Obituaries

Gertrude E. Gillette
Jan. 7, 1859-Nov. 17, 1914

Niles Daily Star, Tuesday, November 17, 1914, page 4, col. 4, microfilm Niles District Library

HER MOTTO WAS 'ALWAYS FAITHFUL'

Miss Gertrude E. Gillette Passed Away This Morning at Her Home in Broadway.

Miss Gertrude E. Gillette was born in Bertrand township, this county, and has lived in Niles and vicinity all her life. She passed away at 12:15 this morning at her home, after a brief illness with pneumonia. Miss Gillette was a daughter of Charles and Hannah K. Gillette, neither of whom are living. Since the death of her mother a few years ago she has lived alone at the house, 506 Broadway.

She was a graduate of the Niles high school. Several years ago she united with the First Baptist church of this city and ever since has lived a consistent Christian life. The church has always found her a loyal faithful member, willing to do any service for her church and her Master. Miss Gillette has held various offices in the church and its organizations and for several years has sang in the choir.

Her life has been quiet and unassuming, yet her work still lives after her. The life which Miss Gillette has lived before us cannot be measured by words. We can express only in a weak way what her life has meant to her church and the community.  Her motto seemed to be "Always faithful." The church and its pastors have always known that they could depend upon her.  In the church's prosperity she was faithful and in the church's adversity she was still faithful. The test of a life is adversity. Such are the children of God and for such He has an abundant reward. She leaves one brother, Joel H. Gillette.

Funeral arrangements will be announced later.

Niles Daily Sun, Tuesday, November 17, 1914, page 1, col. 7-8, microfilm Niles District Library

A CHRISTIAN LIFE IS NOW CLOSED BY DEATH

Miss Gertrude Gillette Was Faithful in All Things.

[Text is same as above].

Niles Daily Sun, Wednesday, November 18, 1914, page 4, col. 3, microfilm Niles District Library

The funeral services for Miss Gertrude Gillette will be held on Friday afternoon at 2 o'clock from the residence on Broadway. Rev. A.W. Lyons of the Baptist church will conduct the services.

Ralph H. Wegner
Jan. 24, 1902-March 18, 1975

Niles Daily Star, Wednesday, March 19, 1975, page 1, col. 1-8, microfilm Niles District Library

WEGNER'S SUDDEN DEATH SADDENS CITY

NILES--Ralph H. Wegner, 73, mayor of Niles since 1970 and a public official in the city for much of the past 22 years, died suddenly at 6:50 p.m. Tuesday at Pawating Hospital.

He began public service in Niles in 1952 when he became a member of the Board of Public Works, a post he held through 1960. He served on the city's Employes Relations Board from 1954 through 1958 and the Museum Board from 1954 through 1956.

Wegner was a member of the Board of Trustees of the Michigan Municipal League .  During 1973-74, he was chairman of Region I of the League. He was also a member of the National League of Cities Standing committee on Human Resource Development.

A graduate of Sturgis High School, Wegner attended Kalamazoo College and Western Michigan University. He was a member of the St. Joseph Valley Masonic Lodge, the Niles Lions Club, and the Fraternal Order of Police. He was a past exalted ruler and secretary of the Niles Elks Lodge and was a past district deputy grand exalted ruler of Elks.

He was a teacher and coach in Decatur and worked with Indiana & Michigan Electric Co., for  10 years before joining Williams Supply Co. He retired from Williams as manager of the electrical plumbing and heating. During World War II, he was an Air Force civilian inspector.

Wegner was born Jan. 24, 1902 in Sturgis and had lived in Niles since 1940, coming from Fort Wayne, Ind.

On June 21, 1924, in Kalamazoo, he married the former Virginia A. Bell, who survives.

Also surviving are two sons, John R. and James P., both of Niles; a daughter, Mrs. Helmet (Judith Ann) Kolig of Vienna, Austria; a brother, Raymond of Kalamazoo; five grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.

Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. Friday at the First Presbyterian Church with the Rev. John R. Wyngarden officiating.

Burial will be in Silverbrook Cemetery, where graveside rites will be conducted by the Niles Elks Lodge.

Friends may call after noon Thursday at the Halbritter Funeral Home.

Memorials may be made to the Niles Community Library or the Michigan Heart Association.

City police officers will form an honor guard at the funeral home Thursday and during the funeral. Police escort will be provided form the funeral home to the church and then to Silverbrook Cemetery.

