Miss Bertha Dubert
Dec. 14, 1872-May 1, 1940


    Miss Bertha Dubert, 67, a lifelong resident of this community, died at 7:30 this morning in her home five miles north of Niles.  She had been ill one year.
    Services Friday afternoon at 2 will be conducted in the Price and Kiger chapel by the Rev. Theo Eisen.  Friends may call at Price and Kiger's.
    Miss Dubert was born in Niles Dec. 14, 1872.
    Miss Dubert is survived by a brother and two sisters--Carl Dubert, Mrs. Charles Umholtz and Miss Frieda Dubert, all of Niles; two half-brothers, Fred Steinbauer, Niles, and William Steinbauer, Berrien Springs; four step-brothers, George, Christ, Lewis and Edwin Steinbauer, all of Niles, and a step-sister, Mrs. Hannah Singreen, Pokagon.

Niles Daily Star, Wednesday, May 1, 1940, page 2, col. 6, microfilm Niles District Library

Mrs. Mattie Howard
May 18, 1880-June 16,1948

Niles Daily Star, Thursday, June 17, 1948, page 2, col. 3, microfilm NIles District Library.

    Mrs. Mattie Howard, 68, of 517 Superior street, died at 11 a.m. Wednesday in Pawating hospital. She had been ill for several years.
    She was born in Canton, Miss., May 18, 1880, and came here from East Chicago, Ind., in 1921. On May 31, 1918, in East Chicago, she was married to Shelley Howard, who survives.
    Also surviving are a son, Herbert A. Palmer, of East Chicago; two grandchildren; three sisters, Mrs. Mary Baker, Mrs. Rose Lokie, both of East Chicago, and Mrs. Charles Evans, of Gary, Ind.; and two brothers, Daniel Love, East Chicago, and Joshua Love, Canton,Miss.
    Friends may call at the Kiger funeral home until 10 a.m. Saturday and then at the Franklin AME church until time for service.  The Rev. P.R. James, Niles pastor, and the Rev. D.P. Thomas, of Chicago, will conduct the services at 1 p.m Saturday at the church.  Burial will be in Silverbrook cemetery.    

Niles Daily Star, Friday, June 18, 1948, page 2, col. 8, microfilm Niles District Library


    Funeral services for Mrs. Mattie Howard, Niles resident who died Wednesday morning at Pawating hospital, will be held at the First Methodist church, instead of the Franklin AME church, according to a change of plans announced today. Time of the services, as previously announced, will be at 1 p.m. Saturday. The body will lie in state from 12 noon until 1 p.m.

Mary Barkmann and twin
June 9, 1948


    Committal services were held at 3 p.m. Thursday for the twin daughters born Wednesday to Mr. and Mrs. Albert Barkmann, 427 Parkway, at Pawating hospital.
    One daughter was still-born; and the other, Mary, died 12 hours after birth.  They leave paternal grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. Albert E. Barkmann, Niles, and a maternal grandmother, Mrs. John Wallace, who lives in Alabama.
    The Rev. T.M. Greenhoe conducted the commital[sic] services, at the Pifer funeral home, and burial was in Silverbrook cemetery.

Niles Daily Star, Friday, June 11, 1948, page 2, col. 5, microfilm Niles District Library.

Elizabeth W. Zimmerman
March 8, 1845-April 3, 1909

Niles Daily Sun, Monday, April 5, 1909, page 3, col. 3, microfilm Niles District Library


    After ten months of suffering from dropsy and heart disease Mrs. Fred Zimmerman of West Niles, passed away Saturday night at 12 o'clock.
    Mrs. Zimmerman was born in Germany, March 8, 1845. She came to Niles at the age of 25 years and had since resided here.
    Besides her husband, two sons, Otto and Edward Zimmmerman[sic], of Niles and one daughter, Mrs. Wm. Schloerke of Elkhart, survive her.
    Mrs. Zimmerman was highly esteemed by a large circle of friends. She was a member of New Century Rebekah lodge and of Niles Hive No. 39 L.O.T.M.M.  In the latter, she carried insurance.
    The funeral will be held under the auspices of the lodges tomorrow afternoon at 1:30 o'clock from the residence on Grant street and from the Evangelical church at 2 o'lcock, Rev. D.O. Ruth will officiate. Interment will occur at Silver Brook.

