John Davidson
1851-March 1, 1933

Niles Daily Star, Wednesday, March 1, 1933, page 4, col. 1, microfilm Niles District Library

Death of John Davison

Word was received last evening by Harry Mansfield of the death of John Davison, 82, a former resident of Niles, in the home of his niece, Mrs. Deana Collins Bates, in Minneapolis, Minn.  The body will be brought to Niles tomorrow on the Michigan Central train due from Chicago at 11:10 and will be taken to the Rutherford Funeral Home where a funeral service will be conducted at 2 o'clock tomorrow afternoon. The Rev. G.W. Simon, pastor of the Presbyterian church will officiate. Burial will be made in Silverbrook cemetery. Mr. Davison was born in Niles. His father erected the building now occupied by the Babcock tea room and the Tynan Hat shop  at Third and Main street. The father was a pioneer resident of Niles. The son, born in the house his father had erected, engaged in the marble cutting business in partnership with Mrs. Bates' father. Mr. Davison had several sisters, all of whom are deceased but whose names are well remembered in Niles as Mrs. Fanny Scott, Mrs. Laura Hinton, Mrs. Joseph Brochaw and Miss Hattie Davison, the latter having been killed in an accident. Mrs. Hinton's body was brought to Niles for burial two years ago. Members of . .[illegible] . .will act as pallbearers at the service for Mr. Davison.

Note: In Silverbrook burial listing as "Davidson", obit and Minnesota Death record say Davison

Katherine Doane
Aug. 15, 1863-April 16, 1947

Niles Daily Star, Wednesday, April 16, 1947, page 2, col. 5, microfilm Niles District Library

Mrs. Katherine E. Doane, 83, mother of Mrs. Eugene Huntley, rural route one, Niles, and Harold H. Doane, Cassopolis, died at 4 a.m. today in Ann Arbor where she was visiting a daughter, Mrs. Walter Drury. She was ill since early January.

Last rites will be conducted at 2 p.m. Friday in the Kiger funeral home with the Rev. L. George Beacock officiating. Interment will be in Silverbrook cemetery. Friends may call at the funeral home.

Mrs. Doane spent most of her life in Cass county and the Niles community with exception of a few winters in Ann Arbor visiting her daughter.

She was born in Howard township, Cass county, Aug. 15, 1863.  Mrs. Doane was a member of the Methodist church.

Surviving besides the three children are eight grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.  Her husband, Herbert, died in 1921.

George J. Etzcorn
April 15, 1891-Jan. 23, 1978

Niles Daily Star, Tuesday, January 24, 1978, page 2, col. 7-8, microfilm Niles District Library

NILES--George J. Etzcorn, 86, 1646 Hickory St., died at 12:21 p.m. Monday in Pawating Hospital following a brief illness.

A retired employee of the New York Central Railroad, he was a member of the Veterans of World War I, having served with the U.S. Marine Corps, the American Legion Post 26 and the Veterans of Foreign Wars.

Born April 15, 1891 in Niles, he was a lifetime resident of the area. He married Helen M. Wallace on March 8, 1925, in Dowagiac. She died Feb. 3, 1975.

He is survived by his sons Robert G. and Lyle P. Etzcorn, both of Niles, seven grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.

Funeral services will be at 10:30 a.m. Thursday at the Halbritter Funeral Home with the Rev. Arnold Schaap of Edwardsburg officiating. Burial will follow at Silverbrook Cemetery.

Friends may call after 2 p.m. Wednesday at the Halbritter Funeral Home.

Lillian Burrus
1880-April 25, 1932

Niles Daily Star, Monday, April 25, 1932, page 4, col. 6, microfilm Niles District Library

MRS. FRANK BURNNS

Mrs. Lillian Burnns, 51, wife of Frank Burnns, died this morning at 4:40 in Pinehurst sanatorium at Oshtemo. The body was brought to the Troost and Augustine chapel, and the funeral services will be held there on Wednesday afternoon at 2:30. The Rev. Robert Meader, pastor of the Methodist church,will officiate. Burial will be made in Silver Brook cemetery. Mrs. Burnns is survived by her husband, four children, her mother, Mrs. John Burk of Dowagiac,and a brother, William Barber, of Dowagiac. The children are Mrs. Doris Jones, Mrs. Lucille Gault and William Frederick Burnns, of Niles, and Mrs. Alice Batchellor, of Otsego. Mrs. Burris had been in the sanatorium since last May. The family has lived in Niles for ten years. Mr. Burnns is employed at the William Meyers farm and makes his home there.

Note:  Info from death record, gravemarker, and cemetery records indicate that the family name is repeatedly misspelled in this obituary.

Almond Joel Burdue
Oct. 24, 1908-Jan. 7, 1978

Niles Daily Star, Monday, January 9, 1978, page 2, col. 4, microfilm Niles District Library

NILES-- Almond Joel Burdue, 69, of 2662 Smith St., died at 9:45 p.m. Saturday at Pawating Hospital, following an illness of four months.

A retired electrician with the National-Standard Co., Mr. Burdue was born Oct. 24, 1908 in South Dakota, and had lived in Niles for many years.

On June 1, 1929, in Niles, he married Gladys O. Corwien, who survives.

Also surviving are his step-mother, Minnie Burdue of Niles; two sons, Jerry and Melvin, both of Niles; two daughters, Mrs. Joyce Dumond and Mrs. Joella Good, both of Niles; a half-brother, Eugene Burdue of Niles; three sisters, Mrs. Daisy Webster of Niles, Mrs. Dorothy Ruyan of Mishawaka, Ind., and Mrs. Alice Ray of Greentown,Ind.; two half-sisters, Mrs. Peggy Waldon and Mrs. Mary Krysiak, both of Niles; and 10 grandchildren.

Funeral services will be at 1:30 p.m. Tuesday at the New Apostalic[sic] Church, of which he was a member. Evangelist Ernest Lindstedt will officiate. Burial will be in Silverbrook Cemetery.

Friends may call after 4 p.m. today at the Pifer Chapel of the Swem-Smith Funeral Home. Memorial contributions may be made to the New Apostolic Church.

Charles Brookfield
Oct. 25, 1848-May 14, 1914

Niles Daily Star, Thursday, May 14, 1914, page 1, col. 3, microfilm Niles District Library

CHAS. BROOKFIELD DIED TODAY FROM RESULT OF ACCIDENT

Born in Niles, He Followed the Occupation of Miller for Many Years.

Charles Brookfield, 1298 north Front street, died at 10:15 o'clock this morning. He was born in Niles 67 years ago. Learning the miller's trade, for many years he had been employed in the different old-time flour mills of this city, or until his health failed. In later years he was employed as superintendent of the city street cleaning department. However, for the past seven months. Mr. Brookfield has worked but four days.

Last April 30, Mr. Brookfield, on his way home, in a feeble condition, backed into a Big Four passenger train under the Michigan Central bridge on north Front street.

Thrown down with great force, he broke his left leg in two places near the ankle joint. From the result of this accident, uraemic poison set in, followed by complications that resulted in death.

Note: DOB from Michigan Death Record, burial at Silverbrook May 16, H.E. Price