Obituaries

Evelyn M. Burnham
February 2, 1915-March 29, 2009

Evelyn M. (Leach) Burnham, 94, of Niles, passed away on March 29, 2009, in Silverbrook Manor, Niles, following an extended illness.

Evelyn was born February 2, 1915, in Niles, Michigan, to the late Adrian and Hazel (Pierce) Leach.

In Chicago, Illinois, she married the late Charles C. Burnham.

A homemaker all of her life, Evelyn enjoyed first and foremost spending time with her family and loved being a grandmother. Being around her grandchildren always brought many smiles and great happiness. She also enjoyed traveling the U.S. with her husband.

Evelyn was preceded in death by her parents; her husband; and her four brothers, Albert Leach, Frank Leach, Frederick Leach and Robert Leach; and by three sisters, Annabelle Betz, Elizabeth Leiler and Joyce Backus.

Evelyn is survived by her son, James (Janice) Burnham of Angola, Indiana; three grandchildren, James Burnham of Jackson, Michigan, Christopher Burnham of Manchester, Michigan, and Jeanine (Kenneth) Bartholomew of Paw Paw, Michigan; two sisters, Gertrude (Harold) Johnson of Goshen, Indiana, and Wilma Cole of Niles; and her brother, John (Doris) Leach of Florida. She also leaves many nieces and nephews.

Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. on Wednesday, April 1st, in the Brown Funeral Home, with a time of visitation one hour prior. Interment will follow at Silverbrook Cemetery.

Condolences, photos and memories may be left for the family at www.BrownFuneralHomeNiles.com.

Those wishing to make a memorial donation may do so to The Salvation Army, P.O. Box 1150, Niles, MI 49120.

Services have been entrusted to Brown Funeral Home, Niles.

Submitted by family member; publication details unknown

Not buried in Silverbrook per obit

Helen M. Rea
July 8, 1917-April 29, 2009

Helen M. Perkins Rea, 91, residing in South Bend, passed away at 7:00 a.m. Wednesday, April 29, 2009 at Memorial Hospital.

She was born July 8, 1917 in Columbia City, IN to Walter & Orpha (Ramsey) Koester where they lived for three years before moving to Grass Creek, IN. In 1926 the family moved to South Bend. She graduated from James Whitcomb Riley High School in 1935, and later graduated from South Bend College of Commerce.

On March 16, 1940 in South Bend as Helen Koester she married George W. Perkins who passed away on September 19, 1974. She was also preceded by her sister, Evelyn Koester.

Then on June 19, 1976 in Mishawaka, she married Robert Virgil Rea who survives. Also surviving is her daughter, Marsha (John) Marshall of Mishawaka, three sons, James W. (Priscilla) Perkins of Charlotte, NC, Kenneth J. Perkins of New Port Richey, FL, and Daniel (Jackie) Perkins of North Fort Myers, FL. Twelve grandchildren, twenty great-grandchildren, her brother, Walter (Merle) Koester of Asheville, NC, and very special nieces, nephews, and cousins, whom she loved dearly survive her as well.

She greatly enjoyed her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren.

Helen worked for the School City of South Bend, Bendix Home Appliance, and then retired to raise her family. After 23 years as a "stay at home" Mom, she returned to the working world as Secretary to the Director of Personnel at South Bend Lathe and then at A.M. General as Secretary to the manager of the Parts Dept. until her retirement in 1980.

After her marriage to Robert Virgil Rea, they spent their winters in Ft. Myers, Florida for twenty years, where she learned to bowl, play golf, and swim.

Helen was a member of Trinity Evangelical Free Church in South Bend. During their winters at Ft. Myers, FL, she attended the Community Reformed Church and later the Fort Myers Evangelical Free Church.

Services celebrating the life of Helen Perkins Rea will be at 2:00 p.m. Sunday, May 3, at Palmer Funeral Home-Guisinger Chapel, 3718 South Michigan Street, South Bend. Rev. Craig Clapper and Rev. Steve Meck will officiate. Graveside services and burial will follow at Southlawn Cemetery.

The family will receive friends from 3:00 – 6:00 p.m. Saturday, May 2, at the funeral home, and one hour prior to services Sunday.

Expressions of sympathy in memory of Helen Perkins Rea may be offered to Trinity Evangelical Free Church, 61770 Miami Road, South Bend, IN 46614, or to The Center for Hospice & Palliative Care, Inc., 111 Sunnybrook Court, South Bend, IN 46637.

 

 

Robert M. "Bob" Bowling, 78, of Palmetto, FL, formerly of Niles, died February 9, 2009.

Bob was born December 17, 1930, in Niles, MI, to the late Everett and Opal Bowling of Buchanan, MI.

Bob was a member of the Buchanan High class of 1949, prior to entering the United Sates Navy.

On September 16, 1950, he married Phyllis (Boht). After 30 plus years delivering Tyler refrigeration products, Bob retired and begun to enjoy spending summers in Michigan and winters in Florida. In 1996 he became a full time resident of Florida.

