Lillie K. Roebeck
Feb. 10, 1910-Feb. 23, 2001

Lillie K. Roebeck, 91, of 816 Burns Street, Niles, Mich., died of natural causes late Friday evening, Feb. 23, 2001, in her home. She was born on Feb. 10, 1910, in Lisbin, N.D.

She was a homemaker, and was the president of the Ladies Guild and choir of St. John's United Church of Christ. She loved baking and cooking.

On Oct. 28, 1929, in South Bend, Ind., she married Irvin Roebeck, who survives. Also surviving are a daughter, Ann Withers of Manistee, Mich.; a sister, Edith Curtis of Niles; a brother, Roy Christman of Niles; four grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.

Services will be at 11 a.m. on Tuesday in the Pifer-SMITH Funeral Home, 521 E. Main Street, Niles, with Pastor Al Bastin officiating. Burial will be at Silverbrook Cemetery. Friends may call from 2 to 4 and 6 to 8 p.m. on Monday in the funeral home.

Submitted by family member; publication details unknown

Mary H. Robinson
Sept. 24, 1917-March 3, 1995

Mary H. Robinson, 77, of 313 North Ninth St., Niles, died at 8:50 a.m. Friday March 3, 1995,  at Woodfield Manor after an illness. Miss Robinson retired from Teletype Corp. (now a division of AT & T), of Skokie, Ill. She was born Sept. 24, 1917, in Chicago and had lived in Niles since 1977, coming from Chicago. Surviving are two nieces, Cynthia Tyler of Niles and Leslie Skinner of Pittsburgh; three nephews, Jeffrey, Richard and John Jones, all of Niles; and a cousin, Mary Skinner of Niles. She was a member of and a volunteer driver for the Senior Citizen's Center and was formerly active in league bowling.

Services will be at 2 p.m. Monday in Halbritter Funeral Home. Burial will be in Silverbrook Cemetery. Friends may call one hour before services in the funeral home. Memorial contributions may be made to Senior Citizen's Center of Niles.

Submitted by family member; publication details unknown

Arthur Robinson
Feb. 2, 1921-Dec. 25, 2004

Arthur Robinson, age 83, of Sassafras Lane, Niles, Michigan, died on Saturday, December 25, 2004, at Hospice at Home "The Meadows", Buchanan, Michigan following an extended illness.

Mr. Robinson was born on February 2, 1921, in Detroit, Michigan to Dr. Arthur D. and Lena M. (Lilley) Robinson. He was the eldest of three sons, with brothers, Don W. and Bruce J. Robinson. He spend this youth in Detroit, graduating from Cooley High School where he played hockey and football. For many summers, he attended YMCA Camp Hayo-Went-Ha, and learned to sail and canoe on Torch Lake.

Arthur was a 1943 graduate of the University of Michigan, where hde was a member of the Chi Psi fraternity. After graduation, he entered midshipman school at Notre Dame University and was subsequently commissioned an ensign in the Naval Reserve. He married Frances Capps, his college sweetheart, in Detroit on September 24, 1943.

Assigned to Attach Transport #49, the U.S.S. Ormsby, Arthur served landing craft duty in the Pacific Theater. The Ormsby and her crew saw action at Peliliu and Leyte Gulf, and were involved in the relocation of the Chinese National 1st Army to Taiwan after the War. He was discharged from the U.S. Naval Reserve with the rank of Lieutenant (j.g.).

After the War, Art was employed by Wyandotte Chemicals and lived with Fran and their children on Gross Ile, Michigan until they moved to Niles in 1959. He worked at Electro-Voice in Buchanan until 1970, and then began a 30+ year career in real estate. As a realtor and broker with Morden/Modern Reality, Art was the top sales associate in 1976 and achieved the Senior Million Dollar Club numerous times. Arthur's community-minded spirit kept him active in various organizations in Niles. He was a member and two-term president of the Niles-Buchanan Club of Rotary International and a Paul Harris Fellow. He served as Chair of the Niles City Republican Party from 1967 to 1974. He was actively involved in the passage of a new city charter and served on the zoning Board of Appeals. Art was a member of the Greater Niles Community Development Corporation Board of Directors which sponsored the North Fifth Street revitalization project.

As a longtime parishioner of Trinity Episcopal Church, Arthur served several terms as a vestryman and was Senior Warden in 1984. For more than forty years, Art was also a steadfast member of the choir's bass section.

Art had a life-long love for sailing, golf, music, and U. of M. football. Both Camp Hayo-Went-Ha and the University of Michigan benefited from his support.