Hattie (Leitelt) Stoll
Oct. 17,1864-Dec. 9, 1931

Niles Daily Star, December 10, 1931, page 1.

MRS. MATHEW STOLL IS DEAD AFTER AN ILLNESS LASTING SEVERAL YEARS

Mrs. Hattie Stoll, 67, wife of former Mayor Mathew Stoll, died at 9:15 last evening in their home, 312 N. Fourth street. Mrs. Stoll had been in ill health for three years. For the past six months her death had not be unexpected.

Mrs. Stoll's maiden name was Hattie Leitelt. She was born in Austria on Oct. 17, 1864. When she was two years old her parents left Austria with their family and came to the Untied States. Their first home was in Grand Rapids. She was married to Mr. Stoll in Grand Rapids on May 30, 1886. For a time after their marriage Mr. and Mrs. Stoll lived in in Buchanan but moved to Niles from Buchanan in 1895 when the Kompass & Stoll factory was established in Niles with Mr. Stoll as a member of the firm, until he retired two years ago. Of the 37 years in which they lived in Niles Mr. and Mrs. Stoll lived for 28 years in the home in which she died. The two children born to Mr.and Mrs. Stoll, Charles D. Stoll and Arthur Stoll, both of Niles, survive their mother. Besides the husband and sons, Mrs. Stoll is survived by two sisters, Mrs. Andrew Batt, of Grand Rapids and Mrs. Julia Buschner, of Kalamazoo, who are now the only members surviving of a family of 14 children.

Mrs. Stoll was a member of St. Mary's guild and of the Rosary society of St. Mary's church. She was also a life member of the Woman's Progressive league.  Mrs. Stoll was highly esteemed as a neighbor and in the church and social groups in which she moved. She was deeply interested in affairs of the city of Niles through contact with civic matters during the four terms her husband served as mayor and previoulsy as an alderman of the first ward.

The funeral services will be held on Saturday morning at 9 o'clock in St. Mary's Catholic church.  The committal will be in the mausoleum in Silverbrook cemetery.

Cornelious Donnellon
July 14, 1888-Dec. 6, 1947

Niles Daily Star, Monday, December 8, 1947, page 2, col. 5, microfilm Niles District Library

Last rites for Cornelious H. Donnellon, 59, 318 Fort street, who died Saturday in his home after a two-year illness will be at 11 am. Tuesday in the Pifer funeral home.

Officiating will be the Rev. H.L. Nicholson. Interment will be in Silverbrook cemetery. Friends may pay last respects at the Pifer funeral home.

Mr. Donnellon was born in Brooklyn, N.Y., July 14, 1888, and he came to Niles 14 years ago from California.  He managed filling stations here, and had been a member of the Masonic lodge in Evanston.

Surviving are his widow, Ida; a son Sam, Tujunga, Cal.; and a brother, Sam, New Rochelle, N.Y.

Clarence B. Turner
April 28, 1887-Nov. 28, 1947

Niles Daily Star, Tuesday, December 2, 1947, page 2, col. 6, microfilm Niles District Library

Last rites for Clarence B. Turner, 59, 1308 Oak street, will be conducted at 2 p.m. Wednesday in the Kiger funeral home.

The Rev. W.D. Turner, a brother and pastor of the Waco, Tex., Baptist church, will officiate. Burial will be in Silverbrook cemetery.

Turner died Nov. 28 in a Waco sanitarium after an illness of two years. He was a retired Michigan Central railroad switchman, and had left Niles three months ago for the Texas city.  He was  born April 12, 1887 in Mt. Pelier,v Ind.

Surviving are a daughter, Mrs. Arthur Fisher, Niles; three brothers, Walter of Kermit, Tex.; Richard of Dayton, O.; and the Re. Turner; a sister, Mrs. C.E. Kiser, DeQueen, Ark.,and a half-brother, James B. Fleagle, Brookfield, O.

Evan B. Shilladey
Sept. 13, 1870-Nov. 4, 1947

Niles Daily Star, Tuesday, December 2, 1947, page 2, col. 6, microfilm Niles District Library

BURY SHILLADEY ASHES

The ashes of Evan B. Shilladey, Los Gatos, Cal, formerly of Niles, were buried this afternoon in Silverbrook cemetery.

Mr. Shilladey died in Los Gatos Nov. 4. The ashes were returned to South Bend where a  brother, William, made burial arrangements.

Born in Niles in 1870, Mr. Shilladay married Jessie Willson who survives, in Chicago. They had no children. He was employed by the Big Four railroad as a telegraph operator.