Obituaries

Rick L. Zache, 56
Jan. 5, 1957-Feb. 12, 2013

Niles Daily Star, Published online 12:09pm Friday, February 15, 2013

Rick L. Zache, 56, of Niles, was called home by his Lord on the evening of Tuesday, Feb. 12, 2013 at The University of Chicago Medical Center.

Rick was born on Jan. 5, 1957 to Arthur and Beverly (Miller) Zache in South Bend, Indiana. He was a proud Brandywine graduate class of 1975. Rick received his BSA from Central Michigan University in Business Management and his EMBA from the University of Notre Dame. Rick was employed at Minute Maid/Coca-Cola where he served as plant superintendent until his retirement in 2012. On Aug. 30, 1986 Rick married Debra Wright at a ceremony in Portage, Mich.

Rick was a loving husband, father, and grandfather who exemplified conviction, courage, loyalty, humility and love even in his final moments.  The attributes that will be missed the most are his character, boundless strength and selflessness for his family.  His priority in life was spending time with his wife, children, and grandchildren. He is best known for his leadership and coaching in the community. He was an accomplished athlete who, like his daughters Kelli and Kendra, was awarded Athlete of the Year at Brandywine.

Rick excelled in many sports, was a successful businessman, and a dedicated family man.

He was a past member of the Brandywine School Board.  He also served countless years as a coach for the Niles Brandywine Girls Softball Association in addition to starting the first travel softball team (Intensity) in the Niles Brandywine district. Rick was a lifelong member of St. Paul’s Lutheran Church.

Rick’s family will always remember the time they spent together; playing family whiffle ball, celebrating holidays, engaging in recreational water sports, and traveling to his daughter’s swimming and softball competitions.

He is preceded in death by his father Arthur Zache Sr. and his brother Gary Zache.

Rick is survived by his wife Debra Zache of Niles, a son Bobby (Leslie) Zache of Niles, three daughters; Amie Zache Kinkade of Mishawaka, Kelli Zache of Niles and Kendra Zache of Niles, his mother Beverly Zache of Niles, five grandchildren; Ben, Aaron and Taylor Kinkade and Riley and Berkley Zache, a brother Arthur Jr. (Judy) Zache of Niles, a sister-in-law Chris Zache Gowen of Niles, and five nephews; Adam, Brian, Mark, Brad and Bruce Zache.

Funeral services to honor Rick’s life will be held on Monday, Feb. 18, 2013 at 11 a.m. at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church at 1340 Sycamore Street in Niles with visitation beginning at 10 a.m. A time of visitation will be held at Brown Funeral Home on Sunday from 3 to 7 p.m. A private family interment will be held at Silverbrook Cemetery.

Memorial contributions may be made in Rick’s memory to Stem Cell Research or to a Brandywine Scholarship Fund being established in care of Brown Funeral Home.

Those wishing to leave a message for Rick’s family, upload a photo of him or send a letter of condolence may do so on our website at www.BrownFuneralHomeNiles.com or on our Facebook page at www.Facebook.com/BrownFuneralHomeNiles.

Pearline E. McAbee-Elam, 94
Feb. 27, 1918-Feb. 21, 2013

Niles Daily Star, Published online 6:06pm Sunday, February 24, 2013, printed Monday, February 25, 2013, page 5, col. 1-4

Pearline E. McAbee-Elam, 94, of Niles, died at 3:40 a.m. on Thursday, Feb. 21, 2013, at the Hamilton Grove Communities near New Carlisle, Ind.

She was born on Feb. 27, 1918, in Alicia, Ark., to William Robert and Mary Ann (Brown) Whitmire. She has lived in Niles since 1954, coming from Arkansas. She was employed at Simplicity Pattern Company in Niles for many years prior to retirement.

Pearline was a member of the Church of Christ of Niles.

She enjoyed vegetable and flower gardening, and canning the produce, especially the green beans. She also enjoyed raising chickens.

On Aug. 27, 1938, in Hopewell, Ark., she married Mr. Linnie C. McAbee with whom she celebrated the 62nd anniversary of their wedding prior to his death on Dec. 8, 2000. They were also preceded in death by an infant daughter, Glenda Sue McAbee, and a great-granddaughter, Sable.

Later, on Oct. 1, 2005, she married Glennis E. Elam, who preceded her in death on April 29, 2012. She was also preceded in death by a brother,
Bruce Whitmire, and sisters, Beulah Graham, Alice Lee, Gatha Decker, Grace Reese, Mildred Sherman and Geniva Konce.

Surviving family includes her children, Linda G. (and Kenneth) Grubbs and Donald Hugh (and Kathy) McAbee, both of Niles; nine grandchildren, Lisa Hemphill of Sumter, S.C., Scott Grubbs, of Alvaton, Ky., Gregory (and Kathy) McAbee of Westfield, Ind., Sarah (and Allen) Hinkel of Sterling, Va., Trisha (and Bill) Kromer, of Moyock, N.C., Linda (and Chris) Lingle of Clayton, Del., Jennifer (and Roger) Kirksey, Jacquline Kirkdorfer and Donna McAbee, all of Niles; 20 great-grandchildren; and 10 great-great-grandchildren; and Pearline’s brother, William Whitmire, of Umatilla, Fla., and many nieces and nephews.

The funeral service for Pearline McAbee-Elam will be at 11 a.m. on Tuesday, Feb. 26, 2013, at the Halbritter Funeral Home in Niles with Mr. David Thompson of the Church of Christ officiating.

