Obituaries

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.

Earl Styers
Nov. 15, 1907-Dec. 25, 1987

Niles Daily Star, Saturday, December 26, 1987, page 2, col. 6-7, microfilm Niles District Library

Earl Styers, 80, of 1915 Champlain Drive, Niles, died at 12:05 a.m. Friday, December 25 at Pawating Hospital following a brief illness.

He was a member of St. Joseph Lodge 45 F. & A.M. of South Bend, Ind. He was former president of Bendix Local 9 and retired from Bendix.

He was born Nov. 15, 1907, in Graves County, Ky. He lived in the area since 1932, coming from Detroit.

On March 30, 1930 in Niles, he married Aleta O. Ostrander; she survives.

Also surviving are: Aleta A. Styers of Weehawken, N.J.; a son, Stephen of Hoffman Estates, Ill.; a sister, Rema Jarvis of Symeonia, Ky.; two brothers, James of Paducah, Ky. and Jeff of Ledbetter, Ky.; and three grandchildren.

Services are 1 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 29 at the Halbritter Funeral Home. A Masonic service will be conducted by St. Joseph Lodge 45 F. & A.M. Burial will follow at Silverbrook Cemetery.

Friends may call from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m. Monday at the Halbritter Funeral Home.

Memorials may be given to the Niles Community Library.

Peter Williams
Jan. 19, 1887-March 20, 1959

Niles Daily Star, Saturday, March 21, 1959, page 2, col. 4, microfilm Niles District Library

Peter Williams, 72, of 709 Maple Street, died at 9:55 a.m. Friday in the Berrien County Hospital where he had been a patient for the past three days. He  had been in failing health for five years.

Mr. Williams, a retired farmer, was born Jan. 19, 1887, in New Carlisle, Ind., and had lived most of his life in this community. His wife, Ethel, preceded him in death in 1931.

Surviving are: two sons, Ivan Williams, of Niles, and Melvin P. Smith, of South Bend; two daughters, Mrs. Fred Cox, of Niles, and Mrs. James Coatsworth, of Garden City; five grandchildren; a sister, Mrs. Devo Smith, of South Bend, and four brothers, Fred Williams of New Troy, Frank Williams of New Troy, Frank Williams of Niles, and Otis and Lawrence Williams, both of Galien.

Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. Monday in the Kiger-Halbritter Funeral Home with the Rev. John P. MacLachlan, pastor of the First Presbyterian Church, officiating. Burial will be in Silverbrook Cemetery. Friends may call at the funeral home.