Rosetta Hinton-Lowery, 85
Jan. 8, 1927 — Feb. 9, 2012

Niles Daily Star Published online 10:52pm Thursday, February 16, 2012

Hinton-Lowery

Rosetta Hinton-Lowery, 85, of Hatcher Avenue, Niles, died at 6:38 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 9, 2012, at Memorial Hospital, South Bend.

She was born Jan. 8, 1927, in Oran, Mo. to Zime F. and Mary E. (West) Hinton. She attended South Bend Schools and moved to Niles in the 1980s. She was employed at area restaurants as a cook, including at the former restaurant at U.S. Highway 12 and Bell Road in Niles.

Rosetta professed her faith in Jesus Christ at an early age, and more recently she attended God’s Mercy Seat Ministries in Niles. She enjoyed cooking and flower gardening. She also enjoyed reading, especially about current events.

She was formerly married to Aaron Lowery.

She was preceded in death by her parents; a brother, Robert Hinton; and sister, LaVerne Darcel Smith.

Surviving family includes her cousin, Marcia A. West, who provided her care, and other cousins, Rosie Moore, Ruby Coleman, Goldean West, Doris Brown, and a special cousin, the Rev. Duane West. Also surviving are a goddaughter, Michele Francis; a stepdaughter, Wanda Lowery-Anderson; and a host of relatives and friends.

The funeral service for Rosetta Hinton-Lowery will be at noon Friday, Feb. 17, at God’s Mercy Seat Ministries with the Rev. Duane West of the church officiating. Interment will follow at Silverbrook Cemetery, Niles.

The family will receive relatives and friends beginning at 11 a.m. Friday at the church.

Arrangements were made at Halbritter Funeral Home, Niles.

Donald Harger, 96
July 14, 1915 — Feb. 14, 2012

Niles Daily Star Published online 10:54pm Thursday, February 16, 2012

Harger

Donald E. Harger, 96, passed away Tuesday, Feb. 14, 2012, at Lakeland Community Hospital in Niles.

He was born July 14, 1915, in Niles to Claude and Lulu (Starr) Harger. He was a lifelong resident of Niles, graduating from Niles High School in 1934. He attended Michigan State University, Western Michigan University and South Bend College of Commerce.

Don retired from Harger Accounting Service. He continued to help part-time with the preparation of income taxes until 2004, at the age of 89. He was a member of Independents Accountants Association of Michigan,

First Presbyterian Church of Niles, Orchard Hills Country Club and the B.P.O. of Niles Elks Lodge 1322.

On Sept. 3, 1938, in Niles, he married the former Dorothy Crippen, who preceded him in death on Dec. 3, 1998.

He was also preceded in death by three brothers: Marin, Keith and Robert Harger.

He is survived by a son, D. Richard (Sue) Harger; a daughter, Luann (Roger) Hargreaves, both of Niles; grandchildren, Todd (Becky) Harger, Tami (Robert) Newcomer, Craig Harger, Paul Hargreaves and Daniel Hargreaves; 14 great-grandchildren and five great-great-grandchildren.

Funeral services for Donald E. Harger will be held at 4 p.m. Sunday at First Presbyterian Church in Niles with the Rev. Fran Lane-Lawrence, of the church, officiating.

Interment will be at Silverbrook Cemetery in Niles.

The family will receive friends and relatives beginning at 2 p.m. until the time of service at the church.

Arrangements were made by Halbritter Funeral Home in Niles.

Contributions in memory of Donald may be made to the Foundation of First Presbyterian Church, 13. S. Fourth St., Niles, MI 49120, or the donor’s choice.

Percy Sawyer
1898-Dec. 20, 1961

Niles Daily Star, Friday, December 22, 1961, page 2, col. 4-5, microfilm Niles District Library.

Say Similarity of Dress, Appearance Led to Death

NILES POLICE today continued preparations for next Friday's Niles Municipal Court examination of Walter Welton Fisk, 48, 114 1/2 N. Front St., on a murder charge.

Police Chief Arthur Pears said this morning that it appears that a similarity of dress and general physical appearance caused Fisk to mistake the victim, Percy Sawyer, 63, 102 1/2 N. Front St. . .[illegible]. .(Bullwhip) Brooks, 51, Hatcherville.

Sawyer was fatally wounded by a 12-gauge shotgun blast at the Riverview Inn, 22 N. Front St., about 9:24 p.m. Wednesday. Sawyer was standing at the bar in the tavern and Brooks was seated at a nearby table.

BROOKS AND Fisk had quarrelled earlier in the night over a 50-cent debt that Brooks owed to Fisk. Police said that Fisk entered a card game after  the argument and then left the tavern.

According to police, he returned with the shotgun and fired at Sawyer, probably mistaking him for Brooks. Sawyer, a city employe, caught the full blast in his left side. He died eight hours later at Pawating Hospital.