Committal will follow at Silverbrook Cemetery in Niles.

The family will receive relatives and friends on Monday from 5 until 8 p.m. at the funeral home. Contributions in memory of Pearline may be made to the Church of Christ, 1515 Huron St., Niles, MI 49120. www.halbritterfunerals.com

Henry S. French, 89
Jan. 10, 1924-Feb. 27, 2013

Niles Daily Star, Published online 3:58pm Thursday, February 28, 2013; printed Friday, March 1, 2013, page 5, col. 2-4

Henry S. French, 89, of Niles, passed away on Feb. 27, 2013 in St. Joseph, Mich.

He was born on Jan. 10, 1924 in Custer Park, Ill., to Samuel and Catherine French.  On June 14, 1952 he married Barbara Eisele in Niles.

He was a WWII Army Veteran in 132nd Division of Army Core of Engineers. He served in multiple battles in The South Pacific Theatre. He was chosen to be in the Honor Guard at the death of noted war correspondent Ernie Pyle.

He is preceded in death by his parents, Samuel and Catherine French, his sister Marie Tolliver, and his grandson John Kurz.

He is survived by his wife Barbara Eisele, two daughters, Linda (Kevin) McFarland of Elkhart, Ind., and Susan (Randy) Cooper of Goshen, Ind., two sons, James (Elizabeth) French of Niles, and Steven (Verna) French of Buchanan, two brothers John and William French both of Niles, 10 grandchildren, Jason Kurz, Emma and Elyse Cooper, Ashley, Morgan, Emily, and Sarah French, and Kyle, Ryan, and Kristen McFarland, and four great-grandchildren, Breeana, Jason, and Samuel Kurz, and Harper McFarland.

Services will be held at 11 a.m. on Monday, March 4, 2013 at Hope Community Church in Niles. Visitation will be one hour before the service in the church. Burial will take place at Silverbrook Cemetery.  Hoven Funeral Home, Inc. will be assisting the family with the arrangements.

Evangeline Ackerman
Nov. 10, 1852-March 11, 1945

Niles Daily Star, Monday, March 12, 1945, page 2, col. 5, microfilm Niles District Library

Niles Resident 71 Years Is Dead

Mrs. Evangeline Ackerman, 92, a resident of Niles and vicinity for 71 years, died at 8:10 Sunday morning in the home of her daughter, Hannah Ackerman, at 708 Oak street.

A member of the Methodist church of Dowagiac, Mrs. Ackerman was born in Saddle River, N.J. on Nov. 10, 1852.

She is survived by two daughters, Mrs. Elizabeth Morrow and Miss Ackerman, both of Niles; a son, John Ackerman, Newtown, Pa.; two step-daughters, Mrs. Wesley Farrell, Dowagiac, and Mrs. Jenny Pullen, New Jersey; four grandchildren; three great-grandchildren, and a sister, Mrs. Elizabeth Y. Shaw, Patterson, N.J.

Friends may call at the Pifer funeral home until Tuesday morning when the body will be taken to the residence. Funeral services will be conducted in the family home at 2 p.m. Tuesday by Dr. R.C. Puffer, pastor of the Methodist church of Dowagiac. Burial will be in the Silverbrook mausoleum.

George L. Asmus
Dec. 18, 1882-Jan. 29, 1945

Niles Daily Star, Monday, January 29, 1945, page 2, col. 4, microfilm Niles District Library

HEART ATTACK IS FATAL TO ASMUS

A heart attack resulted in death for George L. Ausmus, 62, life-long Niles resident, at 7 this morning in his home at 1518 North Twelfth street.

An employe in the cab department of the New York Central railway, he was born in Niles Dec. 18, 1882. He was married here on June 1, 1904 to Anna Knott. He was a son of Charles and Mary Ausmus.

Surviving are the widow; a son, Pfc. Thomas Ausmus, with an anti-tank unit in France; a daughter, Mrs. George Hibbard, Niles; three grandchildren, [illegible] Ausmus and Joan and Steve Hibbard, all of Niles; a sister, Mrs. George Knott, Niles, and two brothers, Arthur Ausmus, Niles, and Edward Ausmus, Grand Rapids.

He was a member of the St. John's Evangelical and Reformed church, the Eagles lodge, and the Railway Pioneers.

Friends may call at the Rutherford funeral home.

Hilda Moore Bagwell
July 26, 1921-Feb. 26, 1945

Niles Daily Star, Monday, February 26, 1945, page 2, col. 5, microfilm Niles District Library

Star Classified Manager Is Dead

Mrs. Hilda Moore Bagwell, 23 classified advertising manager of the Niles Daily Star for the past year and a half, died at 2 this morning in Pawating hospital after two days illness.

A daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Fred Moore, 133 Silverbrook, Mrs. Bagwell served as a nurses aide at Pawating hospital and taught a Sunday school class at the First Baptist church of which she was a member.

Husband in Pacific

Her husband, C.E. Bagwell, gunners mate third class, is believed to have left California for duty in the Pacific.

She was born in Niles July 26, 1921, and was graduated from Niles high school in 1939. She was married to C.E. Bagwell March 19, 1943.

Surviving are the husband; the parents, and five sisters, Mrs. Helen Webber, Mishawaka; Mrs. Hester Osborn, Grand Rapids; Mrs. Harriet Hoffman, and Mrs. Hollis Francisco, Battle Creek, and Mrs. Hazel Kays, Charlotte.

Friends may call at the Pifer funeral home after noon Tuesday. Funeral Arrangements are incomplete pending word from her husband.