Leona D. Rudlaff
Oct. 22, 1913-March 6, 2002

Leona D. Rudlaff, 88, of Pucker Street, Niles, Mich., died following an extended illness at 8;45 a.m. Wednesday, March 6, 2002, in the Silverbrook manor, Niles.

She was born Oct. 22, 1913, in Saginaw, Mich., to James and Mabel (Griffen) Duprey, and spent most of her life in the Niles area.

Mrs. Rudlaff was a longtime member of Saint Paul’s Lutheran Church in Niles. She was a very active participant and office in the ladies aid there for years and was a volunteer for the Senior Center.

She was also a strong believer in the power of work which for her included raising three sons, particularly operation of the family f arm on Pucker Street, and a number of part-time jobs in the Niles area.

On April 2, 1932 in Berrien Springs, Mich., she married August Fred Rudlaff, who died May 30, 1986. She was also preceded in death by a sister, Ruth Zabel who died in 1992, and a brother, Edward Duprey.

Mrs. Rudalff is survived by her three sons, Harold Rudlaff of Kalamazoo, Mich., Jerry Lee (Linda) Rudlaff of Niles and William Paul (Roxi) Rudlaff of Elkhart Ind.; grandchildren, Barbara Rudlaff, Jeffrey (Amy) Rudlaff, Brian (Vanessa) Rudlaff, Aimee Thompson, Emily Rudlaff and Natalie Rudlaff; and by three great-grandchildren, Tate Rudlaff, Drew Rudlaff and Makenna Thompson.

Funeral services will be at 10 a.m. Saturday, March 9, in Saint Paul’s Lutheran Church, with Reverend John Rutowicz officiating. Burial will follow at Silverbrook Cemetery, Niles. The family will receive friends from 5 to 8 p.m. today in the Halbritter funeral Home, Niles. Contributions in memory of Leona D. Rudlaff may be made to Saint Paul’s Lutheran Church, Niles.

Submitted by family member; publication details unknown. 

Donald Rudlaff
Oct. 10, 1934-May 16, 1994

Graveside services for Donald Rudlaff, 59, of 104 Dewey St., Buchanan, who died at 3:30 a.m. Monday, May 16, 1994, in Watts Foster Care Home of natural causes, will be at 1:30 p.m. today in Silverbrook Cemetery, Niles. There will be no visitation. Pifer Smith Funeral Home, Niles, is in charge of arrangements.

Mr. Rudlaff was born Oct. 10, 1934, in Niles. Surviving are his mother, Leona Rudlaff of Niles; and three brothers, Harold of Belgium, Jerry L. of Niles and William P. of Elkhart.

Submitted by family member; publication details unknown. 

Lance Rudisill
July 13, 1938-March 29, 2008

Lance Sheldon Rudisill, 69, of Niles, passed away peacefully Saturday, March 29, 2008, at Sylvia’s Extended Care Faculty, Berrien Springs after a lengthy illness.

He was born on July 13, 1938 in Three Rivers, MI, to the late Arden and Bertha (Hass) Rudisill.  After graduating from Niles Senior High School, Lance served as a specialist 4th Class with the U.S. Army in Italy. Subsequent to attending Kalamazoo College and Michigan Technological University, he worked as a chemist for Drewry’s Brewery in South Bend, In.  An avid chess player, Lance also liked to study quantum physics and read Sherlock Holmes mystery stories.

Lance is survived by his sister, Lynne (Chris) Danielson of Mt. Pleasant, MI; nephews, Mark Riling of Jacksonville, FL., and Travis Danielson of Mt. Pleasant; his aunt, Hanby Pauline Lawson; her son, Herman, both of Niles and several other cousins. Besides his parents, Lance was preceded in death by his uncle, David Lawson of Niles, as well as his aunt and uncle, Delia and Eugene Raatz of Niles.

The funeral will be held on Wednesday, April 2, 2008 at 11 a.m. in Brown Funeral Home with visitation one hour prior to the funeral. An interment will follow at Silverbrook Cemetery.

Memorial contributions can be made in lance’s memory to Hospice Care of Southwest Michigan, 222 N. Kalamazoo mall, Suite 100, Kalamazoo, MI 49007.  Condolences, memories and photos may be left for the family at www.brownfuenralhomniels.com.  Arrangements have been entrusted to Brown Funeral Home &Cremation service, Niles.

Bertha Mae Rudisill
May 3, 1916-Oct. 4, 1999

Bertha Mae Rudisill, age 83, of Niles, died Oct. 4, 1999,  at Central Michigan Community Hospital in Mount Pleasant, MI. She had been in ill health several years.

Visitation will be held from 10 a.m. to noon on Thursday, Oct. 7, at the Pifer-SMITH Funeral Home in Niles, followed by a service at 1 p.m. Burial will be in Silverbrook Cemetery.

