Obituaries

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

Yvonne G. Brady
Feb. 9, 1923-Aug. 23, 1997

Niles Daily Star, Monday, Aug. 24, 1997, page 2, col. 1, microfilm Niles District Library

Yvonne G. Brady
1923-1997
Niles Resident

Funeral services for Yvonne G. Brady, 74, 1241 S. 13th St., Niles, are Wednesday, Aug. 27, at 10:30 a.m. at South Niles Community Church, 1305 Fort St., Niles.

Mrs. Brady died Saturday, Aug. 23, at Holy Care & Rehabilitation Center, South Bend, Ind., of natural causes.

She was born Feb. 9, 1923, in Battle Creek.

On April 17, 1968, in Cassopolis, she married Robert Brady, who preceded her in death Oct. 26, 1990.

Mrs. Brady was a member of South Niles Community Church. She was a retired grocery store clerk.

Survivors include two daughters, Linda S. Fahlsing of Burnsville, Minn., and Ruth A Nieuwland of Salt Lake City, Utah; one son, Daryl A. Matthews of Edwardsburg; five grandchildren and three great-grandchildren; two sisters, Olive Line of South Bend, and Barbara (Young) Rodebush of Niles; three brothers, Kermit Adams of Niles, Damon Adams of Niles and Roberts Adams of Mishawaka, Ind.; and one stepson, James Brady of  Niles. She was preceded in death by a sister, Sharon Lingerfelt; and two brothers, Donald Adams and Delbert Adams.

Friends may call Tuesday from 5 until 8 p.m. at Pifer-Smith Funeral Home, Niles.

Memorial contributions may be made to the South Niles Community Church or the Niles Community Library.

Thomas Bracken
Oct. 1, 1843-Nov. 5, 1875

Niles Democrat, Saturday, November 13, 1875, page 3 col. 2, microfilm Niles District Library

Death of Rev. Thomas Bracken

Rev. Thomas Bracken, who died in this city, on Friday, Nov. 8th, at the residence of his mother, was born in Charlesburg, Washington county, Pa., Oct. 1st, 1843.    About twenty years ago he came with his father, who removed with his family from Pennsylvania, and settled here. He entered our High School and soon developed a taste and aptitude for study, which gave promise of the future man. He graduated from our High School, and fitted himself for college under the direction of the Rev. Joseph F. Phillips, Rector of Trinity Church. He then entered Jefferson College in his native place, from which he graduated, standing well in his class. He studied theology at Allegheny City, was ordained, called by the United Presbyterian society of Port Huron, Mich., as their pastor. Some six years ago, Mr. Bracken was married to Miss Chapin, daughter of H.A. Chapin, Esq., of this city, who died about one year after being married, leaving an infant who soon followed its mother.  Mr. Bracken continued to discharge the duties of pastor at Port Huron until failing health and strength compelled him to give up his charge.

After leaving Port Huron he visited various portions of the country with the hope of restoring his impaired health. Last spring he was called home by the fatal illness of his father. Soon afterwards he received and accepted a call as pastor of a church at Oil City, Pa., A few months after entering upon his pastoral duties he was again compelled to take a leave of absence, (which his congregation extended to six months.) in consequence of failing health. He came home with the intention of going to California, but disease prostrated him,, and he continued to fail gradually until death relieved his sufferings.

Through all his painful sickness he never expressed impatience or complained, but was ever cheerful and hopeful,and endeavored to make those about him equally so.  When it became evident that the end was near, he called his family about him, bid them all farewell and passed to his rest as quietly and easily as a child to sleep.

Mr. Bracken was well known and highly esteemed in this city. Here he passed his joyous school days, beloved alike by schoolmate and teacher, in his more mature youth, and later, the gradual transition from youth to manhood, Mr. Bracken possessed a very happy, cheerful, and social disposition; a refined and cultivated taste; an intellect of more than ordinary power, stored with the results of laborious research. He was very tenacious of his convictions of right and principle, and while he valiantly and earnestly defended his position, yet his generous, candid manner in argument never left an unpleasant impression with his opponent. He was conscientious in the discharge of duty and labored faithfully, earnestly and effectively in the field to which he was called. His early death, just as he was fairly entering upon the Master's work, will take from the vinyard a faithful laborer, and from the church with which he was connected a true, earnest, Christian minister.

The community sustains a great loss in the removal from among us of the good example and influence of a pure, unostentatious Christian life; society will miss a favorite and an ornament, and his family, by whom he was idolized, will mourn a dutiful, affectionate son, a kind, gentle, loving brother.

A very large procession of friends and acquaintance attested their esteem and respect for the deceased by following the remains to Silver Brook Cemetery. The funeral services were conducted by the Rev. J. Anderson, of Martin, Mich., a friend and associate of Mr. Bracken, whose remarks, upon the occasion, where very earnest and impressive, and were attentively listened to by all who could hear him.

Niles Republican, Thursday, November 11, 1875, page 2 col. 5, microfilm Niles District Library

DIED

BRACKEN--At the residence of his mother, in the City, on the 5th inst., of consumption of the bowels, Rev. Thomas Browden,in his 34th year.