Mildred D. ‘Millie’ Polly, 43
Aug. 5, 1966 — Feb. 5, 2010

Mildred D. “Millie” Polly, 43, of Zilke Street, Niles died at 5:15 p.m. Friday, Feb. 5, 2010 unexpectedly but of natural causes.

She was born Aug. 5, 1966 in Niles to Charles Alvah Aquires[sic] Sr. and Mary Lucille (Lindsley) Squires. She graduated from Dowagiac High School and lived in Dowagiac most of her life. She enjoyed and pursued hair-cutting and styling for others and fishing.

On Sept. 23, 2006 in Vandalia she married Michael Polly Sr., who survives.

She is also survived by a daughter, Tabitha Combs of Niles; sons, Kyle Combs of Buchanan, Michael Polly Jr. of Niles and Aaron Polly of Buchanan; father, Charles A. Squires Sr. of Dowagiac; brother, Charles A. Squires Jr. of Dowagiac; sister, Katheryn Perkins of Haleyville, Ala.; and grandchildren, Cole, Gavin, Abby and Zoie.

Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 11, 2010 at Halbritter Funeral Home in Niles with the Rev. Russell Haines of Calvin Community Chapel, Cassopolis officiating.

Burial will be at Silverbrook Cemetery, Niles. Friends may call from 5 to 8 p.m. Wednesday at the funeral home.

Memorial contributions may be made to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.

 Niles Daily Star, Published 10:41am Tuesday, February 9, 2010

Opal Hatcher, 84
Dec. 29, 1925 – March 23, 2010

Opal Mae “Aunt Opal” Hatcher, 84, of Woods Edge Drive, Niles died at 10:30 a.m. Tuesday, March 23, 2010 at West Woods of Niles following an illness.

She was born on Dec. 29, 1925 in Tiptonville, Tenn. to Will and Willie Mae (Churchwell) Moore.

She was a resident of the Hatcherville community of Niles for more than 60 years where she was also a member of Mount Olive Missionary Baptist Church and a caregiver to neighbors and friends. She also enjoyed playing bingo at the former Eastgate Mall and flower gardening her yard.

She was married to Harold J. Hatcher, who preceded her in death in 1990.

She was also preceded in death by a sister, Mary Cross, and a brother, Robert Jermison.

Surviving family members include her 13 children, Marvine Nicks and Marlene Wade, both of Niles, Carolyn Hatcher and Opal Faye Hatcher, both of South Bend, Geraldine Hatcher and Janet Sue White, both of Niles, Harold Hatcher Jr., of Oakland, Calif., Deborah Grady, of Inkster, Mich., Donna (and Joe) Coleman, Romonna (and Arthur) Jones, Michael Hatcher and Lisa Hatcher, all of Niles, and Tracey (and Chris) Hatcher, of Dowagiac; 34 grandchildren, 80 great-grandchildren and 17 great great-grandchildren, all of those grandchildren lovingly calling her “Big Momma.”

Also surviving are her brothers, John (and Josephine) Moore and Troy (and Florence) Moore, both of Chicago; sisters, Lovie Mae (and Eugene) Nichols, of Chicago, and Rosalie Lyons, of Niles; and many nieces and nephews.
The funeral service for Opal Hatcher will be at noon Monday, March 29, 2010 at the Mount Calvary Baptist Church of Niles, with Opal’s son, Elder Tracey Hatcher of Peace Temple Church of God in Christ, officiating. Interment will follow at Silverbook Cemetery, Niles.

The family will receive relatives and friends beginning at 10 a.m. Monday at the church.

Arrangements were made at the Halbritter Funeral Home, Niles.

Niles Daily Star, Published 9:05am Friday, March 26, 2010

Damon Adams, 73
July 8, 1936 – April 26, 2010

Damon A. Adams, 73, of Frantz Drive, Niles died at 4:30 a.m. Monday, April 26, 2010 at Lakeland Community Hospital in Niles following an extended illness.

