Harry E. Brelsford
Aug. 27, 1886-Jan. 15, 1980

Niles Daily Star, Saturday, January 26, 1980, page 2, col. 3, microfilm Niles District Library

NILES-- Harry E. Brelsford, 93, formerly  of Niles, died unexpectedly Jan. 15 in Hendersonville, N.C.

He was born Aug. 27, 1886 in Jackson, and moved shortly thereafter to Niles. He was a research electrical engineer for Diamond Power Specialty.

Mr. Brelsford was a member of the Methodist church, the Masonic Lodge and the Niles Lawn Bowling association.

His wife, Irene Laberteaux, whom he married in January, 1914, preceded him in death.

Survivors include five sons, Clayton of Wilmington, N.C., Harry of Santa Monica, Calif., Quentin of Mt. Dora, Fla., Richard of Rochester, N.Y., and Thomas of Battle Creek.

Also surviving are three daughters, Harriet Boynton of Richmond, Va., Elizabeth Redecker of Hendersonville, N.C., and Mary Langerman of Walled Lake; and sisters-in-law Laura Peterson and Miriam Laberteaux, both of Niles.

Memorial services following cremation were conducted at Hendersonsville. Interment will be at a later date at Silverbrook Cemetery.

Roe E. Brenner
April 7, 1883-Aug. 27, 1956

Niles Daily Star, Monday, August 27, 1956, page 2, col. 4, microfilm Niles District Library

Roe E. Brenner, 73, of 612 North Fifth Street, former member of the Niles Police Department, died at 6:30 a.m. today in his home following an illness of nine months.

Brenner, also former owner of the Family Gardens Tavern from 1934 to 1944 and a cigar store from 1944 to 1951 when he retired from active business, was born April 7, 1883, in Berrien Center and had lived his lifetime in this community. He also had worked for the New York Central Railroad, and was a member of the Niles Elks Lodge.

He was married Nov. 1, 1930, to Dorothy Brugger in South Haven. She survives as does a daughter, Barbara Ann Brenner, at home, and two sisters, Mrs. Harry Grunder, of San Diego, Calif., and Mrs. Virgil Schwartz, of Elkhart, Ind.

Funeral services will be held in the Kiger Funeral Home with the Rev. L. George Beacock, pastor of the First Methodist Church, officiating. Burial will be in Silverbrook Cemetery with graveside rites by the Elks Lodge. Day and time of the services are to be announced.  Friends may call at the funeral home.

Niles Daily Star, Tuesday, August 26, 1956, page 2, col. 5, microfilm Niles District Library

BRENNER RITES SET

Funeral services will be held at 3:30 p.m., Wednesday in the Kiger Funeral Home for Roe E. Brenner, 73 of 612 North Fifth Street, who died Monday after an extended illness. The Rev. L. George Beacock will officiate with burial in Silverbrook Cemetery.

Robert B. Carter
Aug. 23, 1921-Dec. 30, 1979

Niles Daily Star, Wednesday, January 2, 1980, page 2, col. 5-6, microfilm Niles District Library

NILES--Robert B. Carter, 58, of 923 Sycamore St., died at 2:12 p.m. Sunday at Pawating Hospital.     A career serviceman, he was born Aug. 23, 1921 in French Camp, Miss., and had lived here since 1958.

Survivors include his father, Melton Carter of French Camp; a son, Livesteen Carter of Cleveland, Ohio; and two brothers, William C. Carter of Hamtramck, Mich., and James E. Carter of St. Louis, Mo.

He was a member of the Amon Brothers Chapter of the Disabled American Veterans.

Funeral services will be at 1:30 p.m. Thursday at the Mount Calvary Baptist Church with the Rev. W.L. Daniel officiating. Burial will be at Silverbrook Cemetery.

Friends may call at the Pifer-Smith Funeral Home after 6 p.m. Thursday.