Surviving children are Robert Jr. (Tammy) of Niles, MI, Rhonda (John) Bird of Spring Lake, MI, Frank (Hazel) of Buchanan, MI, Diana (John) Baxter of Niles and Sandra of Niles; seven grandchildren; 11 great-grandchildren; brother, Bill (Carol) Bowling of Palmetto. A sister, Yvetta (Donald) Toll is deceased.

A memorial service was held on Feb. 28, 2009 in the Palmetto Moose Lodge #2117, Palmetto, FL.

A memorial services will be held at the Buchanan Moose Lodge #449, Buchanan, MI, in June 2009, with burial in the Bowling family plot at the Silverbrook Cemetery, Niles

Martha Miller
Sept. 3, 1945-May 12, 2009

Mrs. Martha Miller, 63, a resident of Darden Road, South Bend, Indiana passed from this life at 6:50 a.m., Tuesday, May 12, 2009, at Healthwin Hospital, following an extended illness.

Martha began her life on September 3, 1945 in Niles, Michigan, daughter of Rev. MacCullen and Dennell (Morgan) Williams. She attended Edwardsburg schools and was a life time area resident.

Mrs. Miller led a fulfilling life with many interests. She owned and operated Miller Adult Foster Care in Niles until her health failed. She also started adult foster care in her home in Kalamazoo, Michigan. As a member of Mt. Calvary Baptist Church, Niles, Ml, she sang in the choir. Her love for the music ministry led her to sing and play piano with many gospel groups including the Kalamazoo Gospelettes. Mrs. Miller was a member of the PTO and always volunteered to help with her children's activities. Because of her compassionate heart, she enjoyed caring for people with special needs and prayed for everyone. Among her hobbies was bowling until she became ill.

Family members who will mourn her loss include two daughters, Patricia (Myron) Miller-Chism of South Bend and Doris Winfield of Lilburn, GA; three sons, Timothy Bell of Elkhart, IN, Jerry (Felicia) Williams of Clarksville, KY and Christopher Williams of Niles, Ml; 16 grandchildren; ; three great-grandchildren; stepfather, Bishop Oliver Reed of Gary, IN; four sisters, Ruth (Willie) Williams and Dorothy Moore of Niles, Ml, Janice (James) Hall of South Bend and Cheryl (Henry) Singleton of South Sioux City, Iowa; one brother, Vernon Williams of Peoria, IL; a special friend, Benjamin Forest, Jr. of Benton Harbor, Ml, a host of nieces and nephews, other relatives and friends.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Dennell Williams & MacCullen Williams, Sr., a brother, MacCullen Williams, Jr.; and a nephew, Anthony Moore.

Funeral services for Mrs. Miller will be held at 12:00 noon, Monday, May 18, at Mt. Calvary Baptist

Church, 601 Ferry St., Niles, with Pastor Bryant Bacon, officiating. Interment will follow in Silverbrook

Cemetery, Niles. Friends may call Sunday evening from 7-9:00 p.m. at Alford's Mortuary where arrangements have been entrusted.

Submitted by family member; publication details unknown

Linda L. Jaroch
Aug. 17, 1944 – May 28, 2009

NILES — Linda Louise Jaroch, 64, died at 3:55 p.m. Thursday in Lakeland Community Hospital. She was born August 17,1944 in Paris, TN, to the late Charles and Bertha Day. On August 2, 1964 in Niles she married Neal Jaroch who preceded her in death. She owned and operated Chuck Day Music Center in Niles. Survivors include sons, Charles Jaroch of Niles and Anthony (Mellinda) Jaroch of South Mills, NC; very close friends, Janice Himes of Walkerton; sisters, Cheryl C. "Kay" Morris of Ferndale, CA; and grandchildren, Katelyn, Ryan, Tonya, Amanda, Carissa and Christopher. Services will be at noon Wednesday in Hoven Funeral Home, Buchanan, with Pastor Russell Simonson of Forgotten Man Ministries officiating, where family may call two hours before services. Burial will be in Silverbrook Cemetery. Memorials may be made to American Heart Association and American Diabetes Association.

Submitted by family member; publication details unknown

Miss Bessie Webber
October 10, 1886-March 30, 1906

A PATIENT SUFFERER

Miss Bessie Webber Passed Away Yesterday Afternoon

After an illness with tuberculos’s[sic] covering a period of eight years, three of which the patient little sufferer was bedfast, Miss Bessie Webber, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Wm. Webber of 399 Grant street, passed away yesterday afternoon at 4 o’clock.

She was born in Niles, Oct. 10, 1886 and had always resided here. Besides her mother and father, she leaves two sisters, Hazel and Blanche, and three brothers, Clyde and William of this city and Clarence of Kalamazoo to mourn her loss.

The patience and forbearance with which the young girl has borne her protracted illness has been the subject of comment of all who knew her and was beautiful to see. Every little act of Kindness, many of which she received from sympathetic children and their elders, was appreciated by her and helped to brighten the long hours. Especially close was the tie between daughter and father, the devotion of the latter during all her illness being untiring—every spare moment was devoted to her.

The funeral will be held tomorrow afternoon at 2 o’clock at Trinity Episcopal church, Rev. C.J. DeCoux officiating. The remains may be viewed at the home from 9 a.m. to 12. Burial at Silver Brook cemetery.

Niles Daily Star, Sat. March 31, 1906, page 2, col. 4