Mae was born May 3, 1916, in Niles, to Paul William and Jessie Claudia (Reid) Hass. She married Arden Sheldon Rudisill June 12, 1937. He preceded her in death in 1979.

Beginning her work career at the family-owned Hass Resort at Barron Lake, Mae then attended business school in South Bend, IN. After marriage she worked at Cavin-Rudisill Co. in Sturgis before moving on to jobs in the areas of market research and direct sales. She finished her career as an Avon district manager.

Mae was a member of First Presbyterian Church of Niles, the American Legion Auxiliary, and was a life member of Niles Chapter 332 of the Order of the Eastern Star. She loved to draw, paint and travel, touring Australia in 1989.

She is survived by her children, Lance Rudisill of Berrien Springs and Lynne (Chris) Danielson of Mount Pleasant. Also surviving are grandchildren, Mark (Jamie) Riling of Jacksonville, Fla., and Travis Danielson of Mount Pleasant; and great-grandchildren, Evan Coleman and Erik Riling. Additional survivors include sister, Pauline (David) Lawson of Niles; brother-in-law, Eugene Raatz of Niles; special cousin, Aldon Roat of Washington, D.C.; and nephews, Herman Lawson of Niles, Paul (Jo) Raatz of Niles and Aaron (JoAnne) Raatz of Covington, GA.

In addition to her husband Arden, Mae was preceded in death by a sister, Delia, a brother, Herman, and a son-in-law, Donald Riling.

Joseph N. Ross
July 4, 1913-March 13, 2001

Joseph Norman Ross, 87, of South Fifteenth Street, Niles, Mich., died at 6:40 p.m. on Tuesday, March 13, 2001 in the Lakeland Regional Medical Center, Niles.

Mr. Ross was born on July 4, 1913, in Musselshell, Mont., to Joseph Allison and Elsie (Hogan) Ross, and had lived in Niles since 1941, coming from Musselshell. He was first employed at Bendix Automotive, South Bend, Ind., and National-Standard, Niles. He had owned and operated J.N. Ross Masonry Contractor in Niles since 1946.

Mr. Ross was a member of the First Baptist Church in Niles where he taught Sunday School and served in several other offices. He was also a member and Past Worship Master of St. Joseph Valley Lodge #4, F.&A.M., Niles, and was past patron of Niles Chapter #332, Order of Eastern Star. Mr. Ross had assisted with the building trades program at Brandywine public schools, and was a 50-year member of the International Union of Brick Layers and Allied Craftsmen, Local 18, South Bend. He had a booth at Eastgate Marketplace, and enjoyed antiques and garage sales.

On May 13, 1935, in Dugger, Ind., Mr. Ross was married to the former Ruth Elaine Ferguson, with whom he celebrated the sixty-fifth anniversary of that marriage last year. In addition to his wife, he is survived by their daughters, Norma (William) Poznanski of Portage, Ind., and Ruth Elizabeth Ross of Chicago, Ill.; six grandchildren and many great-grandchildren; his brothers, Hal G. Ross of Florida, Jim A. Ross of Montana, Bob Ross and Frank Ross, both of Bozeman, Mont.; and by his sister, Nellie Witkauckas of California.

He was preceded in death by a son, Joseph Leon Ross, who died in May 1954; one grandchild; and by his brother, W. Laurence Ross.

Funeral services for Mr. Ross will be at 10 a.m. on Saturday, March 17, in the First Baptist Church, Niles, with the Rev. Scott A. Goodman officiating. Committal services will follow at Silverbrook Cemetery, Niles.

Friends may call from 6 to 8 p.m. today in the Halbritter Funeral Home, Niles, with Masonic rites at 7:30 p.m. by St. Joseph Valley Lodge #4, F.&A.M.

Contributions in memory of Mr. Ross may be made to the organization of the donor's choice.

Submitted by family member; publication details unknown.

Robert W. Rood
Dec. 24, 1913-Feb. 6, 2004

Robert Wilson Rood, 90, of Niles, Michigan, died February 6, 2004, at Lakeland Medical Center, Niles. Robert wished that no services or visitation be held in his memory, and for cremation to take place. Interment of his cremains will take place at Silverbrook Cemetery, Niles, at a later date.

He was born on December 24, 1913, in Niles, Michigan. He retired as a welder from Tyler Refrigeration in 1975. He was an avid fisherman and hunter, and enjoyed woodworking. He was preceded in death by his two wives, June (1956) and Marilyn (1998).

He is survived by a son, Dennis (Kristi) Rood of Clarksville, Arkansas; three daughters, Patricia (William) Anderson of Buchanan, Michigan, Mary (William) Miswick and Cheryl (Gary) Crouch, both of Niles; six grandchildren, Melanie, Julie, Eric, Dan, Kyle and Courtney; and six great-grandchildren, Hailey, Jordan, Jacob, Jarod, Ethan and Sarah; one brother, George Rood of Niles; and a sister, Mae Dean Williamson of Dowagiac.

Submitted by family member; publication details unknown