Ernest A. Reum
Oct. 27, 1879-January 10, 1956

    Ernest A. Reum, 76, of 918 Lake Street, died suddenly Tuesday in his home.
    Reum was born Oct. 27, 1879 in Germany and came to this country in 1927 and worked for the Kawneer Co., for 18 years before retiring in 1945.
    Survivors are his widow Ernestine, two daughters, Mrs. Berta Stracke of St. Joseph and Mrs. Caroline Thorpe of Auburn, Ind, two[sic] sons, Karl, Arthur and August, all of Niles, William of Bremerton, Wash., and Richard of St. Joseph, 11 grandchildren and one sister, Enna Bohle of Germany.
    Services will be held at 3:30 pm. Friday at the Pifer Funeral Home with the Rev. Theodore Laesch of the St. Paul's Lutheran Church officiating.  Burial will be in Silverbrook Cemetery.

Niles Daily Star, Wednesday, January 11, 1956, page 2, col. 4, microfilm Niles District Library.

Harry J. Butler
July 30, 1886-Jan. 11, 1956

    Harry J. Butler, 69, of 407 Dey Street, died this morning in Pawating Hospital, after a one week illness.
    Butler was born July 30, 1886, in Mattawan, Mich., and has lived here 44 years.  He married Fannie Taylor, Jan. 21, 1908 in Decatur, Mich.  He worked for the Michigan Central Railroad as a telegraph operator before retiring last year.  He was also a member of the Pioneer Association of the Michgan[sic] Central Railroad.
    Survivors are his widow, Fannie, one daughter, Mrs. Camilia Rohrbaugh, of Elkhart, one son, Lynn, of Niles, two grandchildren and three sisters, Mrs. Beulah Sandfort of Detroit, Mrs. Lena Spamm and Mrs. Hazel Reuter, both of Kalamazoo.
    Services will be held at 2 p.m., Friday in the Kiger Funeral Home with the Rev. John W. Hill at the First Evangelical United Brethren Church officiating.  Burial will be in Silverbrook Cemetery.

Niles Daily Star, Wednesday, January 11, 1956, page 2, col. 4, microfilm Niles District Library.

Miss Bertha M. Dux
Feb. 3, 1877-January 12, 1956

    Miss Bertha Marie Dux, 78, of 336 Fort Street, died at 8:40 a.m. today in Pawating Hospital following an illness of two weeks.
    Miss Dux was born Feb. 3, 1877, in North Judson, Ind., and moved here about 30 years ago. She was a member of St. Paul's Lutheran Church.
    Surviving are: four sisters, Mrs. J.C. Humphrey and Miss Emma Dux, both of Niles, Mrs. Minnie Swartz, of Logansport, Ind., and Mrs. Pauline Underwood, of Knox, Ind., and two brothers, John, of Kankakee, Ill., and Henry, of Kouts, Ind.
    Funeral services will be held at . .[illegible]. .in the Pifer Funeral Home . . [illegible] . .Theodore Laesch, pastor of St. Paul's, officiating.  Burial will be in Silverbrook Cemetery.  Friends may call at the funeral home beginning Friday afternoon.

Niles Daily Star, Thursday, January 12, 1956, page 2, col. 4, microfilm Niles District Library.

Betty Lou Bolding, 79
Oct. 3, 1931 – Jan. 15, 2011

Betty Lou (Gibbs) Smith Bolding, 79, of State Line Road, Niles, died at 4:15 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 15, 2011 at West Woods of Niles following an extended illness.

She was born Oct. 3, 1931 in Edwardsburg to Francis Earl Gibbs and Dessie Lorie Lumbert. She graduated from Edwardsburg High School and received her diploma in 1977.

She retired in 1990 from Michigan Skilled Center, Inc.

She was a member of Emmanuel Baptist Church in Niles. She enjoyed game shows on television, especially “Jeopardy.” She loved people, cooking and helping with Feed the Children.

