PVT. LEO CURTIS
December 8, 1919-April 18, 1945

Niles Daily Star, Monday, June 18, 1945, page 2, col. 7; microfilm Niles District Library

Memorial Rites Held for Pvt. Leo Curtis, 25

During memorial services in St. Paul's Lutheran church at 10:30 Sunday morning for Pvt. Leo Curtis, 25, who died April 18 of wounds suffered while in action in Germany with an infantry division, the Rev. Theodore Laesch, pastor, spoke on “God's Ways are Bets”, to members of the congregation and the family of Pvt. Curtis and his many friends who gathered.

“Be Still My Soul” by Sibelius, was sung by the church choir. Throughout the service a picture of Pvt. Curtis stood on a pedestal in the front of the church beside an American flag.

He was the son of Mr. and Mrs. O.R. Curtis, rural route four, and his wife, Carol, and his son, Lee, live on rural route three.

 

Niles Daily Star, Monday, January 24, 1949, page 2, col. 7; microfilm Niles District Library

The remains of the late Pvt. Leo B. Curtis will arrive at 11:40 a.m. Wednesday from Germany for reburial here.

Pvt. Curtis, well-known here as an athlete at Niles high school, is the son of Mr. and Mrs. Ollie R. Curtis, rural route five, Niles. Curtis' record of 10.2 seconds for the 100 yard dash made in 1938 remains unbroken. In 1939 he attained 21 feet, three and one-half inches in the broad jump, and was an outstanding player on the Rutherford softball team.

He died of wounds suffered while in action in Germany on April 18, 1945,. Services will be conducted at 1:30 p.m. Thursday at the Pifer funeral home, where friends may call Wednesday evening.

Elder J.W. McKnight, pastor of the Latter Day Saints church at Galien, will officiate at the service and the American Legion post will have charge of graveside military rites. Burial will be in Silverbrook cemetery.

Besides his parents, Curtis leaves his widow, the former Carol Peterson, and a son, Lee, both of rural route three, Niles; a sister, Mrs. Cloyd Moore, of Niles, and two brothers, Miles O. Curtis, of Niles, and Everett Curtis, of South Bend.

He was born in Onarga, Ill., on Dec. 8, 1919, and came to Niles from Muskegon in 1923. A graduate of Niles high school with the class of 1940, he was inducted into the army on May 12, 1944, after working at the National Totalizator company here. He was sent overseas in November and served with the infantry in the first army.

His parents have received a letter of condolence from Mayor William O'Dwyer of New York City.

Bert L. Jones
April 9, 1878-January 29, 1949

Bert L. Jones, 70

    Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. Tuesday at the Kiger funeral home for Bert Lemar Jones, 70, who died at his Barron lake home at 3:30 pm. Saturday.  The Rev. G.A. Steeby, pastor of the Evangelical United Brethren church, will officiate and burial will be in Silverbrook cemetery.  Friends are being received at the funeral home.
    Jones, who was born April 9, 1878, in Berrien county and spent his entire life in this vicinity, died after a four year illness.  On Sept. 19,1900 in Cassopolis, he married Henrietta Pullman, who survives.
    Survivors also include a daughter, Mrs. Velma McCllen, and two sons, George and Glenn, all of Barron lake; eight grandchildren and two great-grandchildren; three brothers, Ernest, of Niles, Delbert of New Raymer, Colo., and Elmer, Vermillion, S.D.; and a sister, Mrs. E.D. Chapman, of White Sulphur Springs, Montana.

(Source: Niles Daily Star, Monday, January 31, 1949, page 2, col. 5; microfilm Niles District Library)

Fayetta L. Harwood
Jan. 8, 1894-Feb. 1, 1949

Mrs. Fayetta L. Harwood, 55

    Mrs. Fayetta L. Harwood, 55, of Bertrand, died at 12:40 a.m. today at Pawating hospital after an illness of several months.
    She was born in Allegan county, Pa., Jan. 8, 1894, and came to Niles from Pennsylvania about 33 years ago.
    Surviving are four children, Alice M., John E., and Carl A. Harwood, all of Niles; Charles W. of South Bend, Ind.; and two grandchildren.
    Services will be conducted at 2 p.m. Thursday at Kiger funeral home by the Rev. Clarence Graham, pastor of First Baptist church. Burial will be in Silverbrook cemetery.

(Source: Niles Daily Star, Tues. February 1, 1949, page 2, col. 5, microfilm Niles District Library)

William V. Rutsatz, Jr.
Sept. 25, 1921-Jan. 31, 1949

W.V. Ruthsatz, Jr., 27

    William V. Ruthsatz, Jr., 27, of Wenatchee, Wash., son of Mr. and Mrs. William Ruthsatz, Sr., of Niles died Monday morning at Madigan General hospital, Fort Lewis, Wash., after an illness of one year.
    Born in Niles September 25, 1921, he served in the army for 40 months during World War II.
    Surviving besides his parents, are the widow, Ruth; one son, William; a brother, Louis, of Niles; and one sister, Mrs. Marie Lacopo, of South Bend, Ind.
    Funeral arrangements are incomplete; however, the body will be brought to the Kiger funeral home and services will be held here with full military rites.  Burial will be in Silverbrook cemetery.

(Source: Niles Daily Star, Tuesday, February 1, 1949, page 2, col. 5, microfilm Niles District Library)

Scott Douglas Barnes
January 27, 1949-February 1, 1949

BARNES INFANT DIES

    Scott Douglas Barnes, infant son of Mr. and Mrs. Virgil Barnes, 524 Union street, died this morning at Pawating hospital, where he was born last Thursday.
    In addition to the parents, he is survived by the grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. Harold Harper, and Mr. and Mrs. W.J. Barnes, all of Niles.  Private funeral and burial services will be conducted Wednesday morning with the Rev. T.M. Greenhoe, pastor of the First Presbyterian church, officiating.  Burial will be in Silverbrook cemetery.  Arrangements were made by Pifer funeral home.

(Source: Niles Daily Star, Tuesday, February 1, 1949, page 2, col. 5, microfilm Niles District Library)

George L. Canfield
Died Jan. 1, 1902

The remains of George L. Canfield, who died in Chicago New Year’s day, were brought here this noon on the one o’clock train and taken immediately to Silver Brook cemetery for interment.  He was a nephew of Mrs. F.M. Martin of Benton Harbor and a former resident of Niles.

(Source: Niles Republican, Thurs. Jan. 9, 1902, page 5 col. 1, microfilm Niles District Library)