Vickie Jane Lesniak
March 17, 1958-May 13, 1990

Services for Vickie Jane Lesniak, 32, of 418 Michigan St., Niles, will be held at 11 a.m. Thursday May 17 at St Mark's Catholic Church of Niles by Rev. Wieber of St. Mark's Catholic Church.

Burial will take place at Silverbrook Cemetery in Niles.

Lesniak died at 9:55 p.m Sunday, May 13 at Bronson Hospital in Kalamazoo of natural causes.

Lesniak was born March 17, 1958 in South Bend, Ind. and had been a lifetime resident of the area.

Survivors include her father, Mr. Glenn Lesniak of Niles; a brother, Mr. Glenn Noel Lesniak of Cave Creek, Ariz.; and a sister, Mrs. Marie Weimer of Niles.

Friends may call from 6 to 9 p.m. Wednesday, May 16 at Hoven funeral Home in Buchanan.

Niles Daily Star, Tuesday, May 15, 1990, page 2, col. 2, microfilm Niles District Library

Mabel F. Van Sickel
May 6, 1894-May 14, 1990

Services for Mabel F. Van Sickel, 96, of the Jordan Nursing Home in Bridgman will be held at 10 a.m. Wednesday, May 16 at the Kerley and Starks Funeral  Home in St. Joseph by Rev. Brian Hamilton of the Stevensville Seventh Day Adventist church.

Burial will take place at Silverbrook Cemetery in Niles.

Van Sickel died at 11:50 p.m. Monday, May 14 at the Jordan Nursing Home after a lengthy illness.

She was a member of the Stevensville Seventh Day Adventist Church, and a former secretary for the Child and Family Services in St. Joseph, and later, the Kerley and Starks Funeral Home.

Van Sickel was born May 6, 1894 in Benton Township.

Her husband, Robet Van Sickel, preceded her in death in 1974.  A step-daughter, Janet Ladd, also preceded her in death.

Survivors include a step-daughter, Ruth Carnahan of Evanston, Ill.; a sister, Laura Scofield of Bridgman; and five step-grandchildren.

Friends may call from 9 a.m. until time of the service at the funeral home. Memorials may be made to the Stevensville Seventh Day Adventist Church.

Niles Daily Star, Tuesday, May 15, 1990, page 2, col. 2, microfilm Niles District Library

Jimmie L. Lusk
July 28, 1905-May 14, 1990

Niles Daily Star, Tuesday, May 15, 1990, page 2, col. 2, microfilm Niles District Library

Jimmie L. Lusk, 84, formerly of 1212 N. 9th St., Niles, died at 10:20 a.m. Monday, May 14 at Dowagiac Nursing Home following an extended illness.

Arrangemetns are incomplete and will  be announced at a later date by the Halbritter Funeral Home.

Niles Daily Star, Wednesday, May 16, 1990, page 2, col. 5-6, microfilm Niles District Library

Services for a former Niles resident, Jimmie L. Lusk, 84, of 610 Uneta St., Dowagiac will be held at 11 a.m. Thursday at the Mount Calvary Baptist Church in Niles, the Rev. W.L. Daniel, pastor, officiating.

Lusk died at 10:20 a.m. Monday at the Dowagiac Nursing Home following an extended illness.

Lusk was born July 28, 1905, in Selmer, Tenn., and had lived in Dowagiac and formerly 1212 N. 9th St., Niles, since 1937, coming from Tennessee.  He was a 42-year member of Mount Calvary Baptist Church, a member of the John W. Moore Masonic Lodge No. 42, F&AM, in Niles, and a charter member of the Niles NAACP.  He was a retired employee of the City of Niles.

On July 12, 1963, in Dowagiac, he married Kathryn L. (Dawson) Lusk, who survives him.

Also surviving is a brother, Linnie M. Lusk of Selmer, Tenn.    Burial will take place at Silverbrook Cemetery in Niles.  A wake will be held Wednesday from 7 to 8 pm. at the Halbritter Funeral Home.  Masonic rites will be held Wednesday at the funeral home at 7:30 p.m., John W. Moore Lodge No. 42, F&AM officiating.

Evelyne Mae Coon
Jan. 19, 1928-May15, 1990

Services for Evelyne Mae Coon, 62, of 1272 Thomson Road, Niles will be held at 11 a.m. Friday at the Halbritter Funeral Home in Niles, the Rev. Arnold O. Schaap of Edwardsburg officiating.

Coon died at 2 a.m. Tuesday at home following a brief illness.