Art's love of people and outgoing personality will be well remembered in his community. He is survived by his wife, Frances of Niles; his daughters, Sally Lister (Thomas) of Black River Falls, Wisconsin and Martha White (Douglas) of Westbrook, Connecticut; and five grandsons, Matthew Lister, M.D., Joshua Lister, and Alexander White, Benjamin White, and Nicholas White. His brother, Don W. Robinson, of Ann Arbor, Michigan also survives.

The Memorial Service for Arthur Robinson will be held at 10:30 a.m. Tuesday, December 28, 2004, at Trinity Episcopal Church, Niles, with the Reverend Franklin P. Schuster, III of the church officiating. The family will receive friends in the church hall immediately following the service.

Committal services will be on a later date at Silverbrook Cemetery, Niles, where the family will gather privately.

Arrangements are being completed by the Halbritter Funeral Home, Niles.

Contributions in memory of Arthur Robinson may be made to the church; to Hospice-at-Home; or to Fernwood Botanic Gardens.

Submitted by family member; publication details unknown

James Michael "Mike" Roberts
March 1, 1965-Dec. 27, 2004

James Michael "Mike" Roberts, age 39, of Silsbee Street, Niles, Michigan died at 5:55 p.m. Monday Dec. 27, 2004, at Lakeland Hospital-Niles following a brief illness.

James was employed at Now Courier, South Bend, Indiana. James was a graduate of Brandywine High School class of 1984. He enjoyed golfing.

He was born on March 1, 1965 in Kennett, Missouri to Barbara S. Roberts. James has lived most of his life in Niles, Michigan.

Surviving family include his mother, Barbara S. and Richard L. Krassow, Sr. of Niles, a brother, Jeff Roberts of Niles, a stepsister, Kimberly Krassow of Tennessee, and a stepbrother, Richard L. Krassow, Jr. of Niles, several aunts, uncles, cousins, nieces and nephews. A sister, Tammy Roberts, preceded him in death.

Funeral services will be at Halbritter Funeral Home, Niles (Niles), 2 p.m., Thursday, December 30, 2004 with Pastor Jeffery L. Whittaker of Michigan Christian Embassy officiating. Burial will follow at Silverbrook Cemetery, Niles.

Friends may call Wednesday from 6 to 8 p.m. in the Halbritter Funeral Home, Niles. Memorials may be made to Berrien County Cancer Service.

 Submitted by family member; publication details unknown

Larry F. "Frank" Roberson
Sept. 21, 1929-March 25, 2008

Larry F. “Frank” Roberson Sr., 78, of Bruce Street, Niles, died Tuesday, March 25, 2008, in West Woods of Niles, following a brief illness.

Mr. Roberson was born on September 21, 1929, in Dyersburg, Tennessee to Glittie Larry and Frankie Lee (Smith) Roberson. Frank was raised in South Bend and attended Riley High School.

He retired in 1994, after 40 years of services from Simplicity Pattern Company, Niles. Frank attended Franklin A.M.E. Church in Niles, he was a member of Bookbinders and Graphic Arts Local Unions, and was formerly a member of John W. Moore Lodge #42 F. &A.M. He enjoyed golf and yard work and volunteered at the Niles-Buchanan Senior center.

On January 28, 1951, in Niles he married the former Barbara Jean Finley, who survives. Mr. Roberson is also survived by two sons, Larry F. Roberson Jr. of Lansing, Michigan and Kevin (Ausma) Roberson of Fairfax, Virginia; nine grandchildren, Sonya Pyle, Derk, Nicohole, Caprice, Schuyler, Alyshia, Dameson, Rija and Tailis Roberson; five great-grandchildren, brother, Wilber Finus Bass of Houston, Texas and several nieces , nephews and cousins.

Funeral services for Larry F. “Frank" Roberson Sr., will be at 2 p.m. Saturday, March 29, in Franklin A.M.E. Church with Rev. Jared L. Graves Sr., Officiating. Interment will be at Silverbrook Cemetery, Niles.

Friends may call beginning a 1 p.m. on Saturday in the church.  Halbritter Funeral home, Niles, is handling arrangements.  Contributions in memory of Larry F. Roberson Sr. may be made to Franklin A.M.E. Church.

Alice Rinehart
May 23, 1892-March 25, 1971

Niles Daily Star, Thursday, March 25, 1971, page 2, col. 1, microfilm Niles District Library

Mrs. Alice Rinehart, 79, formerly of 1351 Sheridan Avenue, Niles, died at 1:30 a.m. today (March 25, 1971) in Berrien General Hospital, after being in poor health for some time.

Born May 23, 1892, in South Bend Mrs. Rinehart had lived here most of her life. Her husband, Earl E. died in 1947.

Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. Saturday in the Pifer Funeral Home, with the Rev. Arlan Schlundt of St. John’s United Church of Christ officiating. Burial will be in Silverbrook Cemetery.

Friends may call after 7 tonight at the funeral home.