Obituaries

Orson McKay
March 6, 1851-Oct. 22, 1932

Niles Daily Star, Monday, October 24, 1932, page 1, col. 8, microfilm Niles District Library

ORSON MC KAY, 80, IS DEAD IN CHICAGO HOME

Former Niles Hotel Keeper To Be Buried Here Tuesday

Orson McKay, 80, a former resident of Niles, and an uncle of S.M. Montague and Alfred Johnson, of Niles, died on Friday evening in his home, 6451 Ellis Ave., Chicago, after about a year of illness.
The body will be brought to Niles tomorrow morning on the Michigan Central train due at 11:10 and will be taken directly to Silverbrook cemetery for burial in the family lot.  Masonic services will be conducted at the grave and the Rev. Harry L. Nicholson, rector of Trinity Episcopal church, will be the officiating minister.
Mr. McKay was many years ago proprietor of the hotel known as the Bond house and located at Second and Sycamore streets until it was destroyed by fire. He was married in Niles to Mamie Johnson, a member of a pioneer Niles family, who survives him. Mr. and Mrs. Mc Kay left Niles 45  years ago to make their home in Chicago. He was for many years in the employe of the Santa Fe Railroad company.
This evening Masonic funeral services for Mr. McKay will be held in the Masonic temple in Chicago.
Mrs. McKay, Mr. and Mrs. Ben Bonslett and Mrs. Charles A. Johnson will accompany the body to Niles, Mrs. Bonslett is a niece of Mrs. McKay, formerly having been Edna Kimmell of Niles.

DOB from Illinois Deaths at FamilySearch.org

James William Miller
Aug. 15, 1890-Nov. 18, 1946

Niles Daily Star, Monday, November 18, 1946, page 2, col. 4, microfilm Niles District Library

James W. Miller Succumbs After Year's Illness

James William Miller, 56, of 520 Grant street died today at 9:45 a.m. in Pawating hospital following a year's illness.

Miller came to Niles in 1941 from Ellisville, Ark., and was formerly employed by the Clark Equipment company. He was born Aug. 15, 1890, in Clark county, Ill., and was married to Mainie Clark in 1909. He was a member of the Penecostal [sic]church.

Services will be held Wednesday at 3 p.m. in the Kiger funeral home. The Rev. Robert Hazen pastor of the Church of God, will officiate. Burial will be in Silverbrook cemetery.

Surviving are his wife, his mother, Mrs. David Miller, of Niles, and the following children: Mrs. Clarence E. Haight, Mrs. Robert Gazell, Mrs. Paul Gobble, Lester E. Miller,and Wayne Miller, and nine grandchildren, all of Niles; four brothers, Walter and Howard of Niles, Willis, Linsman, Ark., and Milo, Fordyce, Ark., and four sisters, Mrs. Thomas Rigney, Mrs. Elmer Regenos, Mrs. Clifford Hill, all of Niles, and Miss Natalie Miller, Fordyce, Ark.

Friends may call at the funeral home.

John Quincy Mikels
April 6, 1853-Nov. 1, 1946

Niles Daily Star, Saturday, November 2, 1946, page 2, col. 7, microfilm Niles District Library

John Mikels, 93, Succumbs After Year's Illness

John Quincy Mikels, 93, died at 11:30 p.m. last night in Pawating hospital. He had been ill for over a year.

Mikels made his home with his daughter, Mrs. Edith Evans, 334 South Fourth street. Also surviving are two grand children, John Evans, Niles, and Mrs. Fred Carroll, South Bend, and four great grandchildren.

Services will be held Monday at 2:30 p.m. in the Pifer funeral chapel where friends may call. The Rev. T.M. Greenhoe, Presbyterian pastor, will officiate. Burial will be in Silverbrook cemetery.

Mikels was born in Darlington, Ind., April 6, 1853.  He came to Niles from Lafayette, Ind., in 1929. He was a life long member of the Lafayette Presbyterian church.