He was born July 8, 1936 in Niles to Floyd and Eva (Brockman) Adams. He graduated from Niles High School and was a lifetime resident of Niles. He retired from Manufacturing Technology Inc., a division of Adams Engineering in South Bend.

Damon enjoyed golfing, birdwatching, traveling and reading science and history. His greatest interest was his family.

On Sept. 1, 1956 in Kenosha, Wis. he married the former Sandra S. Mohr, who preceded him in death Oct. 4, 2005.

Mr. Adams is survived by his sons, Duane D. (Ruthann) Adams, of Edwardsburg, Scott D. (Kim) Adams, of Mt. Pleasant, S.C. and Brian F. (Terri) Adams, of Spartanburg, S.C.; grandchildren, Nicole Adams, Kelli B. Adams, Grant H. Adams and Tyler C. Adams; and sisters, Barbara Rodebush, of Niles and Olive Line, of South Bend.

He was also preceded in death by his granddaughter, Erin Adams, who died Dec. 22, 1986; sisters, Sharon Lingerfelt and Bonnie Brady; brothers, Don, Kermit, Robert and Delbert Adams.

Services for Damon D. Adams will be held at 11 a.m. Thursday, April 29, 2010 at Halbritter Funeral Home in Niles with Dan Draper, of South Bend and Bob Young, of Niles officiating.

Internment will be at Silverbrook Cemetery, Niles.

The family will receive relatives and friends from 6 to 8 p.m. Wednesday at the funeral home.

Contributions in memory of Damon may be made to Hospice at Home of the Niles District Library.

Niles Daily Star, Published 8:57am Tuesday, April 27, 2010

Eleanor "Fran" Robinson, 88
Oct. 27, 1921 — May 30, 2010

Frances was born to Robert Miner and Lucy Gray (Gatling) Capps in Jacksonville, Ill. on Oct. 27, 1921. Highlights from her earlier years in Jacksonville included playing Josephine in “Pinafore” and graduating as valedictorian of the class of ’39 from Jacksonville High School.

After attending Illinois College for two years, Frances enrolled at the University of Michigan, where she joined Pi Beta Phi sorority and graduated Phi Beta Kappa with a degree in history. At Michigan, Frances met Arthur Dudley Robinson Jr., and the two married in Detroit on Sept. 24, 1943 following Arthur’s graduation from midshipman’s school at Notre Dame.

After the war years, the couple settled first in Grosse Ile, Mich. and finally in Niles in 1959. Frances pursued her lifelong passion for history through countless hours researching family genealogy the old-fashioned way by searching archives and census records, visiting cemeteries and writing letters. She was a member for more than 40 years of Trinity Episcopal Church, Niles, where she sang soprano in the senior choir, served as church historian and on the altar guild. Frances indulged her love of gardening and birding through her longtime membership and volunteer service with Fernwood Botanical Garden and in the Niles Garden Club. She loved to arrange flowers and create beautiful table settings.

Other activities over the years included Seepawa Reading Club and League of Women voters, in addition to teaching fifth grade in Niles for a number of years.

Frances will be remembered by her two daughters together with their husbands, Sarah (Sally) and the Honorable Thomas Lister, of Black River Falls, Wis. and Martha (Marti) and Douglas White of Westbrook, Conn.; and by her five grandsons, Dr. Matthew Lister and wife Dr. Nicole St. Clair, of Milwaukee, Wis., Joshua Lister, of London, England, Alexander White, of Astoria, N.Y., Benjamin White, of Columbus, Ohio and Nicholas White, of Westbrook, Conn.; and two great-granddaughters, Hannah and Brooke Lister.
Frances was preceded in death by her sister, Porter Capps Main, and her husband, Arthur D. Robinson.

A family memorial will take place in Michigan at a later date. Contributions in Frances’ name may be made to Illinois College, Jacksonville, Ill. or to Fernwood Botanical Garden and Nature Preserve, 13988 Range Line Rd., Niles, MI 49120.

