Obituaries

Elizabeth M. White (Geltmacher)
April 10, 1845-March 30, 1927

Niles Daily Star, Thursday, March 31, 1927, page 2, col. 5-6, microfilm Niles District Library

DAUGHTER OF FORMER MAYOR, BORN IN NILES IN 1845, IS TO BE BURIED IN SILVERBROOK

[Word was received here] Thursday of the death on Wednesday of Mrs. Elizabeth M. White in Pasadena, Calif. Mrs. White was born in Niles on April 10, 1845, a daughter of Jacob and Nancy Geltmacher, prominent pioneer residents of Niles. Mr. Geltmacher was at one time mayor of the city of Niles. Mrs. White was a sister of Hettie Horn, wife of the late Dr. O.P. Horn, of Niles, and also of Pamelia Griffith, wife of Charles H. Griffith, names which are well remembered by many of Niles older residents. She was married in 1870 to Ralph J. White, of Niles. She leaves one son, Dr. Paul G. White, of Pasadena, and one grandchild, Nancy White.

The funeral services will be held at her son's home where she made her home, and the body will be brought to Niles for burial in the family lot in Silver Brook cemetery. It is expected that the later message may be received from Dr. White  giving more definite plans as the time he will reach Niles with the body.

Mrs. White and her son came to Niles two years ago and spent the entire summer here and her visit was a happy occasion for her and the friends who still resided here whom she had known years ago.

Alice Antisdel
Feb. 4, 1890-March 26, 1927

Niles Daily Star, Saturday, March 26, 1927, page 4, col 5, microfilm Niles District Library

Mrs. Antisdel Dies In Short Illness With Erysipelas

Mrs. Alice Antisdel, 37, wife of David Antisdel, 209 N. Third street, died Saturday morning at 4:45 after two weeks illness with erysipelas.  Mrs. Antisdel was born in LaPorte County, Indiana, on February 4, 1890. She was twice married. Besides her husband she is surived[sic] by four children born of her former marriage, also by her parents, Mr. and Mrs. Sanford Fredenburg, who resided with her and by one sister, Mrs. M.A. Stevens, of South Bend.  The children are Mrs. Bertha Dabis, Niles; Mary Peterson and Ann Peterson, South Bend and Robert Peterson of Lakeville, Ind. Mr. and Mrs. Antisdel were married in Buchanan in 1919. The funeral services will be held at the Rutherford Funeral home on Tuesday morning at 10 o'clock.

Niles Daily Star, Tuesday, March 29, 1927, page 4, col 2, microfilm Niles District Library

Funeral Services Today

Funeral services for Mrs. David Antisdel were held this morning at the Rutherford Funeral home. Rev. John Schurman, pastor of the Evangelical church in west Niles, officiated. Burial took place in Silver Brook cemetery. Mrs. Antisdel died Saturday morning at her home, 209 North Third street, after two weeks of illness with erysipelas.

Carrie Ann Tyler
July 26, 1978-Sept. 10, 1998

Niles Daily Star, Thursday, September 10, 1998, page 2, col. 7, microfilm Niles District Library

Funeral services for Miss Carrie Ann Tyler, 20, Topinabee Road, Niles, will be Saturday, Sept. 12, at 10 a.m. at First Presbyterian Church, Niles, by the Rev. Dr. Ronald H. Wakeman, pastor.

Burial will follow at Silverbrook Cemetery, Niles.

Miss Tyler died Wednesday at 1:55 a.m. at Indiana University Medical Center, Indianapolis, Ind., following a brief illness.

She was born July 26, 1978, in Decatur, Ga. She had lived in Niles since 1982, coming here from Dallas.

Miss Tyler was a member of First Presbyterian Church and a former church deacon.

She graduated from Niles High School in 1996.

Miss Tyler was an active member of Fellowship of Christian Athletes at Clemson University, S.C. She was to have begun her junior year at Clemson this year.

Survivors include her parents, Ginny and Todd Tyler of Niles; two brothers, Patrick Tyler of Columbus, Ohio, and Dan Tyler of Niles; and her grandparents Mr. and Mrs. Arthur Peabody of Niles.

There will be no visitation. Arrangements were made by Halbritter Funeral Home, Niles.

Memorials may be made to The Foundation of First Presbyterian Church, Niles, or the Niles Community Library.

Dorotha M. Tyler
Jan. 27, 1907-Feb. 26, 1966

Niles Daily Star, Monday, February 28, 1966, page 1, col 8, microfilm Niles District Library

Mrs. Tyler Dies After Long Illness

Mrs. Dorotha M. Tyler, wife of Robert L. Tyler Sr., vice-president of Clark Equipment Company and general manager of the Tyler Refrigeration Division, died at 11:45 a.m. Saturday in Pawating Hospital where she had been a patient since Jan. 12, following an extended illness. She was 59.

Mrs. Tyler was born Jan. 27, 1907, in Grand Rapids. She was married to Mr. Tyler on May 26, 1928 in Angola, Ind., and came to Niles from Glenn Ellyn, Ill., 21 years ago. She and her husband resided at 802 Topinabee Road.

