Claude M. Yesley
May 1, 1893-Dec. 28, 1966

Niles Daily Star, Wednesday, December 29, 1966, page 2, col. 7, microfilm Niles District Library

Claude M. Yesley, 73, of 711 N. 4th St., died at 10:55 p.m., Tuesday at Pawating Hospital.

An area resident for 36 years, Mr. Yesley was a retired employe of National-Standard Co. He came to Niles from Terre Haute, where he was born May 1, 1893.

Survivors include a daughter, Mrs. Wanda Reidenbach, South Bend; a sister, Mrs. Mae Barley, Terre Haute; and three grandchildren.

Funeral services will be held at 1 p.m., Friday at the Pifer Funeral Home, with the Rev. John MacLachlan, pastor of the First Presbyterian Church, officiating.

Friends may call after 7 p.m., at the funeral home. Burial will be in Silverbrook Cemetery.

L. Earl Belding
Aug. 7, 1888-Sept. 4, 1955

Niles Daily Star, Tuesday, September 6, 1955, page 2, col. 5, microfilm Niles District Library

L. Earl Belding, 67, Niles real estate agent, died at 1:30 a.m., Sunday in his home on 970 South 13th Street. He had been in poor health for some time.

Belding was born Aug. 7, 1888, in Fremont, Mich., and came to Niles from Traverse City in 1917.  Surviving are: his wife, Edith; a daughter, Mrs. Avery Haynes, of Niles; a son, Maurice Belding, of Detroit; five grandchildren, and a sister, Mrs. Lillian Freemon, of Detroit.

Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m., Wednesday in the Pifer Funeral Home with the Rev. John G. Calrton, rector of Trinity Episcopal church, officiating. Burial will be in Silverbrook Cemetery.

Claudine Louise PeGan
Sept. 1, 1955-Sept. 3, 1955

Niles Daily Star, Wednesday, September 7, 1955, page 2, col. 3, microfilm Niles District Library

INFANT RITES HELD

Services for Claudine Louise PeGan, infant daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Richard PeGan of rural route six, Niles, who died Saturday at Pawating Hospital, were conducted Monday afternoon at the Pifer Funeral Home by the Rev. Orion Njus, pastor of the Bertrand Bible Church. Burial was at Silverbrook Cemetery.

The baby was born Thursday, Sept. 1, at the hospital.

Survivors beside the parents are a brother, Richard Allen, and two sisters, Cathryn Jean and Sue Ann.

David Franklin Susan
July 25, 1887-Sept. 6, 1955

Niles Daily Star, Wednesday, September 7, 1955, page 2, col. 3, microfilm Niles District Library

David Franklin Susan, 68, died at 9:15 p.m. Tuesday at his home, 1016 Fulkerson Road, after a long illness.

Born in Niles July 25, 1887, he lived all his life here and was employed as a watchman at the Tyler Refrigeration Corp. plant.

Survivors are his widow, Cleo, three stepchildren, Mrs. Richard Hoffman, Grand Rapids, and Frank Perry and George VanDyke, both of Niles.

Friends may call at the Pifer Funeral Home where services will be conducted at 2 p.m. Friday by the Rev. L. George Beacock, pastor of the First Methodist church. Burial will be at Silverbrook Cemetery.

Harry Thayer
Nov. 10, 1877-Sept. 8, 1955

Niles Daily Star, Friday, September 9, 1955, page 2, col. 5, microfilm Niles District Library

Harry Thayer, 77, of the Morris Hotel, Niles, died Thursday night. His body was found in the hotel room. He had been in poor health for some time. Thayer was born Nov. 10, 1877, in Niles and was a member of the Eagles Lodge here. The body is at the Pifer Funeral Home where arrangements are incomplete.

Niles Daily Star, Saturday, September 10, 1955, page 2, col. 4, microfilm Niles District Library

THAYER RITES SET

Funeral services will be held at 2 p..m Monday in the Pifer Funeral Home here for Harry Thayer, 77, of Morris Hotel, Niles, who died Thursday night following an extended illness.  The Rev. L. George Beacock, pastor of the First Methodist Church, will officiate and burial will be in Silverbrook Cemetery.

Thayer was a retired employe of the Kawneer Company here. His only known relative is a cousin, Mrs. George Andrus, of Edwardsburg. Memorial rites will be conducted at 8 p.m. today at the funeral home by the Eagles Lodge, of which he was a member.

Richard L. Grubbs
March 1, 1952  – Oct. 17, 2011

Richard L. Grubbs, 59, of Niles, passed away at his residence, with his family by his side, following an illness.

Grubbs

He was born on March 1, 1952, in Bakersfield, California to the late Richard and Delphia Jo (Riding) Grubbs.
After graduating high school Richard married Carolyn Williams at a ceremony in Bakersfield on Oct. 30, 1970.
Richard was an agronomist for many years and enjoyed his field of soil sciences. He was a “Mr. Fix It” and could learn anything he needed to get a job done. Richard was a perfectionist and very meticulous and was always ready for a challenge. He also enjoyed taking his horses, four-wheelers, and snowmobiles camping, bluegrass festivals and was a grill master. Richard was a doting husband and dedicated father. When it came to his family he felt “if a little bit was good, a whole lot is better.”  He was a member, and past president, of the Michigan Tennessee Walking Horse Club.
He is survived by his wife Carolyn Grubbs of Niles, a daughter Janean (Jon) Jordan of Three Rivers, a son Wade (Erin) Grubbs of Stevensville, three grandsons; Billy Joe Jordan, Richard Jeffrey Grubbs and Parker James Grubbs and two sisters Susan (Frank) Opitz of Little Rock, Arkansas and Nancy (Bill) Mawson of Bakersfield, Calif.
A memorial service will be held on Friday, Oct. 21, 2011, at 1 p.m. at Brown Funeral Home in Niles. Visitation will begin one hour prior. An interment will be held at Silverbrook Cemetery. Memorial contributions may be made in Richard’s memory to Hospice at Home, Inc. 4025 Health Park Lane, St. Joseph, MI 49085.
Condolences, photos and memories may be shared with the family at www.BrownFuneralHomeNiles.com or on our Facebook page at www.Facebook.com/BrownFuneralHomeNiles. Arrangements have been entrusted to Brown Funeral Home & Cremation Services, Niles.

Niles Daily Star, Published online Wednesday, October 19, 2011 at 10:05 p.m.