Marie Ann Morgan
Feb. 20, 1948-June 28, 1948

Niles Daily Star, Monday, June 28, 1948, page 2, col. 5, microfilm Niles District Library

Marie Ann Morgan, four-month-old daughter of Mr.and Mrs. Ward Morgan, 1634 Taft street, died at 5 a.m. today at home. The child was born February 20, 1938, in Niles. Surviving are the parents, two sisters, Vada and May, at home; and grandparents, Mr.and Mrs. John Keyes, Niles; and Mrs. Josephine Morgan, Kalamazoo. Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. Tuesday at Pifer funeral home; the Rev. J.B. Alexander, pastor of Second Baptist church, will officiate. Burial will be in Silverbrook cemetery.

Harry T. Owen
Sept. 2, 1880-Nov. 15, 1946

Niles Daily Star, Monday, November 18, 1946, page 2, col. 3, microfilm Niles District Library

Funeral conducted Today for Harry T. Owen, Aged 66

Last rites were conducted for Harry Tilford Owen today at 1:30 p.m. in the Kiger funeral home. The Rev. G.A. Steeby, pastor of the Evangelical United Brethren church, and the Elks lodge members officiated.  Burial was in Silverbrook cemetery.

Mr. Owen died Friday p.m., at his residence, 511 French street, after a four weeks' illness.

Surviving are his wife, Orpha; a daughter, Mrs. Floyd Huss, Niles; two grandchildren; four brothers, James Owen, East St. Louis, Mo.; William Owen, Anchorage, Ky.; Robert Owen, Finchville, Ky.; and Albert Owen, Huntington, W. Va.; two sisters, Mrs. Clarence Stout, Normandy, Ky.; and Mrs. Robert Watson, Huntington, W.Va.

The deceased was born in Simponsville, Ky., Sept 2, 1880. He came to Niles from Kentucky 35 years ago and was employed as a carpenter. Owen married Orpha Hinkley in St. Joseph Oct. 13, 1917. He was a member of the Elks Lodge for 25 years.

Rev. James Ridley
June 15, 1919-May 26, 1981

Niles Daily Star, Wednesday, May 27, 1981, page 2, col. 5, microfilm Niles District Library

Rev. James Ridley, 61, of South Bend died at 11:00 a.m. Tuesday at the Memorial Hospital in South Bend following a lengthy illness.

He was born June 15, 1919 in LaGrange, Georgia, and had been a resident of South Bend for 15 years. He was the pastor of the Bethlehem Missionary Baptist Chruch[sic] in Niles. He was married to Mary Jones, on January 18, 1975 in South Bend. His wife survives.

He is also survived by one son, James Williams of Nashville, Tenn.; three stepsons, Michael Richey of Fort Benning, Georgia, Preston Richey of Sandusky, Ohio, Carl Richey of South Bend; four stepdaughters: Mrs. Betty Newsom of Niles, Mrs. Twila Newsom of Muncie, Ind., Mrs. Denise Chase of South Bend, and Sue Richey of South Bend. A stepson, Terry Richey, died in 1978. He has 11 grandchildren.

Reverend Richey[sic] was the past treasurer of the South Bend Club, and belonged to the Inter-denominational Ministers Alliance of South Bend and Niles.

Furneral[sic] arrangements are pending at the Pifer-Smith Funeral Home in Niles.

Niles Daily Star, Thursday, May 28, 1981, page 2, col. 3, microfilm Niles District Library

Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. (Indiana time) Saturday at Mount Olive Baptist Church in South Bend for Rev. James Ridley, 61, of South Bend, who died Tuesday.

He was pastor of the Bethlehem Missionary Baptist Church of Niles.

Rev. Ridley was first vice president and treasurer of the Baptist Training Unit Congress, Northwestern District, a member of the Inter-Denominational Ministers Alliance of South Bend and Niles and a past treasurer of the South Bend Club.

The Rev. Henry L. Giden of Mount Olive Baptist Church will officiate at the funeral services. Burial will be in Silverbrook Cemetery in Niles.

Friends may call from 7 to 10 p.m. Friday at the Bethlehem Missionary Baptist Church, 1709 Fulkerson Dr.

The family suggests that memorials may be made to the Berrien County Cancer Society.