niles; a brother, Clyde, and a sister, Mrs. Frank Gleason, both of Niles; four grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.

He was a member of the First Methodist Church and the Elks Lodge, and was president of the Railroad Pensioners Club.

Funeral services will be conducted at 4 p.m  Monday in the Kiger Funeral Home, Dr. Maurice McKean, pastor of his church, will officiate. Burial will be in Silverbrook Cemetery.

Friends are being received at the funeral home.

James "J.J." David Johnson
April 9, 1950-Feb. 7, 2006

Niles Daily Star, Friday, February 10, 2006, page 2, col. 1, microfilm Niles District Library

James "J.J." David Johnson, 55 of Maple Street, Niles, died suddenly at 2:30 a.m. on Tuesday, Feb. 7, at his home of natural causes.

Funeral services will be at 11 a.m. on Monday, Feb. 13, at Halbritter Funeral Home, in Niles, with Pastor Bill Dudgeon, the Associate Pastor of Niles Westside Seventh-day Adventist Church, officiating. Burial will take place at Silverbrook Cemetery, Niles.  The family will receive friends from 2 to 4 p.m. on Sunday, Feb. 12, at the funeral home.

On April 9, 1950, in Dyess, Ark., he was born to Cecil Johnson and J. Mabelene Brasfield.

He lived most of his lifetime in Niles and was a former employee of Delta Machining, Niles. In 1968, he graduated from Niles High School.

Playing pool, he was on a league at Beachcomer Resort, was an avid NASCAR fan and enjoyed auto racing.  However, his greatest love was spending time with his grandchildren.

On Sept. 3, 1994, in Las Vegas, Nev. he married Angela D. (Rideout) Johnson, who survives.

His grandson, Michael David Johnson, preceded  him in death on Feb. 7, 1995.

In addition to his wife, Angela, surviving are his first wife, Marilyn L. Johnson; his daughter, Tamera M.  (Bill) Johnson, of Perry; two granddaughters, Alyson T. Johnson and Jessie L. Johnson and his grandson Cody J. Johnson, all of Perry; three sisters, Glenda F. Foster, of Niles; Janice L. Boyer, from Virginiia and Kathy L. Johnson-Sly, also of Niles and his brother, Larry Paul Johnson, of Buchanan.

Memorial contributions, in his memory, may be made to the American Heart Association.

Arrangements were by Halbritter Funeral Home, Niles.

Garner E. Manley
Dec. 4, 1913-May 20, 1963

Niles Daily Star, Thursday, May 23, 1963, page 2, col. 4, microfilm Niles District Library

Garner E. Manley, 49, of Manitou Springs, Colo., former resident of Niles for about 35 years,  died suddenly at his home, Monday.

Mr. Garner was born in Bryant, Ind., on Dec. 4, 1913. He came to Niles at the age of 14 and lived here until he moved to Colorado last year.

He is survived by two sisters, Mrs. Vanrhie Thomas, Niles, and Mrs. Bruce Miller, Pampano Beach, Fla.; two brothers, George R., Manitou Springs, and Rex J., Niles.

The body will be brought to the Kiger Funeral Home. Burial will be in Silverbrook Cemetery. Funeral arrangements are incomplete.

Niles Daily Star, Friday, May 24, 1963, page 2, col. 2, microfilm Niles District Library

Funeral services for Garner E. Manley, 49, of Manitou Springs, Colo., formerly of Niles, will be conducted at 3:30 p.m. Saturday in the Kiger Funeral Home. Dr. Maurice McKean, pastor of the First Methodist Church, will officiate.  Burial will be in Silverbrook Cemetery.

He died suddenly in his home Monday.

Friends will be received at the funeral home this evening.

Dale L. McBain
Nov. 19, 1939-May 10, 1993

Niles Daily Star, Wednesday, May 12, 1993, page 2, col. 1-2, microfilm Niles District Library

Dale L. McBain
1939-1993
Worked for 22
years for Clark
Equipment Co.

Funeral services for Dale L. McBain, 53, of 3019 Miller Road, Buchanan, are scheduled for 1 p.m. Friday at Hoven Funeral Home with Ed Mihelich speaking.

Burial will follow at  Silverbrook Cemetery in Niles.

McBain died at 2:30 p.m. Monday at Pawating Hospital.

Born Nov. 19, 1939, in Niles, he had lived in Buchanan since 1962, coming from Niles.

On Nov. 10, 1962, in Lydick, Ind., he married the former Laurea "Tish" LaFree, who survives.

He worked for Clark Equipment Co. in Buchanan for 22 years. He was a former member for many years of the Buchanan Township Fire Department and was chairman of the BASSA senior citizens group.

Other survivors include his mother, Louise McBain of Niles; two daughters, Kim Lynn McBain of Buchanan and Vicky Shawn Ruth of Buchanan; a son, Cory McBain of Buchanan; two grandchildren and a sister Rae Ann Clark of Buchanan,.  An infant daughter, Kelly Lee McBain preceded him in death in 1963.

Friends may call from 2 p.m to 5 p.m. and 7 p.m.  to 9 p.m.  Thursday at Hoven Funeral Home.

Memorial contributions may be made to Life Net, 1839 Miami St., South Bend, Ind., 46613. Life Net transports transplant patients to hospitals free of charge.