Lillian D. Barman
Oct. 28, 1880-June 1, 1972

Niles Daily Star, Friday, June 2, 1972, page 2, col. 7, microfilm Niles District Library

NILES--Lillian D. Barman, 1333 Wells St., died at 3:30 p.m. Thursday in the Dor-A-Lin Nursing Home, after an illness of several years.

Mrs. Barman was born Oct. 28, 1880, in Hamilton, Ohio,and had lived here for 74 years, coming from Hamilton. Her husband, Harry, died Oct. 14, 1946.  She was a member of the Trinity Episcopal Church and the St. Agnes Church Guild.

Surviving are two sisters, Mrs. Charles Silsbee of Evanston, Ill., and Mrs. John Seagreaves of Los Angeles, Calif.

Funeral services will be held at 9:30 a.m. Saturday in the Halbritter Funeral Home, with the Rev. Vincent J. Anderson of The Trinity Episcopal Church officiating. Burial will be in Silverbrook Cemetery.

Friends may call from 7 to 9 tonight at the funeral home.

Alphonso L. Bradford
March 6, 1930-Jan. 23, 2002

Niles Daily Star, Friday, Jan. 25, 2002, page 2

Funeral services for Alphonso L. Bradford, 62, 251 Cass St., Niles will be Monday, Jan. 28 at 2 p.m. at Mount Calvary Baptist Church in Niles.  The Rev. Danny Bradford of New Bible Baptist Church of Miller, Ind. will be officiating.

Burial will be in Silverbrook Cemetery, Niles.

Bradford died Wednesday, Jan. 23 at 4:10 a.m. at Lakeland Specialty Hospital in Berrien Center, following an extended illness.

Bradford was born March 6, 1939 in Chicago, Ill. to Percy Bradford and Elizabeth O’Neal.  He came to Niles from Chicago, Ill. in 1939.  He was a barber at Bryann’s Hair Design in Niles.  He earned an associates degree from Southwestern Michigan College.  He was a member of Mount Calvary Baptist Church in Niles.

Survivors include: one son, Ian (and Krystal) Bradford of Allentown, Pa.; three daughters, Natalie Bradford and twins Kimberly and Jeanette Bradford, all of Chicago, Ill.; four grandchildren, Samone Rush, Andrew Robinson, and Janelle and Jarrel Hampton; two sisters Bernice Strotter of Niles and Anita Jones of Mishawaka, Ind.; and two brothers, the Rev. Danny Bradford of Gary, Ind. and Raymond Bradford in Chicago, Ill.

He was preceded in death by one sister, Dorothy Williams.

Friends may call one hour prior to services at the church.

Arrangements were made at Halbritter Funeral Home in Niles.

Frederick S. Cowles
1856-Feb. 4, 1919

Niles Daily Sun, Thursday, Feb. 6, 1919, page 1, col. 2, microfilm Niles District Library

FORMER NILES RESIDENT DEAD

The body of Frederick S. Cowles, a former resident of Niles, will be brought here tomorrow from Chicago via the Michigan Central at 1 o'clock and will be taken directly to Silver Brook cemetery for burial in the family lot. Mr. Cowles is the father of Lieutenant Fred F. Cowles, now in France with the 131st Infantry, formerly the 1st infantry, 1, N.G.  He died Tuesday. Besides his son Fred, Mrs. Cowles is survived by a brother, W.J. Cowles, who will accompany the body to Niles.

Gilbert Cox
Feb. 13, 1918-Jan. 30, 1919

Niles Daily Sun, Friday, January 31, 1919, page 1, col. 2, microfilm Niles District Library

CHILD DIES FROM POISON

Infant Son of Edward C. Cox Ate Colored Crayons--Other Children Very Ill.

Gilbert Cox, born Feb. 13, 1918, son of Mr. and Mrs. E.Claude Cox of Vernon Heights, died about 5 o'clock last evening as the result of poisoning from eating colored crayons.  His sister, aged 4 years, is also ill and for a time her life was despaired of, but today she is improved.  A cousin of the children, little daughter of Charles Johnson, 702 Maple street, who visited them Sunday, also became very ill from the same cause.