Niles Daily Star, Monday, April 5, 1909, page 3, col. 3, microfilm Niles District Library


    Mrs. Elizabeth Zimmerman, wife of Fred Zimmerman, a highly respected resident of West Niles, passed away at 11:45 o'clock Saturday evening at the age of 64 years.
    Mrs. Zimmerman had been a resident of Niles for many years.  She was a kind neighbor and was loved by all who knew her.
    Besides a husband, Mrs. Zimmerman is survived by two sons, Otto and Edward of this city, and a daughter, Mrs. Will Schloerke of Elkhart.
    She is identified with Niles Hive No. 39, L.O.T.M.M. and with the I.O.O.F., Daughters of Rebekah.
    The funeral will take place at 1:30 o'clock tomorrow afternoon from the Evangelical church, Rev. Ruth officiating. Interment at Silver Brook cemetery.
    
    

Greenville Finley
June 1, 1837-May 13, 1916

Niles Daily Sun, Monday, May 14, 1916, page 1, col. 4, microfilm Niles District Library

    The funeral service for Greenville Finley will be held tomorrow afternoon at 2:30 o'clock from the residence on Lake street. Interment will occur at Silver Brook cemetery.
    Mr. Finley was born in Chillicothe, Ohio, June 18[sic], 1837 and was therefore 78 years, 11 months and 17 days old at the time of his death Saturday afternoon, May 13, 1916.
    Mr. Finley came to Howard township in 1846.  He was married to Miss Melissa Hill, April 4, 1860.  Eleven children were born of this union, of whom seven survive. Mrs. Finley died about a year ago.
    Six sons, one daughter, 24 grandchildren, five great grand children, three sisters, and one brother are surviving relatives.
    Herbert of Clinton is here for the funeral services, also the daughter, Mrs. Dell Hill of Dowagiac, and William Finley, of Chicago, and Garfield of Wisconsin are expected tomorrow.
    Mr. Finley's death was caused by paralysis.

Niles Daily Star, Monday, May 15, 1916, page 1, col. 4, microfilm Niles District Library

    Greenville P. Finley passed away at his home Saturday, May 13, at 2:40 p.m., aged 78 years, 11 months and 17 days.  Mr. Finley was born in Chilcoahothe[sic], Ohio, June 1[sic], 1837.  He moved to Michigan, Howard township, Cass county, about the year 1846, was joined in marriage to Melissa Hill April 15, 1860. To this union 11 children were born, seven of whom survive him, six sons and one daughter, also 24 grandchildren, five great grandchildren, three sisters and one brother. The funeral services will be held at the home, 1011 Lake street, at 2:30 o'clock Tuesday afternoon.

N.B. There are two different dates of birth in the obituaries.  The Michigan Death record gives age as 79y 11m 12d and date of birth as June 1, 1836.  The gravemaker reads June 1, 1838.

Jean S. Phillips, 82
June 9, 1927 – Feb. 21, 2010

 

 

Jean S. Phillips, 82, of U.S. Highway 12 in Niles died at 10 a.m. Sunday, Feb. 21, 2010 at Lakeland Community Hospital in Niles following an extended illness.

Mrs. Phillips was born June 9, 1927 in Washington, Pa. to Melvin L. and Katharine (Mounts) Scott. She graduated from Washington High School in Pennsylvania, attended Nyack College in New York and Southwestern Michigan College. She moved to Niles in 1984 from Lansing. She was a former high school secretary and librarian for both Bronson and Stevensville, Mich.

Jean was a member of Wesley United Methodist Church in Niles. She was a pastor’s wife who actively supported his ministry to congregations in Grand Rapids, Bronson, Stevensville, Lansing and Niles. She was a volunteer with Meals-On-Wheels.
On June 19, 1948, in Washington, Pa. she married the Rev. Lloyd A. Phillips, who survives. She is also survived by their son, Dr. John Lloyd (Linda) Phillips of Fayetteville, N.C. and daughter, Linda M. (Jim) Baker of Buchanan; four grandchildren, Jeffrey, Andrew, Matt, Chelsea Jean; five stepchildren, Jimmy, Jody, Donna, Frank and Paul; and six step-great-grandchildren.

She was preceded in death by their son, David L. Phillips, who died July 15, 1997; a daughter, Elizabeth Phillips, who died in infancy; and by four sisters and a brother, Dessie Scott, who died while rescuing children from a burning orphanage now named the Dessie Scott Children’s Home.

The funeral service for Jean S. Phillips will be held at 11 a.m. Thursday, Feb. 25, 2010 at Wesley United Methodist Church in Niles with the Rev. Edward H. Slate of the church and Jean’s husband, the Rev. Lloyd A. Phillips, officiating.

Committal rites will follow at Silverbrook Cemetery in Niles.

The family will receive relatives and friends from 5 to 8 p.m. Wednesday at Halbritter Funeral Home in Niles. Contributions in memory of Jean may be made to Wesley United Methodist Church, Habitat for Humanity or Meals-On-Wheels.

Niles Daily Star, Published 10:45am Tuesday, February 23, 2010