Surviving, in addition to her husband, are three sons, Robert L. Jr., Thomas L. and Taylor, all of Niles; a brother Laverne Taylor, Kalamazoo, and eight grandchildren.

She was a member of the First Presbyterian Church and a past president of the Ladies' Historical Society.

Funeral services will be conducted at 2 p.m. Tuesday in her church. The Rev. John MacLachlan, pastor, will officiate. Burial will be in Silverbrook Cemetery.

Friends will be received at the Pifer Funeral Home after 7 p.m. today.

Jean M. Tyler
March 18, 1932-June 12, 1988

Niles Daily Star, Monday, June 13, 1988, page 2, col. 5, microfilm Niles District Library

Jean M. Tyler, 56, 1109 Plym Road, Niles, died Sunday, June 12, at 3:15 a.m. at Memorial Hospital in South Bend, Ind.

She was born March 18, 1932 in Chicago and moved to this area in 1953 from Glen Ellyn, Ill.  She was a homemaker and married Robert Tyler Jr. April 7, 1951 in Glen Ellyn. He died March 18, 1975.

She was a member of the First Presbyterian Church and Pawating Hospital Auxiliary.

Survivors include her mother, Marion Fork of Geneva, Ill.; three sons, Todd of Niles, Michael of Encinitas, Calif., and Timothy of Birmingham; a daughter, Tracey Wood of Mesquite, Texas; a brother, Martin Fork of Raleigh, N.C.; and six grandchildren.

Services are Tuesday at 1:30 p.m. at the First Presbyterian Church, where the Rev. Clayton Fairo will officiate. Burial will be in Silverbrook Cemetery. Visitation will not be offered. Memorials may be made to the YMCA Endowment Fund.

Arrangements were made by Pifer-Smtih Funeral Home.

Jerry Lee Tyler
Sept. 21, 1900-June 9, 1946

Niles Daily Star, Monday, June 10, 1946, page 1, col. 8, cont. page 2, col. 4, microfilm Niles District Library

Third Member of Family Dies at 9:35 P.M. Sunday

Combined Services Are

Conducted for Niles

Industrialist, Family

Combined funeral services were held today in the First Presbyterian church of Niles for the three members of the Jerry Tyler family of Niles--all victims of the LaSalle hotel fire in Chicago last Wednesday.

Succumbs Sunday Night

The third member of the family, Mr. Tyler, 45-year-old leading industrialist and prominent Niles civic leader died at 9:35 p.m. last night in St. Luke's hospital Chicago. Death was attributed to carbon monoxide poisoning. He had not . .[illegible] ..immediate victims of the holocaust had been his wife Mary, 40, and son Michael, 11.

Business Suspended Here

Business was suspended while hundreds of person attended the triple rites.

Niles stores were closed form 3 to 4 p.m. and the city hall closed its doors at 3 p.m. in tribute to the late industrialist and leader in both state and local civic affairs.

The church was expected to be thronged with friends and business associates of the Tyler family.

Conducted by Rev. Greenhoe

Originally scheduled for the first two victims, the funeral arrangements were changed this morning to include the husband and father as well.

Services were conducted by the Rev. T.M. Greenhoe and interment was made in the mausoleum at Silverbrook cemetery.

Native of Saginaw

The son of Leon L. and Minnie Sturdevant Tyler, he was born in Saginaw, Mich., Sept 21, 1900, and has been a resident of Niles since 1932 when he moved the offices of the Tyler Sales Fixture company here from Michigan.

Tyler graduated from Traverse city high school in 1918, and spent two years at the United States Naval Academy and one year at the Colorado School of Mines, Golden, Col. After leaving school, he became a salesman with the Shaw Walker company, Muskegon, and in 1924 and 1925 he conducted a retail business in Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.

In September 1927, he organized the Tyler Sales Fixture company, a business which he conducted under that name until 1937, when he company was reorganized as the Tyler Fixture Corporation. The company manufactures and sells steel display and steel storage equipment for handling perishable foodstuffs.

He was married Feb. 11, 1926 to the late Mary Witt Tyler, in Bowling Green, KY. She was the daughter of Vernon and Rosa Witt.

Active in Affairs

Tyler was active in community and political affairs in Niles and throughout the state. He was a member of the Berrien county draft board No. 3 from the date of its inception and was appointed by Governor Kelly in the aviation advisory committee to work in cooperation with the State Planning Commission and the Michigan Board of Aeronautics. He was a trustee of Alma college and also was a member of the Republican state central committee from the Fourth district.

Deeply interested in youth work, Tyler was one of the founders of the Local YMCA and a member of the state YMCA committee.  During the first year of YMCA operations here, the entire first year's budget was provided by the Tyler company.

Tyler was a member of the First Presbyterian church, Masons, Elks, Niles Rotary club, Kappa Sigma fraternity, the Indiana club, the South Bend country club the American Legion, and the Orchard Hills country club.