Alonzo Johnson
Feb. 2, 1886-Feb. 7, 1961

Niles Daily Star (Niles, Berrien Co., MI), Tuesday, February 7, 1961, page 2, col. 1, microfilm Niles District Library

Alonzo Johnson, 75, 1116 N. 8th St., died at 8:10 p.m. Monday in Pawating Hospital where he had been a patient since Feb. 3. Arrangements for memorial services are incomplete pending arrival of relatives from out of town.

Niles Daily Star (Niles, Berrien Co., MI),Wednesday, February 8, 1961, page 2, col. 4, microfilm Niles District Library

Johnson Rites Set

Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. Thursday in Mount Calvary Baptist Church for Alonzo L. Johnson, 75, 1116 N. 8th St. who died Monday night in Pawating Hospital where he had been a patient for three days.  He had been ill for three months. The pastor, the Rev. Theodis L. Hadley, will officiate and burial will be in Silverbrook Cemetery.

Mr. Johnson was born Feb. 2, 1886, in Lee County, Alabama, and came to Niles in 1935 from Chicago.  He was a retired Pullman porter for the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad. His wife, Lena, preceded him in death on June 13, 1958. He was a member of Mount Calvary Baptist Church.

Surviving is a sister, Mrs. George McGhee, Anniston, Ala.

Friends are being received at the Kiger and Halbritter Funeral Home.

Karen Michele Williams
Feb. 20, 1961-Feb. 21, 1961

Niles Daily Star (Niles, Berrien Co., MI), Tuesday, February 21, 1961, page 2, col. 1, microfilm Niles District Library

Committal rites will be held at 10 a.m. Wednesday at Silverbrook Cemetery for Karen Michele Williams, infant daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Pierce Williams, 911 S. 15th St., who died at 2:30 a.m. today in Pawating Hospital. The Rev. John P. MacLachlan, pastor of the First Presbyterian Church, will officiate.

The infant was born at 6:25 p.m. Monday in Pawating, and besides the parents is survived by two sisters, Kimberly and Kathleen, at home, and the grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. C.H. Wiseman and Mr. and Mrs. Richard C. Williams, all Niles.

Arrangements are being made by the Kiger and Halbritter Funeral Home.

Chester Albert Dash Sr., of Niles
Aug. 1, 1923-March 13, 2021

Niles Daily Star, Published online 4:53 pm Wednesday, March 17, 2021

Aug. 1, 1923 — March 13, 2021

Chester Albert Dash Sr., 97, of Niles, husband, father, grandfather, truck driver, mechanic and honorable veteran, died peacefully Saturday morning, March 13, 2021, with family around him at his home following a brief illness. The family is grateful for the care offered by the hospice staff at the end.

He was born on Aug. 1, 1923, in Barronett, Wisconsin to LeRoy and Ida (Schultz) Dash. He attended school in Wisconsin and joined the U.S. Army in 1943. He served as a truck driver in an ordnance company, participating in campaigns in Rome-Arno and both Southern and Northern France, and earned the EAME Theater Ribbon with three bronze battle stars as well as participating in a Meritorious Unit Award. He was honorably discharged in 1946 as a veteran of World War II and has lived in Niles since 1952. He was a maintenance mechanic for many years at the former Walkden Concrete in Niles, and then drove delivery trucks for Dayco Sheet Metal.

Mr. Dash was a member of the Twin City Baptist Church in Mishawaka, Indiana where he served as a bus driver, helped maintain the fleet of buses, sang in the choir, and taught Sunday School and Junior Church. At home, he maintained a well-equipped mechanic’s shop and was capable of repairing and fabricating a wide variety of equipment. He and his wife enjoyed traveling in their RV, usually to visit family in the Upper Peninsula, Wisconsin, and Minnesota.

On May 20, 1946, in Wisconsin, he married the former Ruth L. Benson, with whom he celebrated the remarkable 51st anniversary of their wedding prior to her death on Nov. 22, 1997. He was also sadly preceded in death by their daughter, Patty Smith on May 24, 2018; by two grandsons, Pete Dash and Joel Behm; and by Chester’s siblings, Caroline Franko, William Dash, Louise Harder, Violet Crowell, Dorothy Chenney, Dewayne Dash, Richard Dash, James Dash, and four others who died in their infancy or youth. Chester was the final survivor of the thirteen siblings.

Surviving family includes his children, Sue (& Jerry) Sink, Larry Dash, Avis Carter, Chester Dash, Jr., Roger (& Mollie) Dash, Albert Ronald Dash, all of Niles, Ruth (& PO1 Robert, U.S.Navy, Ret’d) Ford of Marshfield, Missouri, Linda (& Duane) Melady of South Bend, Indiana, Pamela (& SFC Eric, U.S.Army, Ret’d) Behm, Timothy Dash, and James Dash, all of Niles; grandchildren Dan and Donald Kirschbaum, Greg, Gary (& Daphanie), and Brian Carter, Chris, Kim, Bud, and Summer Dash, Tifanni Dash, Jason and Justin Crigger, Jenny (& Leo) Heider, Amber and Brandy Smith, Adam, Sam, and Tim Petersen, Darlene Melton, and Stephanie and Eric E. Behm; twenty-eight great-grandchildren, and many nieces and nephews.