 Niles Daily Star, Published 10:02pm Wednesday, June 9, 2010

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A service of remembrance will be held at Trinity Episcopal Church on Monday, Aug. 16 at 10 a.m. for Eleanor Frances Capps Robinson, formerly of Niles, who died Sunday, May 30, 2010 following a brief illness.

Frances was born to Robert Miner and Lucy Gray (Gatling) Capps in Jacksonville, Ill. on Oct. 27, 1921.

Frances was a member for more than 40 years of Trinity Episcopal Church, where she sang soprano in the senior choir, served as church historian and was on the altar guild.

She was a longtime member and volunteer with Fernwood Botanical Garden and in the Niles Garden Club. Other activities over the years included Seepawa Reading Club and League of Women voters, in addition to teaching fifth grade in Niles for a number of years.

Frances will be remembered by her two daughters together with their husbands, Sarah (Sally) and the Honorable Thomas Lister of Black River Falls, Wis., Martha (Marti) and Douglas White of Westbrook, Conn.; and by her five grandsons, Dr. Matthew Lister and wife Dr. Nicole St. Clair of Milwaukee, Wis., Joshua Lister of London, England, Alexander White of Astoria, N.Y., Benjamin White of Columbus, Ohio, and Nicholas White of Westbrook, Conn., and two great-granddaughters, Hannah and Brooke Lister.

Frances was predeceased by her sister, Porter Capps Main, and her husband, Arthur D. Robinson.

Contributions in Frances’ name may be made to Illinois College, Jacksonville, Ill. or to Fernwood Botanical Garden and Nature Preserve, 13988 Range Line Rd., Niles, MI 49120.

Niles Daily Star, Published 8:00pm Thursday, August 12, 2010

Teresa Johnson Cole, 58
Aug. 1, 1952 — Aug. 28, 2010

Teresa Lee Johnson Cole, 58, of Merrifield Avenue in Niles, died at 4:10 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 28, 2010 at Silverbrook Manor in Niles following an extended illness.

Ms. Johnson Cole was born Aug. 1, 1952 in Niles to Robert Earl and Ernestina Katerina (Moosman) Johnson. She graduated from Niles High School and lived in Niles all her life. She had worked for many years at Pawating Hospital, now called Lakeland Community Hospital, in Niles.

She earned her associate degree from Southwestern Michigan College. She enjoyed the fellowship of the Colonial Bar and The Corral. She was a friend of Bill W. and Dr. Bob and leaves this world with years of sobriety. She enjoyed camping, fishing, antiquing and arts and crafts. As a young mother, she participated in her children’s activities. In addition to her love for her family, Heidi’s pet dog, Oliver Pee-Wee Johnson was a favorite.

Teresa is survived by her daughter, Heidi Christina Johnson of Mesa, Ariz.; son, Kacey Robert Cole of Niles; parents, Robert and Ernestina Johnson of Mesa; brothers, Albert “Hank” Johnson of Niles and Dwain Johnson of Gilbert, Ariz.

Graveside services for Teresa Lee Johnson Cole will be held at 2 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 14, 2010 at Silverbrook Cemetery in Niles with Pastor Michael Smith of Hope Community Church in Niles officiating.

There will be no visitation.

Arrangements were made by Halbritter Funeral Home in Niles.

Contributions in memory of Teresa may be made to the American Cancer Society-Relay for Life.

Niles Daily Star, Published 11:18pm Thursday, September 9, 2010

Laura Elnora Hoag
Aug. 13, 1919 — Sept. 24, 2010

Laura Elnora Hoag, 91, of Rangeline Road in Niles, died of natural causes at her home on the morning of Friday, Sept. 24, 2010. She was a lifetime area resident.

Services will be held at 11 a.m. on Tuesday, Sept. 28 at Hoven Funeral Home in Buchanan with the Bishop Alfred Deeds of the Bethel Apostolic Tabernacle of Buchanan officiating. Burial will take places at Silverbrook Cemetery in Niles.

Friends may call between 5 and 8 p.m. today at the funeral home.

Niles Daily Star, Published 7:09pm Sunday, September 26, 2010