Obituaries

Martha Elizabeth Bretschneider
Oct. 4, 1850-July 16, 1945

Niles Resident Many Years Dies

A resident of Niles for more than 80 years, Mrs. Martha Elizabeth Bretschneider, 94, rural route two, died at 12:20 a.m. today at her residence.  She had been ill eight years.
Mrs. Bretschneider was born in Sandusky, O., Oct. 4, 1850. She came to Niles from Missouri in 1863.

Three Children Survive

Surviving are three children, Frank Schulte, South Bend, Mrs. Flora Bowerman, South Bend, Robert Bretschneider, one brother, William Mann, Chicago, five grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.
Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. Wednesday in the Pifer funeral home, with Rev. Franklin Ogle, Presbyterian church, Edwardsburg, in charge. Burial will be in Silverbrook cemetery.

Niles Daily Star, Monday, July 16, 1945, page 2, col. 8, microfilm Niles District Library

Neil W. Goodhand
Feb. 5, 1910-Feb. 13, 1990

Services for Neil W. Goodhand, 80, 68873 South Shore Drive, Edwardsburg, will be held at 2 p.m. Saturday at the First Presbyterian Church, Edwardsburg, the Rev. Steven E. Howarth, pastor, officiating.

Goodhand was born Feb. 5, 1010, in Brightview, Alberta, Canada, and had lived in Edwardsburg since 1947, coming from Detroit.  He was a veteran of World War II, having served in the Army; was a member of the American Legion Post No. 365, Edwardsburg; the Elks Lodge No., 1322, Niles; and the Moose Lodge No. 449, Buchanan.     On April 17, 1948, in Niles he married Adah Steiner, who survives him. He was a retired salesman for Dental Supplies.

Also surviving are a daughter, Sharon Curiel, Cape Coral, Fla.; a sister, Ruth Lindley, Victoria, British Columnbia, Canada; a grandson, and a Goddaughter, Lori Cousino, Atlanta, Ga.

Burial will take place at Silverbrook Cemetery, Niles.  There will be no visitation, but there will be a Veteran's Memorial Service following the funeral at the American Legion Post No., 365, Edwardsburg.  Memorials may be made to the Berrien County Cancer Society or to Donor's choice.  Arrangements were made by Halbritter Funeral Home, Niles.

Niles Daily Star, Thursday, April 5, 1990, page 2, col. 1-2, microfilm Niles District Library

Miriam J. Sherbino
Jan. 16, 1919-March 29, 1990

Memorial services for a former Niles resident, Miriam J. Sherbino, 71, Lansing, will be held at 10 a.m. Saturday, in the Chapel at First Presbyterian Church, Niles, the Rev. Clayton Fairo, pastor, officiating.

Sherbino was born Jan. 16, 1919, in South Bend, Ind., and had been Niles/South Bend resident most of her life.  She married Ronald B. Sherbino, who preceded her in death July 1969. She was a retired draftswoman and commercial artist from Bendix Corp., Tyler Refrigeration, and Adams & Westlake, Elkhart.

She died March 29 at Roselawn Nursing Home, Lansing, after a lengthy illness.

Survivors include two daughters, Veronica Sionakides, DeWitt, and Barbara Sherbino, Holt; a son, Robert Sherbino, South Bend; a sister Virginia Marks, Sarasota, Fla.; and two grandchildren.

Burial will take place at Silverbrook Cemetery, Niles. There is no visitation scheduled.  Local arrangements were made by Pifer Smith Funeral Home, Niles. Memorials may be made to Michigan Parkinson Association, 2990 John Road, Detroit, Mich., 48201.

Niles Daily Star, Thursday, April 5, 1990, page 2, col. 2-3, microfilm Niles District Library

Charles A. Wyburn
Oct. 8, 1879-July 25, 1945

Father of Niles People Dies at Elkhart, Ind.

Charles A. Wyburn, aged 65, of Elkhart, Ind., father of Mrs. Charles Trussel and George Wyburn, Niles, died today at 6 a.m. after suffering a heart attack Tuesday morning at 5:30 while preparing to go to work.

Wyburn, who was active in the Indiana old age pension program and the United Mine workers, was a former resident of Niles and was married here to a Niles woman, Miss Pearl Kugler, July 2, 1906.  For more than 30 years he was a lineman with the Indiana-Michigan Electric company and has lived in Elkhart for 20 years.  He also spent several years in Hammond.

He is survived by his wife and children, three grand children, and a half-brother, Fred Croy, of South Bend.

Friends may call at the . . [illegible]. . . Burial will be in Silverbrook cemetery, Niles.

Niles Daily Star, Wednesday, July 25, 1945, page 2, col. 5, microfilm Niles District Library

Fred S. Bowling
Feb. 3, 1874-July 23, 1945

Ex-Niles Resident Dies Monday in Dowagiac Hospital

Fred S. Bowling, 71, 1463 Clarendon avenue, died at 7 p.m. Monday in the Lee memorial hospital in Dowagiac.  Death was unexpected.

He was born in Dowagiac, Feb. 3, 1874, and had lived in NIles. He moved to Cloverdale about a year ago.

Surviving is a sister, Mrs. William Harness, Kalamazoo; and three nieces and nephews, Mrs. Harold Gould, Cloverdale; Everett Bowling, Buchanan and Walter Bowling, Dowagiac.

Funeral services will be held in the Kiger funeral home at 2 p.m. Thursday with Rev. L.George Beacock officiating.  Burial will be made in Silverbrook cemetery.

Niles Daily Star, Tuesday, July 24, 1945, page 2, col. 3, microfilm Niles District Library

Daisy I. Whalen
July 8, 1904-March 28, 1990

Funeral services for Daisy I. Whalen, 85, of 1401 Sheffield Ave., Niles, are Saturday at 10 a.m. at Fulkerson Park Baptist Church in Niles Township by the Rev. Ed. Villalba, pastor of the church.

Burial will follow in Silverbrook Cemetery in Niles.

Mrs. Whalen died Wednesday at 11:40 a.m at Pawating Hospital in Niles, following a brief illness.

Born July 8, 1904, in Franklin, Penn., she lived in the Niles area since 1953, coming here from Richmond, Ind.

She was a member of the Fulkerson Park Baptist Church and retired in 1969 from the J.C. Penney Co.

On March 28, 1931, in Norristown, Penn., she married Paul E. Whalen, who survives.

Other survivors includes[sic] a sons[sic], Donald E. Whalen of Niles; four daughters, Marie A. Jameson of New Carlisle, Ind., Pauline A. Jackson of McDonough, Ga., Jeanne I. Whalen and Susan A. Hibbard, both of Niles; three sisters, Glenna Murphy of Sewickley, Penn., Grace Diffenbacher of Ashtabula, Ohio, and Virginia Donaldson of Grove City, Penn; 15 grandchildren; and 21 great-grandchildren.

A son, Paul D. Whalen, preceded her in death on Nov. 3, 1979.

Friends may call at Halbritter Funeral Home, 615 E. Main St., Niles, from 2 to 4  and 7 to 9 p.m. Friday.

Niles Daily Star, Thursday, March 29, 1990, page 2, col. 5-6, microfilm Niles District Library