She was first married on Aug. 31, 1949 to Eugene L. Smith in Osceola, Ind. He died Sept. 22, 1988.

She then married Charles H. Bolding on July 13, 1996. He died Oct. 4, 2000.

She was also preceded in death by her sons, Eugene L. Smith, Jr., on July 13, 2001, and Daniel F. Smith, on Aug. 4, 1979; and brothers, Glen. A., Marvin and Alvin Gibbs.

She was survived by her sons, Joseph A. and Randall W. Smith of Niles; daughters, Gwendolyn L. Smith of Battle Creek, Mich., JoAnn C. Smith of Battle Creek, Carolyn J. Smith of Hudson, Fla., Roberta D. Anderson of Battle Creek and Marjorie E. Smith of Berrien Springs; nine grandchildren; 14 great-grandchildren; brothers, Richard Gibbs of Union City, Mich. and George and Russell Gibbs of Chicago; and sisters, Romona Myers of Plymouth, Ind., Ruth McNaughton of South Bend, Viola Hansen of Hillsdale, Mich. and Beverly Van Harlingen of Elkhart, Ind.

The family will gather privately at Halbritter Funeral Home with Pastor Brian G. Hedges of Fulkerson Park Baptist Church officiating.

Burial will be at Silverbrook Cemetery in Niles.

There will be no public visitation.

Niles Daily Star, Published online 10:41pm Monday, January 17, 2011

John Kline
April 10, 1862-July 15, 1944

Niles Daily Star, Saturday, July 15, 1944, page 2, col. 8, microfilm Niles District Library

JOHN KLINE, 82, TAKEN BY DEATH

John G. Kline, 82, died this morning at his home at 56 River street.

Kline was born in Niles, April, 1862, and was married in Niles to Agnes Cameron in 1884.  He lived in Niles all his life.

Surviving are the widow; seven children--Lourie, John, Delbert, Harry and Anderson Kline, Niles--and Mrs. Genevieve Douglas and Mrs. Ella Douglas; South Bend.

 

Niles Daily Star, Monday, July 17, 1944, page 2, col. 2, microfilm Niles District Library

KLINE RITES

Services for John G. Kline, 82, of 50 River street, were conducted this afternoon at 2:30 in th Pifer funeral home by the Rev. O.H. Gerstenkorn, pastor of the Baptist church. Burial was in Silverbrook cemetery.  Kline, who died Saturday morning is survived by the widow, Agnes; seven children, Lourie, John Delbert, Harry and Anderson Kline, all of Niles, and Mrs. Ella Douglas and Mrs. Genevieve Douglas, South Bend, and eight grandchildren.

 

*DOB from Death record.

Frank W. Perkins
June 19, 1879-April 5, 1948

Niles Daily Star, Tuesday, April 6, 1948, page 2, col. 6, microfilm Niles District Library

DEATHS
Frank W. Perkins, 68

    Frank W. Perkins, 68, a former Niles resident, died yesterday afternoon in the Kalamazooo Bronson hospital where he had been patient 11 days.  Perkins had been ill two years.
    Although arrangements are incomplete, interment will be in the Niles Silverbrook cemetery.
    Perkins was born in Niles June 19, 1879, a son of John and Lydia Perkins.  For the past 37 years he has resided in Kalamazoo where he headed the order department of the Kalamazoo Stationery company.  He was a charter member of the Dowagiac Elk's lodge, and a member of St. Luke's Episcopal church in Kalamazoo.
    Surviving are his wife, Georgia; and a brother, Charles E. Perkins of Ashtabula, O. Also several nieces and nephews survive.

Niles Daily Star, Tuesday, April 7, 1948, page 2, col. 5, microfilm Niles District Library

PERKINS RITES SET
    
    Funeral services for Frank W. Perkins, former Niles resident who died Monday at Kalamazoo, will be held at St. Luke's Episcopal church, Kalamazoo, at 11 a.m. Thursday. Burial will be at 1 p.m. Thursday in Silverbrook cemetery, Niles.