Obituaries

Barbara M. Pohlman
1914-2006

By Staff
Barbara M. Pohlman, 92, of Cass Street in Niles, died at 7 p.m. on Sunday, Dec. 17, 2006, at Silverbrook Manor in Niles, following an extended illness.
Funeral services will be at 11 a.m. on Thursday, Dec. 21, at Halbritter Funeral Home in Niles, with Pastor Karl Tsatalbasidis of the Buchanan Seventh-day Adventist Church officiating. Interment will take place in Silverbrook Cemetery in Niles.
The family will receive relatives and friends at 10 a.m. until the time of services also on Thursday at the funeral home.
Memorial contributions in the memory of Barbara M. Pohlman may be made to the donor's choice.
Arrangements were by Halbritter Funeral Home in Niles.

Donald Henry Hartman
Feb. 28, 1929-Dec. 17, 2006

By Staff
Donald Henry Hartman, 77, of South Third Street in Niles, died at 7:20 p.m. on Sunday, Dec. 17, 2006, at Lakeland Hospital in Niles.
Funeral services will be at 11 a.m. on Friday, Dec. 22, at Hoven Funeral Home in Buchanan with Bill Blake officiating. Internment will take place in Silverbrook Cemetery in Niles.
The family will receive relatives and friends for visitation from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Thursday at the funeral home.
Arrangements were by Hoven Funeral Home in Buchanan.

 Niles Daily Star, Published 2:59am Wednesday, December 20, 2006

Geraldine Balogh
Feb. 13, 1921-Dec. 25, 2006

By Staff
Geraldine Balogh, 85, of Stateline Road in Niles, died at 8:29 a.m. on Monday, Dec. 25, 2006, at West Woods in Niles, following an illness.
The family is gathering privately for Geraldine's funeral services.
There will be no visitation.
Burial will take place in Silverbrook Cemetery in Niles.
Memorial contributions in the memory of Geraldine Balogh may be made to the Berrien County Cancer Service or to Hospice at Home.
Arrangements were made by Halbritter Funeral Home in Niles.

Niles Daily Star, Published 4:05am Wednesday, December 27, 2006

Louis E. Walls
Sept. 24, 1934-April 6, 2008

By Staff
     Louis E. Walls, 73, of East River Road, Buchanan, and formerly of Woodruff Street, Niles, died Sunday, April 6, 2008, at Memorial Hospital, South Bend, Ind., following an extended illness.
     Funeral services will be held at 3 p.m. Thursday, April 10, at halbritter Funeral Home, Niles, with the Rev. Carl W. Bassett of Saint Paul's Lutheran Church, officiating.
     Friends may call beginning at 2 p.m. Thursday at the funeral home, where a flag presentation and Taps will follow the service by the American Legion Post No. 26, Niles.
     Burial will be in Silverbrook Cemetery, Niles.
     He was born on Sept. 24, 1934, in Monette, Ark. to Newt Walls and Iva Pennington.
     Walls graduated in 1952, from Central High School in Caraway, Ark. He had lived in Niles since 1953, moving to Buchanan in 2006.
     He retired in 1996, after 46 years of service to Simplicity Pattern Company in Niles.
     He attended Saint Paul's Lutheran Church in Niles.
     Walls was a veteran of the Korean Conflict, having served in the United States Army. He was a member of the American Legion Post No. 26, V.F.W. Post No. 4025 and the Fraternal Order of Eagles No. 2094, all of Niles.
     He enjoyed hunting, fishing and NASCAR auto racing.
     On Aug. 17, 1991, in Niles, he married June M. (Martin) Cramer Walls, who died in 2005.
He was also preceded in death by three brothers, Lloyd Walls, Warren Walls and William Walls.
     Surviving family include two sons, Daryl (Donna) Walls of Buchanan and Randy (Gina) Walls of LaPorte, Ind.; two daughters, Terri (Darren) Jones of Niles and Nicole (Ron) Lengerich of Elkhart, Ind.; two step-daughters, Renee Bolen of Niles and Roxi (Bill) Rudlaff of Elkhart, Ind.; a step-son, John Brittin of Niles; 14 grandchildren; four great-great-grandchildren; a sister, Beatrice Allen of Niles and a brother, K. Aaron Walls of Dundee, Ill.
     Memorials may be made to Hospice at Home or the American Cancer Society.
     Arrangements were by Halbritter Funeral Home in Niles.

