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.

Anna A. Coffinger
Feb. 2, 1863-May 13, 1941

Niles Daily Star, Wednesday, May 14, 1941, page 2, col 3, microfilm Niles Daily Star

Mrs. Coffinger, Native of Niles, Dies at Oshtemo

Mrs. Anna A. Coffinger, 814 Howard street, died Tuesday afternoon at 1:50 in Pinecrest sanitarium in Oshtemo after an illness of 18 months. She was born in Niles Feb. 2, 1863.

She is survived by two sons, Albert and Ralph, and a daughter, Mrs. Mary Bidwell, Niles and another daughter, Mrs. Margaret Bectner, Grand Rapids;a brother, Will Lemmerhart, California; and a sister, Mrs. Minnie Brock.

Friends may call at the Price and Kiger funeral home where services will be conducted Friday afternoon at 2 with the Rev. G.W. Simon officiating. Burial will be in Silverbrook cemetery.

Albert B. Coffinger
Aug. 28, 1899-Dec.26, 1966

Niles Daily Star, Tuesday, December 27, 1966, page 2, col. 3, microfilm Niles District Library

Albert B. Coffinger, 77, of 622 S. 5th St., died at 4 p.m. Monday at Memorial Hospital, South Bend, where he had been a patient for one day.

He was born Aug. 28, 1899, in Niles and had lived here all his life. He retired in 1954 from the Kawneer Company, where he was a member of the 25-Year Club.

Survivors include five sons, Frank, Thomas and Russell, all of Niles, Henry of Buchanan and Paul of Berrien Springs; three daughters, Mrs. Francis Nichols, Niles, Mrs. Loren Mesaros, South Bend, and Mrs. Charles Curtis, Cassopolis; a brother, Ralph, Niles; a sister, Mrs.Margaret Beckner, Wyoming; 15 grandchildren; and seven great-grandchildren.

Friends may call at the Pifer Funeral Home, where funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. Thursday. Burial will be in Silverbrook Cemetery.

Sarah E. Gault
Dec. 5, 1878-May 21, 1941

Niles Daily Star, Wednesday, May 21, 1941, page 2, col. 1, microfilm Niles District Library

Mrs. Sarah E. Gault, 62, died this morning at 3:15 in the home of her sister, Mrs. Abe Harrod, at 925 Michigan street. Mrs. Harrod is her only survivor.

Mrs. Gault was born Dec. 5, 1878, in Kentucky and come here from Ohio 38 years ago. She was a member of the Second Baptist church of Niles.

Friends may call at the Price and Kiger funeral home where services will be conducted Friday afternoon at 2. The Rev. L.L. Lemmons will officiate and burial will be in Silverbrook cemetery.

Arnold Mac Brown
Feb. 23 1916-Dec. 16, 1966

Niles Daily Star, Friday, December 16, 1966, page 2, col. 1, microfilm Niles District Library

Arnold Mac Brown, 1219 Fair Oaks South, died at 2:13 a.m., today in Pawating Hospital where he was admitted Monday. Funeral arrangements are being completed at the Pifer Funeral Home.

Niles Daily Star, Saturday, December 17, 1966, page 2, col. 3-4, microfilm Niles District Library

Funeral services for Arnold M. Brown, 50, of 1219 Fair Oaks, who died Friday, will be at 2 p.m., Monday in the Fulkerson Park Baptist Church.

The Rev. Larry Whiteford, pastor, will officiate. Burial will be in Silverbrook Cemetery, with military committal rites by American Legion Post 26.

Mr. Brown, a machinist at the National-Standard company, was born Feb. 23, 1916, in Salem, Ill. He came to Niles from Mishawaka in 1961. Surivivors[sic] include his wife, Lacy; his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Hezikiah Brown, Peoria, Ill.; four sons, Jack and Jeffrey, both of Salem, Ore., Jerry, Ashville, N.C., and James, at home; two daughters, Mrs. Thomas Nied, Gary, Ind., and Jeannine Brown, at home; two brothers, Ira D., Davenport, Iowa, and Eugene, Binghamton, N.Y.; two sisters, Norma Allison, also of Binghamton, and Mrs. James Sellers, Chicago; and five grandchildren.

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