Fred Hilbert
June 14, 1885-April 15, 1957

Niles Daily Star, Tuesday, April 16, 1957, page 2, col. 4, microfilm Niles District Library

Fred Hilbert, 71, of 636 North 12th Street, retired New York Central Railroad engineer, died at 8:30 p.m., Monday in Blodgett Hospital, Grand Rapids, following an illness of six weeks.

Mr. Hilbert was born June 14, 1885, in Gladwin, Mich., and came to Niles 18 years ago from Joliet, Ill. He was a member of the Niles Masonic Lodge, White Shrine Commandery, the Masonic Council and chapter and was chief engineer of the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers.

Surviving are : his wife, Minnie; a daughter, Mrs. Otto Reum, of Lakeside, Mich.; a son, Harry Hilbert, of Niles; two grandchildren; a brother, James Hilbert, of Manton, Mich., and a sister, Mrs. Charles Gallagher, of Traverse City.

Funeral Services wil be held at 2 p.m., Thursday in the Pifer Funeral Home with the Rev. Herbert Meussling, pastor of St. John's Evangelical and Reformed Church, officiating.  Burial will be in Silverbrook Cemetery with Masonic rites at the graveside. Friends may call at the funeral home.

Dan T. Merson
May 22, 1884-April 19, 1957

Niles Daily Star, Friday, April 19, 1957, page 2, col. 4, microfilm Niles District Library

Dan T. Merson, 72, of 47 South Fourth Street, died at 9:20 a.m. today in his home here following two years of poor health.

Mr. Merson, who for 31 years operated a meat and grocery business in Buchanan, was born May 22, 1884, in Buchanan, the son of Frank and Katherine Merson.  He was married Oct. 11, 1927, to Emma VanDyke of Niles, who survives. Also surviving is a brother, Frank Merson, county supervisor from Buchanan.

Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. Monday in the Swem Funeral Home at Buchanan with the Rev. Robert V. Gouwens, pastor of the First Presbyterian Church in Buchanan, officiating.  Burial will be in Silverbrook Cemetery here.

Friends may call at the funeral home after 2 p.m. Sunday.

Niles Daily Star, Saturday, April 20, 1957, page 2, col. 4, microfilm Niles District Library

Merson Rites Monday

Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m., Monday in the Swem Funeral Home at Buchanan for Dan P. Merson, 72, of 47 South Fourth Street, who died Friday morning. Friends may call at the funeral home in Buchanan after 2 p.m. today.

Miss Marie V. Rush
Aug. 20, 1892-April 21, 1957

Niles Daily Star, Monday, April 22, 1957, page 2, col. 5, microfilm Niles District Library

Miss Marie V. Rush, 64, of 1622 Cass Street, died at 9:15 p.m. Sunday in Pawating Hosptial where she had been a patient for the past four days. She had been ill for four years.

Miss Rush, a retired saleslady for women's ready-to-wear clothing, was born Aug. 20, 1892, in Logansport, Ind., and came to Niles two years ago from Miami Shores, Fla. Surviving are two sisters, Mrs. Alma VanSkiver, of Niles, and Mrs. S.M. Aurbach, of Miami Shores.

Funeral services will be held at 4 p.m. Wednesday in the Kiger-Halbritter Funeral Home, where friends may call beginning Tuesday evening.  Burial will be in Silverbrook Cemetery.

Aney B. Gully
April 22, 1877-April 21, 1957

Niles Daily Star, Monday, April 22, 1957, page 2, col. 4-5, microfilm Niles District Library

Mrs. Aney Belle Gully, 79, of 516 Cass Street, died at 5:50 p.m. Sunday in her home following an illness of three weeks.

Mrs. Gully was born April 22, 1877, in Niles, the daughter of John and Lucinda Curtis, pioneer family and had lived her entire lifetime in the same house in which she was born.  Her husband, Robert, preceded her in death on April 24, 1954.

Surviving are: a niece, Mrs. Percy Gay, of Niles and two nephews, Harold Finley, of Niles, and Herman Curtis of Grand Rapids.

Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. Wednesday in Franklin AME Church, of which she was a member, with the Rev. Emory Davis of Kirkwood, Mo., officiating.  Burial will be in Silverbroook Cemetery. Friends may call at the Kiger-Halbritter Funeral Home here.

Edward W. Punderson
Sept. 22, 1874-April. 20, 1957

Niles Daily Star, Monday, April 22, 1957, page 2, col. 4, microfilm Niles District Library

Edward W. Punderson, 82, of [illegible] p.m. Saturday in Pawating Hospital after an illness of two years.

Born Sept. 22, 1874 at Hillsdale, he came here  from Grand Rapids in 1911 and was a retired New York Central Railroad employe. His wife, Della, died in 1952. Survivors are a daughter, Mrs. Alice Wedel, and a granddaughter, both of Niles, and a sister, Mrs. Anna Meyers. of Grand Rapids.

Friends may call at the Kiger-Halbritter Funeral Home where services will be conducted at 2 p.m. Tuesday by the Rev. Herbert E. Meussling, pastor of St. John's Evangelical and Reformed Church. Burial will be at Silverbrook Cemetery.

Mattie M. Smith
Feb. 8, 1876-April 21, 1957

Niles Daily Star, Monday, April 22, 1957, page 2, col. 5, microfilm Niles District Library

Mrs. Mattie M. Smith, 83 of 1016 Sycamore Street, died at 12:30 a.m. Sunday at Pawating Hospital after a three-year illness.

Born Feb. 8, 1876 in Koenigsburg, Germany, she came to the United States at the age of 8 and moved to Niles from Los Angeles one year ago. She was a member of the Royal Neighbors of America, Women's Benefit Assn. and the American Legion Auxiliary.

Survivors are two daughters, Mrs. Eli Zechlin of Niles and Mrs. Adeline H. Bucher, Inglewood, Calif.; three sons, Henry H. Smith, Cincinnati, Ohio; Carl H. Smith and John H. Smith, both of Niles; 14 grandchildren, 13 great grandchildren; a brother, George Mielke, Hemmet, Calif., and three sisters, Mrs. Jennie Lobdell and Mrs. Emma Michaels, both of Mammoth Springs, Ark., and Miss Elise Mielke, Tucson, Ariz.

Friends may call at the Kiger-Halbritter Funeral Home where services will be conducted at 4 p.m., Tuesday by the Rev. Herbert E. Meussling, pastor of St. John's Evangelical and Reformed Church. Burial will be at Silverbrook Cemetery where graveside rites will be conducted by members of the Women's Benefit Assn.