Obituaries

Michael A. Thornton
Feb. 17, 1947-Aug. 15, 1995

Niles Daily Star, Wednesday, August 16, 1995, page 2, col. 1, microfilm Niles District Library

Michael A. Thornton, 48, of 10909 Pucker St., Niles, died at 4:32 p.m. Tuesday at Pawating Hospital, following a brief illness. Mr. Thornton was a 1965 graduate of Niles High School.

Arrangements are being completed by Halbritter Funeral Home in Niles.

Niles Daily Star, Thursday, August 17, 1995, page 2, col. 1, microfilm Niles District Library

Michael "Harvey" Thornton
1947-1995
fishing and hunting enthusiast

Funeral services for Michael "Harvey" Thornton, 48, of 10909 Pucker St.,Niles, will be Friday at 2 p.m. at Halbritter Funeral Home in Niles by the Rev. Lowell Black of First Church of Christ-Christian.

Burial will follow in Mission Hills Memorial Gardens, Niles.

Mr. Thornton died at 4:32 p.m. Tuesday at Pawating Hospital in Niles, following a brief illness.

He was born Feb. 17, 1947, in Niles, and was a lifetime resident of Niles.

On Aug. 14, 1966, in Niles, he married the former Stephanie L. Brooks, who survives.

Mr. Thornton was a foreman for French Paper Co. in Niles.

He was an avid fisherman and hunter. He was a member of the National Rifle Association. He graduated from Niles High School in 1965, and was a U.S. Army veteran, serving in Vietnam.  He was the recipient of the Purple Heart during that conflict.

In addition to his wife, survivors include a daughter, Michele R. Jones of Niles; a son, Steven D. Thornton of Cassopolis; two grandchildren; two sisters, Phyllis Ernsberger of Niles and Christine Thornton of Battle Creek; and a brother, Mark Thornton of Niles.

Visitation will be from 4-8 p.m. today at the funeral home.

Memorial contributions may be made to Michigan Heart Association.

Paul Rudlaff, 87
June 24, 1925-Oct. 17, 2012

Niles Daily Star, Published online 9:24pm Thursday, October 18, 2012

Paul J. Rudlaff, 87, of Niles, died at 7:50 a.m. Wednesday, Oct. 17, 2012, at Lakeland Specialty Hospital in Berrien Center, following a brief illness.

He was born on June 24, 1925, in Berrien Springs, to Herman and Tillie (Ragus) Rudlaff. He graduated from Berrien Springs High School and lived in the area most of his life, including many years on Clarendon Avenue in Niles.

He was employed by Lutheran Mutual and Michigan Mutual life insurance companies as a local insurance agent. Paul was a member of Saint Paul’s Lutheran Church in Niles. He was active at the Senior Center and enjoyed bowling and euchre. He was a veteran of World War II serving in the United States Army as a medical non- commissioned officer, leading a squad that was posted in Korea. He was a member of the American Legion Post 26 in Niles and the former Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 4025.

On Feb. 26, 1988, in Niles, he married the former Shirley (Baird) Wickler who preceded him in death on March 22, 2006. He was also preceded in death by a son,

David Rudlaff, on March 30, 2011, and several brothers and sisters.

Surviving family includes his children, Lowell Rudlaff of Idaho, Rebecca Jo (Tom) Tapley of Apache Junction, Ariz., and Gary Rudlaff of State Line, Nev.; two grandchildren; two sisters, Eleanor Hoge of Baroda; many nieces and nephews; and a wonderful circle of friends, including Odie Stewart of Niles.

The funeral service for Paul J. Rudlaff will be at 11 a.m. Monday, Oct. 22, 2012, at the Halbritter Funeral Home in Niles with the Rev. Carl W. Bassett, of Saint Paul’s Lutheran Church, officiating. Interment will be at Silverbrook Cemetery in Niles. Full military honors will be offered by the United States Army Honor Guard and American Legion Post 26.

The family will receive relatives and friends beginning at 9 a.m. Monday at the funeral home. Contributions in memory of Paul may be made to Saint Paul’s Lutheran Church.

Anna Ream
1851-October 31, 1922

Niles Daily Star, Tuesday, October 31, 1922, submitted by Candace Skalla

Funeral services for Mrs. Anna Ream will be held tomorrow afternoon at 3 o'clock at the home of her brother, Frank Skalla, St. Joseph Avenue. Burial will take place in Silver Brook Cemetery. The body will be brought to Niles tomorrow morning from Kalamazoo where Mrs. Ream's death occurred at Borgess hospital.

Niles Daily Star, Wednesday, November 1, 1922, submitted by Candace Skalla

The body of Mrs. Anna Ream was brought to Niles this morning from Kalamazoo and taken to the home of her brother, Frank Skalla, St. Joseph Avenue, where the funeral services were conducted this afternoon by Rev. Harold Holt. Burial took place in Silver Brook cemetery. Among those out of the city who attended were Mr. and Mrs. Lyle Hartsell of Cleveland, O; Fred and Albert Ream and their families of Kalamazoo; Frank Ream and family of Allegan; Mrs. Frank Taylor of Laporte, Ind; and Mrs. Rosa Koontz of South Bend.

Elizabeth Skalla
Oct. 18, 1896-Sept. 29, 1984

Niles Daily Star, Thursday, October 4, 1984, page 2, submitted by Candace Skalla

Elizabeth J. Skalla, 87, of 333 N. Lincoln Ave., Niles, died Saturday, Sept. 29 at 12:15 p.m. at State Line Nursing Home after a lengthy illness.