The funeral service for Chester Dash, Sr. will be at 1:30 p.m. on Wednesday, March 17, 2021, at the Halbritter-Wickens Funeral Home, 615 E. Main Street in Niles with Pastor Dan Greegor of the Sumnreville Bible Baptist Church officiating. Committal will follow at the Silverbrook Cemetery in Niles and will conclude with the Full Military Honors by the United States Army Honor Guard and American Legion Post #51 in Buchanan, Michigan. Attendance will be limited, masks required, and social distancing practiced. Others may witness the service via the livestreamed broadcast on the Halbritter-Wickens Facebook page: facebook.com/halbritterwickensfuneralservices.

The family will receive relatives and friends on Wednesday at the funeral home beginning at 12:30 p.m. Contributions in memory of Mr. Dash may be made to the City of Niles Veteran’s Memorial, c/o Department of Public Works, 333 N. Second St., Niles, Michigan, 49120, or online at: http://cms3.revize.com/revize/niles/document_center/department/DPW/Buy%20A%20Brick%20Form%20Fillable%20Form.pdf. Online condolences may be left at: halbritterwickens.com.

Chester was proud of his family of 12 children and worked hard to provide food, shelter and clothing for them and his wife, taught them some mechanics skills, and completed their upbringing by taking them to church. He clearly loved God and loved people.

Elena ‘Poppy’ Mayhew-Holt, of Edwardsburg
May 21, 1962-March 12, 2021

Niles Daily Star, Published online 4:12 pm Monday, March 15, 2021

March 21, 1962 — March 12, 2021

Elena Diane “Poppy” Mayhew-Holt, 58, of Edwardsburg, passed to her rest on March 12, 2021, at St. Joseph regional Medical Center, Mishawaka, after a brief illness. Poppy was born March 21, 1962, in Niles, the daughter of Paul E. and Betty L. (Hambrick) Mayhew and has lived most of her life in the Edwardsburg area. Poppy graduated from Edwardsburg High School, Class of 1980.

Poppy was a very gifted and talented artist. She attended Southwestern Michigan College and studied art. She had several of her paintings in the Cass County Fair, for which she won blue ribbons. After her time at SMC, she briefly studied cosmetology and worked for Michael’s Hair Salon in South Bend. She also worked for several years at her parent’s funeral home in Edwardsburg. Her true calling came when she volunteered at Potawatomi Zoo in the early 1980s. This led to her working at Bergman’s Animal Hospital in Edwardsburg. She then went on to work for Martin’s Pet and Garden in Elkhart. In the late 1980s, Poppy started working for Animal Care Clinic North in Elkhart for Dr. Dean Brizele and his team of veterinarians as a vet’s assistant. She worked there for 20 plus years, making many deep and lasting-friendships. She ended her career working with and caring for animals at the Center for Animal Health in Edwardsburg, working for Drs David and Karen Visser. Poppy was all about animals, and her love for all animals was ever present in every aspect of her life. Poppy helped rescue, nurture and care for many animals during her life. Any one that knew Poppy, knew that she loved her own dogs (Cody, Mack, Willow and Echo) beyond measure.

On Oct. 22, 1988, Poppy married Larry Holt, her husband of 32 years in a ceremony in Elkhart. He survives along with her parents, Paul and Betty Mayhew, of Edwardsburg, her sister and brother-in-law, Cindy (Doug) Ranschaert, of Edwardsburg and Larry’s children, Mike, Michelle and Christine.

Poppy will be deeply missed by her family. A small-private funeral service has been held and was conducted by, Pastor Chuck Winters, a long-time family friend and former neighbor, now of Battle Creek. She was laid to rest in Silverbrook Cemetery in Niles in the family plot.

The arrangements have been handled by her family at the Mayhew Funeral Home, in Edwardsburg.

The family asks that Memorial donations in Poppy’s name be made to the Potawatomi Zoo for the new Giraffe exhibit. Checks may be made to: Potawatomi Zoological Society “Big and Loud”, 500 S. Greenlawn Ave., South Bend, Indiana 46615 or on line at potawatomizoo.org/bigandloud.

Margaret Walker, of Niles
June 26 1932-Feb. 23, 2021

Niles Daily Star, Published online 4:05 pm Wednesday, February 24, 2021

June 26, 1932 — Feb. 23, 2021

Margaret Walker, 88, of Niles, passed away on Tuesday, Feb. 23, 2021, at Buchanan Meadows in Buchanan, following an illness.

She was born June 26, 1932, in Niles to Frederick E. Sr. and Helen (Gardner) Green. She was a lifelong resident of Niles.

