Obituaries

Thelma B. Hecker
April 7, 1919-Aug. 22, 1993

Niles Daily Star, Monday, August 23, 1993 page 2

Thelma B. Hecker, 74, of 630 Northwood Drive, South Bend, Ind., died at 1 a.m. Sunday at her home.

Funeral arrangements are pending at Halbritter Funeral Home in Niles.

Niles Daily Star, Tuesday, August 24, 1993 pg 2.

Thelma B. Hecker
1919 -1993
Long-time Niles resident

Funeral services for Thelma B. Hecker, 74, of 630 Northwood Drive, South Bend, Ind., are scheduled for 11 a.m. Wednesday at Holy Trinity Lutheran Church with the Rev. Martha L. Hartman of Holy Trinity Lutheran Church and the Rev. Kenneth R. Peterson of Good Shepherd Lutheran Church, South Bend.

Burial will follow at the Silverbrook Cemetery.

Hecker died at 1 a.m. Sunday at her home following a brief illness.

Born April 7, 1919 in Michigan City, Ind., she spent most of her life in Niles until moving to South Bend in 1985.

On Nov. 20, 1937, in Michigan City, she married the late Harold C. Hecker who preceded her in death on Aug. 10, 1987.

She was a charter member of Holy Trinity Lutheran Church and enjoyed her family.

Survivors include a daughter, Bonnie Ramsey, of South Bend; a granddaughter, Melissa Ramsey of South Bend; a sister, Peggy Dombrowski of Michigan City.  An infant daughter, Patricia Hecker, preceded her in death in 1940.  Memorial contributions may be made to Holy Trinity Lutheran Church.

Funeral  arrangements are being handled by Halbritter Funeral Home.

Floyd B. Higgins
Feb. 19, 1896-June 2, 1972

Niles Daily Star, Saturday, June 3, 1972, page 2, col. 5-7, microfilm Niles District Library

BUCHANAN--Floyd B. Higgins, 76, of 2830 Niles-Buchanan Rd., died at 6:10 p.m. Friday in Pawating Hospital, Niles, after an illness of two days.

A retired farmer, Mr. Higgins was born Feb. 19, 1896, in Columbus, Kan., and had lived here since 1920, coming form Kansas. On Feb. 28, 1920, he married the former Katherine E. Wenzel, who survives.

Mr. Higgins was a veteran of World War I, and a member of the Berrien County Farm Bureau, American Legion Post 26, and Four Flags Barracks 1093 of World War I Veterans.

Also surviving are two daughters, Mrs. Herbert Boehm of Niles and Mrs. Robert Kromer of Traverse City, six grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.

Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. Monday in the Halbritter Funeral Home, Niles, with the Rev. Donald Cozadd of Grace United Methodist Church officiating.  Burial will be in Silverbrook Cemetery, Niles with military rites administered by the Legion Post 26.

Friends may call beginning Sunday at the funeral home.

Louis Kovasics
Sept. 12, 1911-March 1, 2001

Niles Daily Star, Saturday, March 3, 2001 pg 2, col 5

Louis Kovasics, 89, of 1731 Oak Street, Niles, died Thursday at Silverbrook Manor Nursing Home of natural causes.

Cremation will take place and their (sic) will be no funeral services.

Burial will be in Silverbrook Cemetery.

Kovasics was born Sept. 12, 1911, in South Bend, Ind.

On June 22, 1935, in St. Joseph, he married Rose Balos, who survives him in death.

Kovasics was a tool and die maker for Rohr Aircraft Corp.  He served in the U. S. Army.

He was preceded in death by two brothers, Steve Kovas and Marchmont Kovas.

In addition to his wife, survivors include: a sister, Irma Bingaman of Mishawaka, Ind. and a brother, Gene Kovas of New Carlisle, Ind.

Peter J. Mack
April 27, 1900-May 31, 1982

Niles Daily Star, Tuesday, June 1, 1982 pg 2 col 6

Peter J. Mack, 82, of 3082 Pine Lake Rd, Niles, died at 5:37 p.m. Monday in South Bend following a brief illness.

A retired employee of the Studebaker Corporation, Mr. Mack was born April 27, 1900 in Lithuania and had lived here since 1925.

He married Elizabeth Nettie Horner on April 12, 1930.  She died on Feb. 25, 1982.

Survivors include several nieces and nephews in this area.

Funeral services will be held at 1 p.m. Thursday at the Halbritter Funeral Home in Niles.  Rev. Robert L. Livingston of St. John’s United Church will officiate.  Burial will be in Silverbrook Cemetery.

Friends may call from 2 p.m. to 9 p.m. at the Halbritter Funeral Home.

Elsie P. Mitchell
April 30, 1824-March 24, 1903

Niles Daily Star, Friday, March 25, 1903, page 3, col. 3, microfilm Niles District Library

MRS. E.P. MITCHELL

Sketch of the Life of Deceased Pioneer Resident of Niles

Mrs. E.P. Mitchell, notice of whose demise appeared in yesterday's edition of the STAR, was born in Lackawac, Ulster county, N.Y. April 30, 1824. Feb. 27, 1845, she was married to Joseph Mitchell and moved to Michigan in 1846, settling at Ann Arbor, then removed to Lansing, which was then but a forest. A year later they removed to Bennington, Shiawassa[sic] county, then to Detroit in 1871, and to Niles in 1885. Mr. Mitchell died in this city in December, 1877.  The following eight years Mrs. Mitchell resided in Detroit and Grand Rapids. Since 1885 her home has been in Niles, at the old homestead, corner of Ninth and Cherry streets.  She had for a number of years spent a few months of her time with her children in Chicago and Milwaukee.  It was on one of the visits that she was taken with her final illness.

She leaves five children, Mrs. E.F. McFarlin of Chicago, I.N. Mitchell of Milwaukee, Mrs. J.M. Carr of Niles, Mrs. R.C. Notbohm of Milwaukee, and Chas, W. Mitchell, of the United States Naval station at Oakland, Cal.

The remains will arrive here this evening.  Funeral services will take place from the old home, corner of Ninth and Cherry streets, Sunday afternoon at 2 o'clock.  Rev. A.T. Ferguson of the Methodist church will conduct the services. Interment at Silver Brook cemetery.

Frank W. Pugh
April 28, 1900-June 1, 1972

Niles Daily Star, Thursday, June 1, 1972, page 3, col. 3, microfilm Niles District Library

NILES--Frank W. Pugh, 72, of 1060 Kish Rd., died at 12:20 a.m. today in Buchanan Community Hospital after an extended illness.

A retired farmer, Mr. Pugh was born April 28, 1900, in Missouri, and had lived in this area for the past 15 years. His wife, Angie, survives.

Mr. Pugh was a World War I veteran.

Surviving in addition to his wife are two sons, Billy of Niles and Frank Jr. of Grand Rapids; three brothers, Louis of St. Louis, Miss., Leo of Dexter, Miss., and Elvis of Pontiac; three sisters, Mrs. Ethyl Dye of Kennett, Mo. Mrs. Lillie Ford also of Kennett, and Mrs. Elizabeth Coleman of Garden City, Fla., 14 grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.

Funeral services will be held at 10 a.m. Saturday in the Pifer Funeral Home, with the Rev. Robert Trenery of the Wesley United Methodist Church officiating. Burial will be in Silverbrook Cemetery.

Friends may call after 7 tonight at the funeral home.