Obituaries

Fred W. Heide
Apr. 5, 1890-Nov. 26, 1969

Niles Daily Star, Friday,  Nov 28, 1969, pg 2,

Fred W. Heide, 79, of 1307 Grant St., a colorful Niles personality, died at 10 p.m. Wednesday in Pawating Hospital.

Born April 6, 1890 in Germany, the retired coal dealer and musician had lived here since 1928.  He married the former Margaret Hohensee, who survives on Aug. 17, 1912 in Forest Park, Ill.

Arriving in Niles in 1928, Mr. Heide bought a 105 acre farm on the St. Joseph River, between Niles and Buchanan.  In 1935, he started a steam-operated flour mill on North Second Street in Niles.

In 1940, Mr. Heide became a coal dealer, using the depression slogan “Don’t Go In The Hole –Buy Heide’s Coal.”

He was a member of the First Baptist Church and the Gideons.

An extremely musically-inclined person, Mr. Heide taught all his children to play an instrument.  For 10 years, Mr. Heide’s band played for affairs in and around Niles.  His eldest son, Victor, became a world renowned professional.

The Heide property on Grant Street is a famous local landmark, with yards full of colorful steam traction engines.

In addition to his wife, Mr. Heide is survived by three sons, Victor, Eric Fort Lauderdale, Fla. and Robert, South Bend; a daughter, Mrs. Charles Hydorn, Niles; two brothers, Victor and Ernest, both in Germany; two sisters, Mrs. William Rekatzky, Philadelphia, Pa.; and Mrs. Joana Trunderburg, Germany; 22 grandchildren and 36 great-grandchildren.

Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. Saturday in the Pifer Funeral Home, with the Rev. Ray Cunningham officiating.  Burial will be in Silverbrook Cemetery.

Friends may call after 7 p.m. tonight at the funeral home.

Memorials may be made to the Gideons.

Frances M. Helms
Oct. 20, 1941-Apr. 1, 2004

Niles Daily Star, Saturday, April 3, 2004, page 2, col. 1, microfilm Niles District Library

Funeral services for Frances M. Helms, 62, of Grand Rapids, formerly of Niles, are Monday, April 15 at 11 am. at Halbritter Funeral Home with the Rev. Alfred Deeds, Jr. of Bethel Apostolic Tabernacle in Buchanan officiating.

Burial will be in Silverbrook Cemetery.

Helms died on Thursday at 7:10 a.m. at Metropolitan Hospital in Grand Rapids.

She was born on Oct. 20, 1941 in Paris. On March 29, 1969, she was married to Leonad Helms, who died on July 2, 1972.

Helms was a longtime resident of S. State Street in Niles until her health declined in 1993.  She attended Pentacostal Church and enjoyed music, especially gospel and country, and loved to sign, often singing harmony with her sister.

Survivors include three sons, Jerry Corcoran of Twining, Ted Corcoran of Essexville, and Leonard Corcoran of Auburn; three sisters, Mary Gallimore of South Bend, Ind., Evelyn McNinch of Buchanan and Delores Hoopcaugh of Berrien Springs; two brohters[sic] Elmer and Edwin Commins.

Visitation will be held Sunday from 2 to 4 p.m. at the funeral home.

Funeral arrangements were handled by Halbritter Funeral Home.

Edward F. Holloway
Nov. 27, 1892-March 21, 1945

Niles Daily Star, Thursday, March 22, 1945, page 2, col. 3, microfilm Niles District Library

E.F. Holloway Dies Wednesday

A resident of Niles for 19 years, Edward F. Holloway, 52, of 150 Fifth street, Benton Harbor, died at 11:30 Wednesday night after nine months of illness.

A fireman for the New York Central railway, Holloway moved to Niles from Bay City 20 years ago.  He has lived in Benton Harbor for the past year.

Holloway was born in Pinconning Nov. 27, 1892. He is survived by his widow, Audra; a daughter, Mrs. Robert Kane, Niles; a son, Francis Holloway, Niles; four grandchildren; a brother, Harry Holloway, Pinconning, and two sisters, Mrs. Mabel Cellinger and Mrs. Alice Peak, Bay city.

Friends may call at the Pifer funeral home where funeral services will be conducted by the Rev. L. George Beacock at 2 p.m. Saturday. Burial will be in Silverbrook cemetery.

Henry Burton Huff
1871-March 24, 1945

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

Funeral Tuesday for Henry B. Huff, Aged 74

Henry Burton Huff, 74, of 631 North Fifth street, died at 9:40 a.m. Saturday in the Berrien county hospital, Berrien Center, after five weeks' illness.

A railway worker, Huff was born on Otoe Indian Reservation, Gage county, Neb., and came to Niles from Chicago 32 years ago. He was a member of the Gleaners lodge.

He is survived by his diwod[sic] Elizabeth; a daughter, Mrs. Ralph PaPinter, Baroda, and a sister, Mrs. John Harns, Wichita, Kas.

Friends may call at the Kiger funeral home, 615 East Main street, where the Rev. Dale Baker will conduct services at 2 p.m.  Tuesday. Burial will be made in Silverbrook cemetery.

Patricia A. Huffman-Johnson
Aug. 1, 1939-April 4, 2004

Niles Daily Star, Tuesday, April 6, 2004, page 2, col. 1, microfilm Niles District Library

Funeral services for Patricia A. Huffman Johnson, 64, of Pucker street in Niles, are Thursday, April 8 at 2 pm. at Morris Chapel United Methodist Church in Niles with the Rev. O'Ryan Rickard of the church and pastor Kenneth A. Shaver of Greater Cumberland Baptist Church officiating.

Burial will be in Silverbrook Cemetery.

Huffman Johnson died on Sunday at 10:20 p.m. at Hospice House in South Bend, Ind.

She was born on Aug. 1, 1939 in Niles. She graduated from Niles High School and returned to Niles after 20 years in Napa, Calif.

Huffman Johnson was a registered nurse and was employed for many years at Napa State Hospital and in Hospice.  She had also been employed at the former Memorial Hospital in St. Joseph and Mercy Hospital in Benton Harbor. She earned her RN through Lake Michigan Community College and was formerly a member of Morris Chapel United Methodist Church.  She was a member of the Red Hat Society and enjoyed shopping, gardening and caring for her friends.

Survivors include three daughters, Kari E. Sievers of New Smyrna Beach, Fla., Robyn Shaver of Hopkinsville, Kent., and Amy Sieb of Lake Orion; a son, Christopher Johnson of Napa, Calif.; 17 grandchildren.  She was preceded in death by two brothers, William Huffman on Dec. 28, 1937, and Frederic Huffman on April 16, 1970.

Visitation will be from 2 to 4 and from 6 to 8 p.m. Wednesday at the funeral home.

Memorial contributions may be made to Hospice House.

Funeral arrangements were handled by Halbritter Funeral Home.

Harold O. Jacobson
Dec. 22, 1918-April 12, 2004

Niles Daily Star, Wednesday, April 14, 2004, page 2, col. 1, microfilm Niles District Library

Harold O. Jacobson, 85, of Sycamore St., Niles, died Monday.

He was born on Dec. 22, 1918, in Wisconsin to the late James M. [&] Lena (Heckathorn) Jacobson.  His wife Ora also preceded him in death.

Many people in the community knew Harold from his years of fixing shoes at Niles Shore Repair.

Survivors include a brother, James Jacobson of Niles and a host of nieces and nephews.

No service will take place. Interment will take place at Silverbrook Cemetery.

Arrangements have been entrusted to Pifer-Smith Funeral Home in Niles.