Carl Marchall
Dec. 3, 1904-Nov. 25, 1967

Niles Daily Star, Monday, November 27, 1967, page 2, col. 3, microfilm Niles District Library

Carl M. (Pat) Marchall, 62, Battle Creek, died Saturday at 1:30 a.m., in Pawating Hospital.

Formerly of the Niles-Buchanan area, he was born in Godrich, Ontario, Dec. 3, 1904. He was a general contractor.

He is survived by his wife, Pauline.

Funeral services will be Tuesday at 2 p.m., in the Pifer Funeral Home with the Rev. Arlan Schlundt of the St. John United Church of Christ officiating.

Burial will be in Silverbrook Cemetery.

Friends are being received at the funeral home.

Herbert W. Rhea
Nov. 12, 1908-Nov. 23, 1967

Niles Daily Star, Friday, November 24, 1967, page 2, col. 1, microfilm Niles District Library

H.W. Rhea dies of injuries

Herbert W. Rhea, 59, of 1612 Platt St., died Thursday at 9:40 a.m., in the Grace Central Hospital, Detroit, from injuries sustained as a result of a fall from a scaffold which occurred Oct. 9, while working at the New York Central Railroad depot, Detroit.

Born in Coffee County, Tenn., Nov. 12, 1908, Mr. Rhea moved to this area from there in 1908.  He was an army veteran of World War II.

He is survived by a sister, Mrs. Ira Hinkle of Lakeland, Fla.; and a brother, Elmore of Rockford.

Funeral services will be conducted Saturday at 2:30 p.m., in the Halbritter-Swem Funeral Home with the Rev. John R. Wyngarden of the First Presbyterian Church officiating.

Burial will be in the Silverbrook Cemetery.

Friends may call at the funeral home after 7 p.m., Friday.

Robert R. VanWagoner
Feb. 24, 1893-Nov. 30, 1967

Niles Daily Star, Thursday, November 30, 1967, page 2, col. 5-6, microfilm Niles District Library

Robert R. VanWagoner, 74, of 1434 Jerome St., died today at 1 a.m. in the Lolmaugh Nursing  Home, Buchanan, after an extended illness.

A tool and die maker at Midwest Products here, Mr. VanWagoner was born in Williams County, Bryan, Ohio, Feb. 24, 1893.

He moved here from Michigan City 40 years ago.

In addition to his wife, Vellma, he is survived by a daughter, Mrs. Frances Odforne of Dowagiac, two sons, Robert of San Bernadino, Calif.; and Glen of Indianapolis, Ind.; five grandchildren and one great-grandchild; a sister, Mrs. Bertha Stifert of Little Rock, Ark.; a brother, Dale of Bryan, Ohio; two half-brothers, Guy and Gerold Elliott, both of Grand Rapids.

Funeral services will be Friday at 4 p.m., in the Pifer Funeral Home with both the Rev. Howard Wright and Brig. General Ernest Hammer of the Niles Salvation Army officiating.

Burial will be in the Silverbrook Cemetery.

Samuel Warriner
April 13, 1877-Nov. 21, 1967

Niles Daily Star, Tuesday, November 21, 1967, page 2, col. 5, microfilm Niles District Library

Samuel Warriner of 251 Bond St., died today at 10:20 a.m., in Pawating Hospital.

Funeral arrangements are incomplete at the Halbritter-Swem Funeral Home.

Niles Daily Star, Wednesday, November 22, 1967, page 2, col. 6, microfilm Niles District Library

Warriner rites

Funeral services for Samuel H. Warriner, 90, 251 Bond St., who died Tuesday will be Saturday at 11 a.m., in the Halbritter-Swem Funeral Home with the Rev. John R. Wyngarden of the First Presbyterian Church officiating.

A retired office manager of the J.T. Wing Company, Detroit, Mr. Warriner moved here from there in 1947.

He was born in Dixon, Ill., April 13, 1877.

His survivors include five daughters, Mrs. Donald Kemeny of Niles; Mrs. Walter Pilcer of Brooklyn, N.Y., Mrs. Sidney Lush of Detroit; Mrs. Hector Tullock of Toledo, Ohio; Mrs. James Lewis of Ann Arbor; 15 grandchildren; and 22 great-grandchildren.

Friends may call at the funeral home after 4 p.m., Friday.

Burial will be in the Silverbook Cemetery.

Upon family request, all memorials may be given to the Heart Fund.

Jennie Wilken
Aug. 16, 1893-Nov. 25, 1967

Niles Daily Star, Monday, November 27, 1967, page 2, col. 3, microfilm Niles District Library

Mrs. Jennie Wilken, 74, of 63 Marmont St., was dead on arrival to Pawating Hospital, Saturday at 3:10 p.m.

Born in Gaylord, Aug. 16, 1893, she moved to this area in 1938 from Detroit.

On Feb. 22, 1938, she married Paul Wilken, here who died Jan. 23, 1961.

Her survivors are two sisters, Mrs. Catherine Mackowiak of Detroit; and Mrs. Mary Campbell of Gaylord.

Funeral services will be Tuesday at 2 p.m., in the Halbritter-Swem Funeral Home with the Rev. Theodore E. Laesch of the St. Paul Lutheran Church of which she was a member officiating.

Burial will be in Silverbrook Cemetery.

Friends are being received at the funeral home.

Ralph Ballard
July 5, 1870-Feb. 16, 1962

Niles Daily Star, Saturday, February 17, 1962, page 2, col. 5-6, microfilm Niles District Library

Niles Historian Ralph Ballard Dies Friday in Hospital at 91

RALPH BALLARD, 91, of 742 Broadway, well known and recognized authority on the early history of Niles and area, died at 1:30 p.m. Friday in Pawating Hospital where he had been a patient since Jan. 28. He had been in failing health for several years.

Mr. Ballard, who had been the oldest living alumnus of Niles High school, was born on July 5, 1870, in the old Ballard home on Ballard Hill, M-60 west of the city, and had lived there until 1945 when he purchased the present home on Broadway.

After  he was graduated from high school here in 1886, he operated the Ballard Farm, specializing in dairy cattle and apples, with his brother, Harry, and uncle, O.W. Ballard, now deceased. He was a member of the state Horticulture Society.

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IT WAS AS a historian that he gained his greatest recognition, having contributed heavily to the work of Fort St. Joseph Museum and authored several pamphlets and a book, "Tales of Early Niles," concerning early history.

Material for his book, read by many, had been assembled by Mr. Ballard over a period of many years and was obtained after painstaking search of official papers and letters, early newspaper files and other authentic documents.

Publication of the book was important to Niles in that it was the first volume ever published that contained a composite story of early events here.

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AMONG HIS many other achievements was the printed compilation of trees native to Berrien County, which he originally prepared for the Niles Garden Club. The work later won recognition as outstanding in its field and gave the author further recognition as a naturalist.

Mr. Ballard also had done other extensive study in the field of horticulture.

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HE WAS married on Oct. 5, 1898, in the Ballard home to Mary H. Huston, who survives.  The couple had celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary in 1948 and had been married 63 years in October.

Also surviving are nieces and nephews.

Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. Monday in the Kiger and Halbritter Funeral Home here with the Rev. John P. MacLachlan, pastor of First Presbyterian Church, officiating.  Burial will be in Silverbrook Cemetery.

Friends are being received at the funeral home.