The Cox baby ate a piece of brown crayon on Tuesday and became ill Tuesday night, but was better on Wednesday. On Thursday he suddenly was stricken with violent spasms and died within a few hours. The mother of the child saw him with a crayon in his mouth and took it from him, but not before he had eaten part of it.

An investigation will be made as to kind of poisoning in the crayon.

Mr. and Mrs. W.M. Johnson of Buchanan, grandparents of the children, stopped at the Cox homes yesterday afternoon while en route to southern Indiana on a visit, and finding the children so ill, they remained here.

The funeral services will be held tomorrow afternoon with burial in Silver Brook cemetery.

(DOB/DOD from Michigan Death Record; cause of death poisoning by "cold tar product")

Niles Daily Star, Friday, January 31, 1919, page 4, col. 2, microfilm Niles District Library

The six months old son of  Edward C. Cox died yesterday at 5 o'clock after a short illness. The funeral will take place tomorrow at 2 o'clock from the residence, and interment will occur in Silver Brook cemetery.

Morton P. ‘Duke’ Devine
June 21, 1922-June 5, 2000

Niles Daily Star, Tuesday, June 6, 2000, page 2

Funeral services for Morton P. “Duke” Devine, 77, of 4080 Delespine Road, Cocoa, Fla., formerly of Buchanan, will be held at 10:30 a.m. on Friday at Pifer-Smith Funeral Home, Niles.

Burial will follow at Silverbrook Cemetery, Niles.

Devine died on Monday at his home, due to natural causes.  He was born on June 21, 1922 in Cleaton, Ky.

In 1952, he married Muriel Rose Decker in Chicago, who died in 1980.  In 1981, he later married Adelaide Hickey in Buchanan, who survives.

He is also survived by his five daughters, Mary L. Heimberger of Niles, Mary Joann Drogus of Dowagiac, Olive Marie Williams of South Bend, Ind., Charlotte Diane Jackson of Niles, Sherrie Lynn Morris, Bridgeport, Va.; four sons, George Albert Devine of Niles, Shelby Gene Devine of Haughton, La., Samuel T. Devine of Bridgeport, Va., Richard James Devine of Arizona; brother Samuel Devine of Benton Harbor; 23 grandchildren; 23 great-grandchildren; two great-great grandchildren.  Mr. Devine was a World War II veteran.  He was a member of Disabled American Veterans – Niles Post; he enjoyed fishing, shooting pool, cards and antiques; affiliated with Emmanuel Baptist Church, Niles.  He was employed as a tool and die maker.

Visitation will be from 2 to 4 p.m. and 6 to 8 p.m. at Pifer-Smith Funeral Home on Thursday.

Memorial contributions may be made to the charity of choice.

Alma B. Farris*
Sept. 6, 1903-June 6, 1972

Niles Daily Star, Tuesday, June 6, 1972, page 2, col. 8, microfilm Niles District Library

NILES--Mrs. Alma B. Farris, 68, of 1011 Herbert St., was dead on arrival at Pawating Hospital at 6:55 a.m. today. Death was attributed to natural causes.

Mrs. Farris was born Sept. 6, 1903, in Arkansas. She moved here in 1946 from Coloma. She married Joseph Farris, who died in 1962. She was a member of the Niles Church of God.

Survivors include two daughters, Mrs. Norma Garner and Mrs. Ileana Hunt, both of Niles; a brother, Emmanuel Billingsley of California; two sisters, Mrs. Gladys Graham of Arkansas and Mrs. Lora Blakburn of Flint, eight grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.

Funeral services will be held at 10 a.m. Friday in the Pifer Funeral Home with the Rev. C.E. Schoolie and the Rev. L.I. Ricketts officiating. Burial will be in Silverbrook Cemetery.

Friends may call after 7 tonight at the funeral home.

*Last name is spelled Farries in the Silverbrook cemetery record and in the Social Security Death Index.  It is spelled Farris in the obituary above and on the Michigan Death Record.)