Holly Kay Gushwa
Oct. 17, 1977-Oct. 19, 1977

Niles Daily Star, Thursday, October 20, 1977, page 2, col. 4-5, microfilm Niles District Library

NILES--Holly Kay Gushwa, two-day-old daughter of Arnold and Carmen Kay Gushwa, 2615 U.S. 31 N., died at 5:30 p.m. Wednesday at Bronson Hospital, Kalamazoo.

Surviving, in addition to her parents, are maternal grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. Juan Crespo of Niles; paternal grandfather, Harley Gushwa of Elkhart, Ind.; maternal great-grandmother, Mrs. Irene Ritchie of Niles; great-grandfather James L. Allen of Judisona, Ark.; and a brother Arnold L. Jr., at home.

Graveside services will be at 10:30 a.m. Friday at Silverbrook Cemetery with the Rev. Fred Cope of the Church of Christ officiating.

Funeral arrangements  are being handled by the Pifer Chapel of the Swem-Smith Funeral Home.

Raynard J. Kent
Sept. 16, 1909*-Oct. 19, 1977

Niles Daily Star, Thursday, October 20, 1977, page 2, col. 5-6, microfilm Niles District Library

NILES--Raynard J. Kent, 68, of 170 Ironwood, died at 6 a.m. Wednesday in Kalamazoo following an extended illness.

A member of the Niles American Legion Post and the Lansing Moose Club, Mr. Kent was a retired employee of the Dana Corp., and also was a former employee of Buchanan Steel Products.

He was born Sept. 16, 1909 in Missouri, and had lived here since 1937, coming from Missouri.

Survivors include three daughters, Mrs. Robert (Linda) Clubb of Niles, Mrs. Irma Louise Souers of Cassopolis and Mrs. Reba Sue Pye of Sisters Lake; a brother, Burford DeLaney of Senath, Mo.; a sister, Mrs. Noreen Vaughn of Senath; and 14 grandchildren.

Funeral services will be at 11 am. Saturday at the Halbritter Funeral Home with the Rev. Arnold O. Schaap of Edwardsburg officiating. Burial will be in Silverbrook Cemetery.

Friends may call after 7 p.m. Friday at the Halbritter Funeral Home.

*Photo of gravemarker gives date of birth as Sept. 26, 1914

Evan B. Rutter
Feb. 23, 1892-Dec. 9, 1952

Niles Daily Star, Tuesday, December 9, 1952, page 2, col. 3, microfilm Niles District Library

Evan B. Rutter, 60, 1109 Cedar street, died at 10 a.m. today in the Bundy Rest Home. He had been in poor health for four years.

Surviving are his widow, Hazel; two sons, Dr. Rex Rutter, Toledo, O., and Dickson Rutter, Chicago; two daughters, Mrs. Glen North, St. Paul, Minn., and Mrs. Howard Clark, Jackson; nine grandchildren; and one brother, Paul Rutter, Lombard, Ill.

Rutter, a lifetime resident of this area, was born on Feb. 25, 1892, in Berrien County, and was last employed by the Tyler Fixture Corporation.

Funeral arrangements are incomplete and will be announced later.

Niles Daily Star, Wednesday, December 10, 1952, page 2, col. 3, microfilm Niles District Library

Services for Evan B. Rutter, 60, who died Tuesday morning, will be held at 2 p.m. Thursday in the First Presbyterian Church, with the Rev. T.M. Greenhoe, pastor, officiating.

The Rev. Ray L. McCoy, pastor of the First Baptist Church will assist during the rites. Burial will be in Silverbrook Cemetery.

Rutter was president emeritus of the Presbyterian choir and an elder of that church. Friends may call at the Pifer Funeral Home.

Anna B. Smith
Feb. 22, 1883-Dec. 10, 1952

Niles Daily Star, Wednesday, December 10, 1952, page 2, col. 3, microfilm Niles District Library

Mrs. Anna B. Smith, 1110 North Sixth street, died at 5:15 a.m. today in Pawating Hospital. She had been ill since Sunday.

Surviving are her daughter, Mrs. Ralph Shoop; one grandchild and one brother, Carl Hossfeld, Niles. She was born on Feb. 22, 1883, in Niles, and had lived here all her life.

Friends may call at the Pifer Funeral Home, where services will be conducted at 2 p.m. Friday by the Rev. H.A. Meussling, pastor of St. John's Evangelical and Reformed Church.  Mrs. Smith was a member of St. John's Church. Burial will be in Silverbrook Cemetery.

Luther C. Smith
July 27, 1877-Feb. 12, 1959

Niles Daily Star, Friday, February 13, 1959, page 2, col. 4, microfilm Niles District Library

Funeral services will be held at 3:30 p.m. Monday in the Pifer Funeral Home for Luther C. Smith, 81, of 50859 US-31 North, South Bend, who died Thursday morning at his home.  The Rev. L. George Beacock, pastor of the First Methodist Church, will officiate and burial will be in Silverbrook Cemetery.

Mr. Smith, a member of Western Union Lodge 146, F. and A.M., of Belfast, N.Y., was born July 27, 1877. He had been a steamfitter by trade. Surviving are: his widow, Melyssa; a sister, Miss Bessie P. Smith, of Cherryville, Pa., and a brother, George M. Smith, also of Cherryville.

Friends may call at the funeral home beginning this evening.

Maria Smith
Sept. 6, 1845-Jan. 26, 1939

Niles Daily Star, Friday, January 27, 1939, page 1, col. 5, microfilm Niles District Library

Mrs. Maria Smith, Born in Berrien Co. 93 Years Ago, Dies

Mrs. Maria Smith, one of Berrien county's oldest residents, died at 3:15 o'clock Thursday afternoon in her farm home eight miles north of Niles on the Pucker street road. She was 93 years old. Her death followed a brief illness.

A lifelong resident of Niles and Berrien townships, Mrs. Smith had been a member of the Morris Chapel church for the last 78 years.

. . .[illegible] . . . Washington B. Smith, who died several years ago.

Surviving are two sons, Lawrence, with whom she made her home, and Dr. Warren A. Smith, of Berrien Springs.

Friends may call at the Smith home.  Funeral arrangements are incomplete.

Niles Daily Star, Saturday, January 28, 1939, page 2, col. 5, microfilm Niles District Library

Services Monday for Maria Smith, Berrien Pioneer

BERRIEN SPRINGS, Jan. 28--The funeral service of Mrs. Maria Walker Smith, 93, who died Thursday afternoon at 3:15 at her farm home in Berrien township, two miles southeast of Berrien Center, will be held Monday afternoon at 2:00 o'clock at her home. The service will be conducted by Rev. R.W. Merrill, pastor of the Berrien Springs Methodist church. Burial at Silverbrook cemetery, Niles.

Mrs. Smith was born Sept. 6, 1845, in Niles township, near the Berrien township line. She had been a life-long resident of that vicinity. She leaves two sons, Dr. W.A. Smith of Berrien Springs and Lawrence Smith, supervisor of Berrien township.

Mrs. Smith had been ill since last October but was confined to her bed only since last Sunday.

Niles Daily Star, Tuesday, January 31, 1939, page 2, col. 3, microfilm Niles District Library

SERVE AS PALLBEARERS

Alex and Louis Petro, Fred Hudson, Joseph Mosher, Joseph Gilnette and Norris Young served as pallbearers Monday afternoon for the funeral services of Mrs. Maria Smith, 93. The services were conducted in the Smith home, eight miles north of Niles, by the Rev. R.W. Merrill, Benton Springs.  Burial was in Silverbrook cemetery.