Obituaries

Eli H. Zechlin
April 16, 1899-March 1, 1980

Niles Daily Star, Monday, March 3, 1980, page 3, col. 1, microfilm Niles District Library

Niles--Eli H. Zechlin, 80, formerly of 1016 Sycamore St., died at 5:15 p.m. Saturday at the Paul Stephan Nursing Home, following an extended illness.

He was a past commander and life member of the American Legion Post 25, a Niles life member of the Veterans of World War I, a member of the Kawneer 25 Year Club, a first class bugler and veteran of World War I, having served with the U.S. Army, and a retired employee of the Kawneer Company.

Mr. Zechlin was born April 16, 1899 in Niles  and had lived his lifetime in the area.  On Sept. 2, 1923 in Niles, he married Marie H. Smith, who died Oct. 29, 1977.

Survivors include a son, Lewis Zechlin, of Niles; two daughters, Mrs. Thomas (Doris) Kennedy and Mrs. Duane (Martha) Vernier, both of Niles; a brother, Frank of St. Petersburg, Fla.; four grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.

Funeral services will be at 3 p.m. Tuesday at the Halbritter Funeral Home with the Rev. Robert L. Livingston of St. John's United Church of Christ officiating. Burial will be at Silverbrook Cemetery.

Friends may call at the funeral home from 5 to 9 p.m. today. Memorials may be made to the Southwestern Michigan Community Ambulance or Riveridge Manor Nursing Home.

William Lloyd Glenn
July 2, 1904-March 29, 1980

Niles Daily Star, Monday, March 31, 1980, page 2, col. 1xx, microfilm Niles District Library

NILES--William Lloyd Glenn, 75, of 615 S. St. Joseph St., died at 12:02 p.m. Saturday  at Pawating Hospital, following a short illness.

A retired New York Central Railroad heavy equipment operator, Mr. Glenn was born July 2, 1904 in St. James, Mo., and came here 36 years ago from Battle Creek.

In 1947 in Niles he married Laura Alice Goodman, who died Dec. 29,, 1978.

Survivors include a step-son, Clarence Goodman, of Niels; a step-daughter, Mrs. Virginia Holt, of Muncie, Ind.; sven[sic] grandchildren, 11 great-grandchildren, and one great-great-grandchild.

He was a member of the Niles Senior Citizens Cub and the Fraternal Order of Eagles Aerie 2094.

Funeral services will be at 10:30 a.m. Tuesday at the Pifer-Smith Funeral Home with the Rev. Ray C. Cunningham of the First Baptist Church officiating. Burial will be at Silverbrook Cemetery.

Friends may call at the funeral home from 2 to 4 p.m. and 7 to 9 p.m. today.

Lizzie Glenn
June 29, 1866-July 17, 1866

Niles Republican, Saturday, October 13, 1866, page 2, col. 6, microfilm Niles District Library

The City Sexton submitted his quarterly report of interments, of which the following is a summary:
. . .
July 17, Lizzie, daughter of Henry and Mary Glenn, aged 18 days, at Niles, of Congestive Chills. .

Eyrie E. Barnes
April 27, 1896-June 2, 1963

Niles Daily Star, Wednesday, June 4, 1963, page 2, col. 1, microfilm Niles District Library

Eyrie E. Barnes, 65 of 236 Brooks St., died about 6 p.m. Monday in the Veterans Administration Hospital, Ann Arbor, Following an extended illness.

Mr. Barnes was born April 27, 1896. He came to Niles from Dowagiac in 1919.

Survivors include his widow, Letha; three daughters, Miss Pauline Barnes, Seattle, Wash., Mrs. Russell Poling, Marion, Ind., and Mrs. John Staal, Muskegon; a son, Richard, Seattle; three sisters, Mrs. Minnie Murphy, Homer and Mrs. Margaret Rider and Wilma, both of Kalamazoo; two brothers, Oral, Dowagiac, and Jack, Elkhart, Ind.; seven grandchildren, and two great-grandchildren.

He was a veteran of World War I.

Funeral services will be conducted at 10 a.m. Saturday in the Pifer Funeral Home. The Rev. Earl Wickstrom, pastor of the First Baptist Church, will officiate. Burial will be in Silverbrook cemetery.

Friends will be received at the funeral home after 7 p.m. Thursday.

Edythe M. Bennett
Oct. 17, 1878-June 14, 1963

Niles Daily Star, Friday, June 14, 1963, page 2, col. 1, microfilm Niles District Library

Mrs. Edythe Marguerite Bennett, 84, of Colon, formerly of Niles, died at 4:15 a.m. today in Sturgis Memorial Hospital, following a two-year illness.

Mrs. Bennett was a Niles resident about 55 years. She and her first husband, H. Spencer, owned and operated the first local dry cleaning establishment, the Spencer Dry Cleaners, here for 40 years.

She was born Oct. 17, 1878, in Wheeler. She was married to Spencer in 1902. He died in 1950. She was married to Dan Bennett in 1955, and moved to Colon about seven years ago.

Survivors include her husband; three sons, John E. Spencer and Dwight E. Spencer, both of Niles, and Dr. Perry Spencer, East Lansing; three sisters, Mrs. Luella Layne, Colon, Mrs. Mary Walterhouse, South Bend, and Mrs. Grayce Bulkley, Younstown[sic], Ohio; three grandchildren, and four great-grandchildren.

Funeral services will be conducted at 11 a.m. Monday in the Kiger Funeral Home. The Rev. John G. Carlton, rector of Trinity Episcopal Church, will officiate.  Burial will be in Silverbrook Cemetery.

Friends will be received at the funeral home beginning Saturday evening.

Laura Brandenburg
Oct. 15, 1881-Jan. 30, 1939

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

Mrs. Laura Brandenburg Will be Buried Here Thursday

Mrs. Laura Brandenburg, a native of Niles and a sister of Frank Mattiford, Niles, died Monday afternoon in St. Luke's hospital, Chicago. She had been in ill heath for the last two years.

Mrs. Brandenburg was born in Niles Oct. 15, 1881. She was the daughter of the late William and Mary Mattiford.  She had lived in Chicago for the last 30 years.

Beside her brother living here, she leaves one son, Francis, and a daughter, Mrs. Jack Summers, both of Chicago; also one granddaughter.

Funeral services will be held at 10 o'clock Thursday morning in Chicago. The body will then be brought to Niles for burial in Silverbrook cemetery at 4 o'clock.

The Rev. Fr. Fred Berger of St. Mary's Roman Catholic church will have charge of the committal services.

Niles Daily Star, Friday, February 3, 1939, page 2, col. 2, microfilm Niles District Library

ATTEND BURIAL RITES

A number of relatives came from out-of-town Thursday  to attend burial services at Silverbrook cemetery for Mrs. Laura Brandenburg, who died Monday in Chicago. They included, Mr.and Mrs. Francis Brandenburg, Mr. and Mrs. Jack Sommers and daughter, Mr. and Mrs. Carter Corcoran and daughter, Mr.and Mrs. Roy Graham and daughter, Mr.and Mrs. Earl Courtney and Mrs. James Walsh, Chicago; Mr. and Mrs. A.C. Weller, Michigan City, and Mrs. Ruth Danaher and Mrs. Anna Mae Smith, Jackson.