Obituaries

Joseph Willard Bisby
Dec. 8, 1907-Nov. 3, 1987

Niles Daily Star, Wednesday, November 4, 1987, page 2, col. 6-7, microfilm Niles District Library

Joseph Willard Bisby, 79, 418 West Main St., Niles, died Tuesday at 12:55 p.m. at his home following a lengthy illness.

He was born Dec. 8, 1907, in Delta, Ohio and lived here since 1912, coming from Chicago. He married Erma Lowery Nov. 23, 1930, in Niles. She survives.

He was a member of the St. Mary's Catholic Church in Niles and was a retired technician at Whirlpool Corp.

Survivors include two sons, Robert Bisby of Menasha, Wis. and Joseph Bisby of San Jose, Calif.; four daughters, Erma-Jo Burnham and Marilyn Tate, both of Port Huron, Judith Bisby of Niles and Claudia Williams of South Bend, Ind.; a sister, Claudine O'Brian of Niles; 17 grandchildren; and six great-grandchildren.

Services are Friday at noon at St. Mary's Catholic Church, where Rev. Dennis Boylan will officiate. Burial will be in Silverbrook Cemetery. Friends may call from 2 to 4 p.m. and 7 to 0 p.m. Thursday at the Halbritter Funeral Home. A rosary will be recited at 7:30 p.m. Thursday.

Memorial contributions may be made to the Niles Community Library.

Denise Diane Briggs
Jan. 11, 1953-Jan. 11, 1953

Niles Daily Star, Monday, January 12, 1953, page 2, col. 5, microfilm Niles District Library

Denise Diane Briggs, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Lee Dennis Briggs, 222 Kings road, died at 9:40 a.m. Sunday in Pawating Hospital, where she was born at 7:16 a.m. Sunday.

Also surviving are her grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. Raymond Briggs, Niles; a grandmother, Mrs. Mary Pethick, Dowagiac, and three sisters, Gayle Lee, Sharol Lynn and Sandra Sue, all at home.

Services were conducted at 4 p.m. today at the Pifer Funeral Home, by the Rev. T.M. Greenhoe, Presbyterian pastor, and burial was in Silverbrook Cemetery.

Raymond C. Briggs Jr.
Sept. 17, 1930-Nov. 3, 1987

Niles Daily Star, Wednesday, November 4, 1987, page 2, col. 6, microfilm Niles District Library

Raymond C. Briggs Jr., 57, Ullery Road, Niles, died at 8:15 a.m. Tuesday at Pawating Hospital following an extended illness.

He was a retired car dealer/salesman with Lee Dennis Briggs Oldsmobile Cadillac. He also belonged to the Niles Elks Lodge and the Dowagiac Conservation Club.

Born Sept. 17, 1930, in Niles, he was a lifelong area resident.

On July 24, 1964, in Chicago, he married Mary Vivian Polega Meyers, who survives.

Surviving are two sons, Roger J. and Raymond J. Meyers, both of Niles; two daughters, Terry P. Day of Hershey, Pa., and Jo Anne Quinn of Edwardsburg; a brother, Lee Dennis Briggs of Niles; two sisters, Arley Duncan of Niles and Eileen DeLong of DeLand, Fla.; and nine grandchildren.

Services are 11 a.m. Thursday at Halbritter Funeral Home with Rev. Clayton D. Fairo of First Presbyterian Church officiating.

Friends may call from 7 to 9 p.m. Wednesday at the funeral home.

Memorials may be made to the Niles Community Library.

Howard Cook
Sept. 28, 1901-Dec. 17, 1952

Niles Daily Star, Thursday, December 18, 1952, page 2, col. 3, microfilm Niles District Library

Howard Cook, 9 South St. Joseph . . [illegible] . . Wednesday in Pawating Hospital. He had been ill since Monday.

Surviving are a brother, Lawrence Cook, Galien, and a sister, Mrs. Viola Baugh, South Bend.

Cook was born on Sept. 28, 1901, in Laporte, Ind., and came to Niles from there 45 years ago. He was a World War II Veteran and a member of the American Legion.

Friends may call at the Pifer Funeral Home, where services will be conducted at 2 p.m. Friday by the Rev. G.A. Steeby, pastor of the First Evangelical United Brethren Church. Burial will be in Silverbrook cemetery, and a military committal service will be conducted by the Legion post.

Bertha Emmons
June 9, 1878-Jan. 10, 1953

Niles Daily Star, Monday, January 12, 1953, page 2, col. 5, microfilm Niles District Library

Mrs. Bertha Emmons, 31 South Third street, died suddenly at approximately 8 a.m. Saturday in her home.  Her husband, Fred, died on [illegible].

Surviving is one son, [Illegible] Emmons, Philadelphia, Pa., two grandchildren, and one great-grandchild.  Mrs. Emmons was born in Bangor on July 9, 1878. . .[illegible] . .

Friends may call at the Pifer Funeral Home, where services will be conducted at 2 p.m. Tuesday by [illegible], Methodist pastor,  Burial will be in Silverbrook Cemetery.

All members of the Berean Class, First Methodist Church, will meet at 1:45 p.m. Tuesday at the funeral home to attend the rites.  Mrs. Emmons was a class member.

Note: Parts were not legible due to poor condition of microfilm.

Sadie Ames Fritts
Sept. 22, 1865-Feb. 8, 1954

Niles Daily Star, Tuesday, February 9, 1954, page 2, col. 2, microfilm Niles District Library

Mrs. Sadie Ames Fritts, 88, of rural route two, Niles, died at 10:30 p.m. Monday at her home following an illness of one and a half years.

Mrs. Fritts was born Sept. 22, 1865, in Detroit and came here from Detroit and Chicago as a young girl. She was a member of the First Baptist Church and the Shakespeare Club here. Her husband, Charles B. Fritts, died Feb. 14, 1931.

Her only survivor is a daughter, Miss Lucille Fritts, teacher in the Niles public school system.

Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. Thursday in the Kiger Funeral Home with the Rev. Ray L. McCoy, pastor of the First Baptist Church, officiating. Burial will be in Silverbrook Cemetery.  Friends may call at the residence this evening and until 11 a.m. Thursday.