Sawyer had lived in Niles since 1950. He was born in Mississippi.

Surviving are two sisters, Mildred Sawyer, Detroit, and Mrs. Susie Hall, Indianola, Miss., and a brother, Turner Sawyer, Detroit.

Funeral services will be at 2 p.m. Sunday at the Pifer Funeral Home with the Rev. Theodis Hadley, pastor of Mount Calvary Baptist Church, officiating. Burial will be in Silverbrook Cemetery.

Genevieve Koontz
April 14, 1911-April 8, 1992

Niles Daily Star, Thursday, April 16, 1992, page 2, col.4-5, microfilm Niles District Library

Funeral services for Genevieve Koontz, 80, of 1732 Broadway, Niles, were held at 11 a.m. Monday, April 13, at Halbritter Funeral Home, by the Rev. Clayton D. Fairo of the First Presbyterian Church.

Burial followed in Silverbrook Cemetery, Niles.

Mrs. Koontz died at 11:10 p.m. Wednesday, April 8, at Pawating Hospital, Niles.     She was born April 14, 1911, in Berrien County, and lived in this area her entire lifetime.

Mrs. Koontz was a former grade school teacher. She was a member of the First Presbyterian Church, founding member of The Cosmopolitan Club and attended Western Teacher's College.

On Feb. 23, 1935, in South Bend, Ind. she married Richard E. Koontz, who preceded her in death Oct. 2, 1972.

She is survived by a son, Harvey R. Koontz of Portage; two grandchildren; an adopted daughter, Mary Cole of Virginia Beach, Va.; an adopted son, Fred D. Koontz of Indianapolis, Ind.; she also raised three grandchildren, Larry Koontz of Boca Raton, Fla., Steve Koontz of Phoenix, Ariz.,and Greg Koontz of Racine, Wis., whose parents are Fred Koontz (her adopted son) and Joan Vanderboegh of Niles; three sisters, Mrs. Margaret Hand of Lathrop Village, Mrs. Francis Groat of Buchanan and Mrs. Mildred Ley of Niles; a brother, Fred Franz of Wilmington, Del., and a brother-in-law, Harold Koontz of Niles.

Friends were invited to call from 2 to 4 and 7 to 0 p.m. Sunday, April. 12, at the Halbritter Funeral Home.

Memorial contributions may be made to the American Heart Association or TB & Emphysema Association.

Janet Carol Stapleton
Sept. 23, 1935-Feb. 14, 1992

Niles Daily Star, Saturday, February 15, 1992, page 2, col. 2-4, cemetery file.

Funeral services for Janet Carol Stapleton, 56, of 315 S. Fourth St., Niles, are Tuesday at 1:30 p.m. at Pifer-Smith Funeral Home, Niles.

Burial will be in Silverbrook Cemetery.

Mrs. Stapleton died Friday at 1:45 p.m. at Pawating Hospital in Niles folllowing an extended illness.

She was born Sept. 23, 1935, in Roseland, Ind., and lived most of her life in the area.

On June 22, 1953, in Niles, she married Arch J. Stapleton, who preceded her in death on Nov. 24, 1987.

Survivors include four daughters, Robin Butterworth, Jean Stapleton and Sandra Monroe, all of Niles, and Diana Hight of South Bend, Ind.; three sons, Ronney Stapleton of Waukegon, Ill., Roger Stapleton of Clovis, Calif., and John Stapleton of Niles; two sisters, Beverly Blundy of Jacksonville, Fla., and Patricia Rector of South Bend; and two brothers, Kenneth Russell of South Bend and Earl Russell of Niles; and 13 grandchildren.

A brother, Oscar Russell, preceded her in death in October 1984.

Friends may call Monday from 3 to 5 and 7 to 9 p.m. at the funeral home.

Sandra Jay Jones
Feb. 10, 1992-Feb. 11, 1992

Niles Daily Star, Saturday, February 15, 1992, page 2, col.4-7, microfilm Niles District Library

Funeral services for Sandra Jay Michele Jones, 3 1/2 hours old, of 1358 Silverbrook Ave., NIles, are Monday at 11 a.m. at Halbritter Funeral Home, Niles, by Kenneth Bonfoey, a representative of the Jehovah's Witnesses.

Burial will follow in Silverbrook Cemetery.

Baby Jones died shortly after birth on Tuesday, Feb. 11, at 2 a.m. at Bronson Methodist Hospital, Kalamazoo. She was born Feb. 10.

Survivors include her parents, Doug and Jamie Jones, of the home in Niles; Grandparents Mike and Sandra White of Niles, Harvey Jones of Stevensville and Beth Jones of Bridgman; great-grandparents Herbert White of Niles, Maxine Henry of Osceola, Ind., and Fred and Doris Leach of Niles; and great-great-grandparent, Marjorie Hopkins of Paisley, Fla.

Friends may visit with the family one hour prior to the services at Halbritter Funeral Home.