Dorothy H. Litty Wisniewski
Dec. 15, 1912-Jan. 24, 2009

     Dorothy H. Litty Wisniewski, 96, of Main Street, Buchanan, died at 9:55 a.m. Saturday, Jan. 24, 2009, with her daughters at her side at Memorial Hospital, South Bend, Ind., following a brief illness.
     Funeral services will be held at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 27, at Halbritter Funeral Home, Niles with Chaplain Russell L. Simonson of Forgotten Man Ministries officiating.
     The family will gather privately for committal services at Silverbrook Cemetery, Niles.
     The family will receive relatives and friends from 5 until 7 p.m. Tuesday at the funeral home.
     She was born on Dec. 15, 1912, in Detroit, to Edwards and Eva (Ryan) Rose. She graduated from high school in Ohio and has lived in this area since 1935.
     She was employed at Bendix Automotive for 24 years, retiring in 1975.
     She enjoyed reading mysteries and caring for her dogs. She always looked forward to Saturday nights, for the public television broadcasts of gospel music and the old Lawrence Welk shows.
     On June 14, 1935, she married Joseph Litty, who preceded her in death on Feb. 4, 1949. On Aug. 9, 1952, in Detroit, she married Arthur Wisniewski, who preceded her in death on May 9, 2005.
     She was also preceded in death by her daughter, Jean H. "Jeanie" Litty on Oct. 1, 2006; her grandson, Eric Baich on Sept. 16, 1998 and a sister, Mary Cass and brothers, Robert Rose and Ralph Rose.
Surviving family includes her children, Joan (Fred) Hubele of Niles, Nancy (Steffen) Baich of Buchanan and James Litty of Crown Point, Ind.; eight grandchildren; 16 great-grandchildren; step-sons, Mark (Elaine) Lemon and Archie Cherry; a sister-in-law, Dorothy (Robert) Rose Tonopah, Nev. and many nieces and nephews.
     Contributions may be made to the Pet Refuge.
     Arrangements were by Halbritter Funeral Home, Niles.

Niles Daily Star, Published 4:24am Monday, January 26, 2009

Frances M. Messner
March 6,1928-April 5, 2009

By Staff
Frances M. Messner, age 81, of Giles Road, Niles and formerly of Yankee Street, Niles, died at 8:48 p.m. Sunday, April 5, 2009, in Niles at her home.
Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. Thursday, April 9, 2009, at Halbritter Funeral Home in Niles, with Linda Van Dyke of Luvability Ministries, officiating.
Burial will be in Silverbrook Cemetery, Niles.
Friends may call from 6 to 8 p.m. Wednesday, at the funeral home.
She was born on March 6, 1928, in Three Rivers, to lewis Harrison Owen and Dora LaVesta Welsh Owen. She had lived in Cassopolis since 1947.
She was a member of the Niles Association for Handicapped, TOPPS No. 1549. She enjoyed reading mysteries, sewing and knitting.
On Oct. 24, 1947, in Cassopolis, she married Louis E. Messner, who died on Oct. 11, 1992.
She was also preceded in death by a son, Mark Messner, who died March 20, 2006.
Surviving family includes a son, Chris (Cathy) Messner of Niles; granddaughters, Chandra Stafford and Holly (Mark) Gross, step-grandson, Jeff (Charidy) Barnes, great-grandchildren, Daniel Stafford, Charlie Stafford and Jonathon Gross; step-great-grandchildren, Nicole Barnes and Jacob Barnes; a brother, Lyle Owen of Florida and several half-sisters and brothers.
Memorials may be made to Lakeland Hospital, Niles.
Arrangements were by Halbritter Funeral Home in Niles.