She was born Oct. 18, 1896 in Berlin, Germany and had lived in the area since 1902, coming from Germany. She was a homemaker and married Frank Skalla on Feb. 14, 1929
in LaPorte, Ind. He preceded her in death on Nov. 18, 1963.

Surviving are: a daughter, Mrs. Liz Bruckman, of Carmel Ind.; for grandchildren and five great grandchildren.

Services will be held Monday, Oct 8 at 1:30 p.m. at the Pifer-Smith Funeral Home. Rev. William Hamm of the Trinity Church will officiate. Burial will follow at Silverbrook Cemetery.

Friends may call at the funeral home from 2 to 4 p.m. and 7 to 9 p.m. Sunday. Memorials may be given to the Berrien County Cancer Service and the Michigan Heart Fund.

Frank Skalla
May 2, 1889-Nov. 23, 1963

Niles Daily Star, Monday, November 25, 1963, page 2, col. 4, submitted by Candace Skalla

Funeral services for Frank Skalla, 74, of 333 N. Lincoln Ave., will be conducted at 9 a.m. Tuesday in the Kiger Funeral Home. The Rev. John P. MacLachlan, pastor of the First Presbyterian Church, will officiate. Military graveside rites will follow in Silverbrook Cemetery.

He died at 9 p.m. Saturday in the Dor-A-Lin Nursing Home here, where he had been a patient two days. He had been ill a year.

Mr. Skalla was born here May 2, 1889, and lived his lifetime in the community. He was former owner of the Niles Cabinet Building, in which he manufactured art ware. After selling the building in 1937, he continued manufacturing in his home until his retirement in 1956. He married Elizabeth Willmann Feb. 14, 1929, in LaPorte, Ind. She survives.

Other survivors include a daughter, Mrs. Richard Doranski, Creve Couer, Mo.; a brother Walter, Niles; three sisters, the Misses Harriett and Josephine Skalla, and Mrs. Walter Geiger, all of Niles; and four grandchildren.

He was a veteran of World War 1 and past commander of the American Legion.

Friends are being received at the funeral home.

Paul Skalla
Jan. 15, 1854-March 10, 1929

Niles Daily Star, Monday, March 11, 1929, page 1, submitted by Candace Skalla

Paul Skalla, Niles Oldest Undertaker Stricken By Death

Paul Skalla, 75, veteran Niles undertaker, and well known resident of Niles for many years, died at 1:35 Sunday morning at his home, 527 East Main street, of heart disease.
Mr. Skalla was stricken with a severe illness from heart complications last Wednesday and grew setadily weaker until his death.

Mr. Skalla was born in Manitowoc Wis., on January 15, 1854, a son of Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Skalla, who when was a small boy came to Niles to make their home and where he
had since resided. His father was the founder of the Skalla Furniture Co., a company comprised of himself, and his sons, Joseph, Albert, Frank, John and Paul, manufacturing chairs
and other articles of furniture in a building which stood for many years at N. Lincoln and State streets and which was in later years destroyed by fire. They engaged in the
undertaking business. The factory was one of the flourishing industries of the early days in Niles. Mr. Skalla was married to Miss Lurie Elizabeth Dutton in Chicago and after their marriage he launched into business for himself by taking over the undertaking business which he continued until recently. Mrs. Skalla died nine years ago.

Mr. Skalla served as city treasurer for two terms or from 1888 to 1890. He was deeply interested in the growth of Niles and had erected two prominent buildings on Main street, that occupied by the Niles Gas Company at Third and Main streets and one occupied by the J.C. Penney and Economy Fruit company's business on Main street between Third and Fourth streets. To erect the latter building Mr. Skalla moved from the site the house which had been the family home for many years, to 527 Main street, with his son, Lawrence and his wife, and their children, Alice, Betty and Paul, and another daughter-in-law, Mrs. Bessie Skalla, widow of Eugene Skalla, who comprise the immediate family. Mr. and Mrs. Skalla were the parents of two sons, Lawrence, of Niles, and Eugene, who died three years ago in Albuquerque, N.M., where he had spent several years for the benefit of his health. Besides the son, one brother, Frank Skalla, of Niles and one sister, Mrs. Alice Koontz of South Bend, surive.

Mr. Skalla was a member of Niles Tent, Knights of the Maccabees, in which order he had been finance keeper for many years, of Niles Camp, Modern Woodmen of America, and of Niles Council Knights of Columbus.

The funeral services will be held tomorrow at 9 o'clock in St. Mary's Catholic church. The Rev. V. Ducat will officiate. Burial will be made in Silver Brook cemetery.

Niles Daily Star, Tuesday, March 12, 1929, submitted by Candace Skalla

Funeral Paul Skalla

Funeral service for Paul Skalla were held in St. Mary's Catholic Church this morning with the Rev. V. Ducat officiating. The following were pallbearers: E. J. Donahue, A. G. Stone,
Marshall Grathwohl, Jerome Pease, J. R. Kennedy and C. E. Dick. Burial was made in the family lot in Silver Brook cemetery.

Niles Daily Star, March 26, 1928, submitted by Candace Skalla

Begin To Move House

The former home of Paula Skalla, 312 E. Main street, was being raised this morning by workman preparatory to moving it to the Second Baptist church property on Ferry and N.
Sixth streets. A one story mercantile building will be erected on the location on Main street, as soon as the present building is removed. Plans have been completed for the new
structure, however. One of the large maple trees in front of the Skalla home was cut down and removed today to get ready for operations.