Coon was born Jan. 19, 1928, in Grand Rapids and had lived in Niles since 1945, coming from Gaylord.  She and her daughter had recently opened "Granny's Hot Dog House" on North Thirteenth and Eagle streets in Niles. She was an employee of Simplicity Pattern Co. of Niles.

On Sept 22, 1946, in Niles, she married William Charles Coon, who preceded her in death Oct. 7, 1985.

Survivors include her mother, Dena J. Marlin of Niles; three daughters, Barbara Jean Ketchum, Catherine Coon and Evelyn L. "Vonnie" Fox, all of Niles, seven brothers, Lloyd Marlin, James Marlin, Howard Marlin, Kenneth Marlin, Gerald "Jerry" Marlin, all of Niles, Robert Marlin of Watervliet and Jack Marlin of South Bend; a sister, LaVonde "Bonnie" Velez of Niles and ten grandchildren.

Burial will take place at Silverbrook Cemetery in Niles.  Friends may call from 2 to 4 pm. and 7 to 9 p.m Thursday at Halbritter Funeral Home.

Niles Daily Star, Wednesday, May 16, 1990, page 2, col. 3-4, microfilm Niles District Library

Laura E. Matthews
Feb. 18, 1912-April 26, 1993

Laura E. Matthews
1912-1993
Niles homemaker

Funeral services for Laura Elizabeth Matthews, 81, of 1609 Superior St., Niles, are scheduled for  10:0 a.m. Thursday at Trinity Episcopal Church in Niles with the Rev. Steven Schuneman, rector of Trinity Episcopal Church, officiating.

Burial will follow at Silverbrook Cemetery.

Matthews died at 10:35 p.m. Sunday at Pawating Hospital following a short illness.

Bron Feb. 18, 1912, in Gary, Ind., she was a resident of the area most of her lifetime.

On Oct. 5, 1928, in Goshen, Ind., she married the late J. Earl Matthews, who preceded her in death on March 20, 1980.

She was a homemaker. She was a member of Trinity Episcopal Church in Niles, the Pawating Hospital Auxiliary, the Order of the Eastern Star, Golden Agers, the Macabees and the Afternoon Lady Elks in Niles.

Survivors include two sons, Thomas E. Matthews of Lilburn, Ga., and Richard L. Matthews of Niles; a daughter, Patricia J. Hoblick of Carthage, Mo.; six grandchildren and six great-grandchildren.

Friends may call from 3 p.m. to 8 p.m .Wednesday at Pifer-Smith Funeral Home.

Memorial contributions may be made to Trinity Episcopal Church or the Berrien County Cancer Services.

Niles Daily Star, Monday, April 26, 1993, page 2, col. 5-6, microfilm Niles District Library

Joyce E. Kwiecinski
Nov. 18, 1941-May 10, 2009

Joyce E. "Rusty" Kwiecinski, 67, of North Sixth Street, Niles, died on Sunday, May 10, 2009, at Memorial Hospital, South Bend, Ind., following an extended illness.

Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. Friday, May 15, at Halbritter Funeral Home, Niles, with Pastor Randy Pearman of Bethel Baptist Church, officiating.

Burial will be in Silverbrook Cemetery, Niles.

Friends may call two hours prior to services Friday at the funeral home.

She was born on Nov. 18, 1941, at South Bend, Ind. to Roger Bogart and Ruth O'Donnell Bogart.

She was a lifetime area resident.

She retired in 1999, after 18 years of service too[sic] Cardinal Nursing & Rehabilitation Center in South Bend, Ind.

She enjoyed cooking and home improvements and especially enjoyed her television.

On Nov. 20, 2000, in Valparaiso, Ind., she married Tom L. Kwiecinski, who survives.

Additional surviving family include two daughters, Anna Marie Alambar-Bernal of Niles and Delia C. Rodriguez of Mishawaka, Ind.; a son, Marcos A. (Shan) Rodriguez of Mishawaka, Ind.; step-sons, Rod Kwiecinski and Ryan Kwiecinski, both of Chesterton, Ind.: eight grandchildren; eight great-grandchildren; brothers, Jack Bogart of Rochester, Ind., Randy Bogart of Elkhart, Ind., Robert Bogart of Mishawaka, Ind. and sisters, Kathy Gerntd of Elkhart, Ind., Yvonne Bogart of Elkhart, Ind. and Gloria Dover of Mishawaka, Ind.

Arrangements were by Halbritter Funeral Home, Niles.

Niles Daily Star, Wednesday, May 12, 2009, page 2, col. 1, microfilm Niles District Library