Margaret attended St. Mary’s Parochial Schools and graduated from Niles High School in 1949 at the age of 16. She had to wait until she was eighteen to attend St. Louis Max C. Starkloff City Hospital School of Nursing, graduating in 1953, then later College of St. Francis, Joliet, Illinois, with her BS in Allied Health. Prior to attending school her love of nursing came while at the age of 14 when she worked as a Candy Striper at Pawating Hospital, now Spectrum Health Lakeland Hospital. After graduating from nurses training, she worked at the Medical Center (Niles), and Pawating Hospital. Later in her career she became Manager of the OB unit until her retirement in 1993. She taught Basic Cardiac Life Support, Infant CPR and First Aid, Prenatal and Birthing Classes, and volunteered at Blood Drives. She also served her community as a member of the Berrien County Civitan. Margaret also attended Wesley United Methodist Church in Niles.

She loved her family, staff of nurses, and the doctors she worked with and for, and all the parents and babies she helped deliver. After her retirement, she continued her love of nursing by caring for family members. She also cared for her youngest special needs sister, Michelle. Margaret was an avid reader, loved watching birds and enjoyed bowling in her younger years.

She married Clayton H. Walker, April 21, 1956, who survives. Surviving siblings are Della Cherven and Terrence Green. Also surviving are her children: Kathleen Ann (Terry) Burgess, John Cameron Walker, Mary Ellen (Todd) Bouwkamp, Steven Grant Walker, all of Niles, and Wayne Edward Walker, of Grand Rapids, Mary Sullivan McMullan, of Conway, Arkansas, and Beverly Collier Kennedy, of Marshall, Missouri. Grandchildren: Blake and Tate Burgess, Keith and Kara Kathleen Bouwkamp, Hannah and Holly Walker, Megan Kennedy, Natalie Hull, Melodie Britt, and Mollie Lee. She also has nine great-grandchildren.

Margaret was preceded in death by her parents, and siblings: Mary Ramona Ernst, Frederick E. Green, Jr., James E. Green, Ellen Ann Mikowski, Joseph John Green, Michelle Green and her loving son David N. Walker.

The family would also like to thank Caring Circle Hospice and Buchanan Meadows for their care of Margaret.

Funeral services to celebrate the life of Margaret Walker will be held on Monday, March 1, 2021, at Brown Funeral Home in Niles at 1 p.m. with a time of visitation beginning at 11:30 a.m. An interment will be held at Silverbrook Cemetery in Niles. Margaret’s funeral service will be livestreamed on our website.

Memorial contributions may be made in Margaret’s memory to The Therapeutic Equestrian Center at P.O. Box 1250 Niles, Michigan 49120. TEC engages the power of horses to challenge people with special needs to build stronger minds, bodies, and spirits, similar to how Margaret cared for her sister, Michelle.

Mary Polly, of Niles
Nov. 4, 1938-March 14, 2021

Niles Daily Star, Published 4:02 pm Tuesday, March 16, 2021

Mary Polly, 82, of Niles, died Sunday, March 14, 2021. Arrangements are being made by Halbritter-Wickens Funeral Home, of Niles.

Published online by Halbritter-Wickens Funeral Home, March 2021

Obituary

Mary A Polly, 82 of Niles passed away on Sunday, March 14, 2021 in her home.

Mary was born on November 4, 1938 in Niles to the late Arthur and Virginia (Wechnerowski) Handley.

On August 25, 1956 at the First Presbyterian Church of Niles she married George Polly, Sr. who passed away on December 3, 2019.

She is also preceded in death by her brother, Louis Handley, sisters; Angeline Bowers and Alice Teeter and daughters-in-law; Jennifer Polly and Millie Polly.

Surviving are their sons, George (& Dawn) Polly, Jr. and Michael (Pat Gowin) Polly, Sr, both of Niles; grandchildren Shawn (& Kayla) Polly, Mike Polly, Jr., Aaron (& Kayla) Polly, Blayne (& Kelly) Brady, and Trent (& Sara) LaMonds; great-grandchildren Taiten, Brayden, Bentley, Bryson, Leah, Zoie, Toby, Daisy, Abigail, Zander, Tanner, Aubrey, Annabel, Kaylee, Braxton, Cooper, and Drake; and Mary’s brothers Arthur (Pat) Handley and Leonard (Fay) Handley both of Niles; and many nieces and nephews.

Mary had worked at several notable places in Michiana.  She had worked for Simplicity and at Notre Dame but felt that her taking care of her family was the most important job she could ever have. 

Mary enjoyed her flower and vegetable gardens.  She and George would go to flea markets often selling as many items as they bought.  She also enjoyed crocheting.  Mary cherished the time she was able to be with her children, grand children and great grandchildren. 

Visitation for Mary will be on Friday, March 19, 2021 from Noon to 1:00pm at Halbritter Wickens Funeral Home 615 E. Main St. Niles.  A funeral service will begin at 1:00pm with burial to follow in Silverbrook Cemetery.

Online condolences may be shared with the family at www.halbritterwickens.com.