Margaret D. Cook
May 17, 1865-Sept. 13, 1943

Niles Daily Star, Wednesday, September 15, 1943, page 2, col. 6, microfilm Niles District Library

Margaret Cook, 78,

Niles Ex-Resident,

Dies; Rite Thursday

Funeral services for Mrs. Margaret D. Cook, 78, a former resident of Niles, will be conducted Thursday afternoon at 2 in her home at 1243 Van Buren street, South Bend. The body will be brought to Silverbrook cemetery for burial.

Mrs. Cook, who removed to South Bend 37 years ago from Niles, died Monday afternoon in her South Bend home. She was a native of Germany where she was born May 17, 1865.

Surviving are nine children--William L. Cook, Henry J. Cook, Mrs. George Geissler, all of South Bend; Mrs. Joseph Schroer, Mrs. Arthur Greig and Leroy S. Cook, all of Detroit; Carl F. Cook, Western Springs, Ill.; Mrs. Harold Marquis, Los Angeles, Calif., and Miss Marguerite Cook, Palmvale, Calif.

She also leaves 15 grandchildren. Her husband, Charles H. Cook, died in 1936.

Florence Claudine Coolidge
Dec. 15, 1868-Aug. 7, 1956

Niles Daily Star, Wednesday, August 8, 1956, page 2 col. 4, microfilm Niles District Library

Member of a Pioneer Family Dies

Florence Claudine Coolidge, 87, of 10 Grand Avenue, daughter of Judge Orville W. and Katie Pettingill Coolidge, one of Niles' pioneer families, died at 10:40 p.m., Tuesday in Pawating Hospital where she had been a patient since June 14.

An author and always prominent in civic, church and social affairs of the city, Miss Coolidge was born Dec. 15, 1868, in Niles and had lived her entire life here. She is [illegible].

A teacher of literature and public speech in the local schools, she received her education background . . .[illegible] French school in Cincinnati, the University of Chicago and Columbia College of Expression at Chicago.  Keenly interested in American Indian folklore, her book, "Little Ugly Face," was published in 1925 and is still available.

She had been a member of the First Presbyterian Church for 70 years, representing a longer association with the church than any other member. An active worker in the Woman's Progressive League and the League of Women voters, she also was an associate member of the American Association of University Women and directed several plays to raise money for that organization. At the time of her death she was an honorary member of the Ladies Historical Society and of the Niles Club of Home Gardens, both of which she had been a member for many years. As a young woman she worked in the Presbyterian Sunday School and was actively engaged in church work.

Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m., Friday in the First Presbyterian Church with the Rev. Chester Wetzel, assistant pastor, officating[sic]. Burial will be in Silverbrook Cemetery.  Friends may call at the Kiger Funeral Home beginning this evening. The casket will remain closed.

Estella Davis
Jan. 16, 1879-Aug. 5, 1956

Niles Daily Star, Monday, August 6, 1956, page 2 col. 6, microfilm Niles District Library

Mrs. Estella Davis, 77, of 1215 Bybee Court, died at 12:25 a.m., Sunday in Pawating Hospital.  She had been ill since July 27.

Mrs. Davis, a member of the First Baptist Church in Niles, was born Jan. 16, 1879, in Knox, Ind., and moved to Niles in 1916.  Surviving are: five sons, Harley, Hal and Bert Davis, all of Niles, and James and David Davis, both of Jackson, Mich.; four daughters, Mrs. Charles Humphrey, Mrs. Stanley Suridge and Mrs. Albert Priebe, all of Niles, and Mrs. Ivan Minderhout, of Benton Harbor; 11 grandchildren; nine great-grandchildren; four brothers, William Clements, of Iowa, Abner Clements, of Bertrand; Andrew Clements, of Toledo, O., and Marvin Clements, of South Bend, and a sister, Mrs. Rebecca Alexander, South Bend.

Funeral services will be held at 4 p.m. Tuesday in the Pifer Funeral Home with the Rev. Ray McCoy; pastor of the First Baptist Church, officiating. Burial will be in Silverbrook Cemetery. Friends may call at the funeral home.