Ora Lee Haley
Aug. 14, 1907-Jan. 7, 1995

Ora Lee Haley, 87, of 1221 Sycamore St., Niles, died at 7:30 p.m. Saturday Jan. 7, 1995,  in Pawating Hospital after an illness. Mrs. Haley was born Aug. 14, 1907, in Manchester, Tenn., and moved to Niles in 1927. On March 9, 1924, in Manchester, she married Earl L. Haley. He died Oct. 5, 1987. Surviving are a daughter, Beatrice N. Prince of Niles, and a granddaughter, Andrea Daley of Georgia. A daughter, Helen L. Rose, died March 3, 1987.

Services will be at 1 p.m. Tuesday in Halbritter Funeral Home. Burial will be in Silverbrook Cemetery. Friends may call after noon Tuesday in the funeral home.

Ted L. Halbritter
April 21, 1920-Aug 13, 1994

Ted L. Halbritter, president of Halbritter Funeral Home and former director of the former First Federal Savings & Loan, died Saturday following an illness. He was 74.

Mr. Halbritter, of 1624 Broadway St., joined the Kiger Funeral Home in 1947.

In 1962, he purchased and operated the funeral home until semi-retiring in 1986 when his son, Ted III, purchased the business.

Mr. Halbritter was born April 21, 1920, in Sioux Falls, S.D., and moved to Niles in 1946 from Clinton, Okla.

On Nov. 11, 1944, in Clinton, he married Ruthe E. Montgomery.

She survives with a daughter, Sandra Halbritter Bartley of Grafton, Ohio; a son Ted Halbritter III of Niles; four grandchildren; a sister, Helen Gillette of Wessington Springs, S.D.; and two brothers, Wesley and Kenneth both of Sioux Falls.

Mr. Halbritter was a member of Wesley United Methodist Church, Michigan Funeral Directors Association, National Funeral Directors Association, Niles Lions Club, American Legion Post 26, Niles Elks Lodge, Niles Fraternal Order of Police, Westside Notre Dame Fan Club and Fernwood Botanical Gardens.

He served on the Greater Niles Economic Development Foundation, Four Flags Area Chamber of Commerce, Niles-Buchanan Y.M.C.A. and Niles-Buchanan United Way.

He was a veteran of World War II, serving in the Navy.

He graduated from Wayne State University Department of Mortuary Science.

Services will be at 11 a.m. Wednesday in the church.

Burial will be in Silverbrook Cemetery, where John McLaughlin American Legion Post 26 will conduct flag services.

Friends may call from 2 to 4 and 6 to 8 p.m. Tuesday in the funeral home.

Memorial contributions may be made to the church.

 Submitted by family member; publication details unknown

Letha Helen Haimbaugh
Sept. 29, 1909-Feb. 21, 2004

Mrs. Letha Helen Haimbaugh, 94, formerly of Niles, Mich., died at 7:40 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 21,  2004, in Cass County Medical Care Facility, Cassopolis, Mich., following a brief illness.

She was born on Sept. 29, 1909, in Jennings County, Ind., to George and Iva (Bailey) Walters. She moved from Plymouth, Ind., to Niles in 1941, where she lived on North Sixth Street and later on Bicknell Avenue. She was employed at Simplicity Pattern Company, Niles, for 23 years, retiring in 1967.

She enjoyed flower gardening, baking and walking, and more recently had enjoyed reading. She had been active at the Senior Center of Niles. Her greatest accomplishment and pleasure was raising seven children

On Sept. 2, 1928, in Rochester, Ind., she was married to Russell Haimbaugh who died on May 3, 1957. She was also preceded in death by a son, LaVern Haimbaugh; grandson, Rick Harper; two great-grandchildren; her twin sister, Millie Pickens and sisters, Lola Lacey, Alta Dimmitt and Opal Randolph; and a brother, Vachal Walters.

Mrs. Haimbaugh is survived by her children, Clifford (Sandi) Haimbaugh of Bonita Springs, Fla., Howard (Clarice) Haimbaugh of Middlebury, Ind., Betty (Jim) Robbins of Chelsea, Mich., Robert (Betty Ann) Haimbaugh of Prosperity, S.C., Marilyn (Russ) White of Niles, Jack (Joyce) Haimbaugh of Niles and Helen (Rich) Critchlow of Niles; 16 grandchildren, 33 great-grandchildren; and twin great-great-grandchildren.

Services for Letha H. Haimbaugh will be at 2 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 25, in Halbritter Funeral Home, Niles, with Pastor Carl L. Harrison of Trinity United Methodist Church, Niles, officiating. Committal Services will follow at Silverbrook Cemetery, Niles.

The family will receive friends in the funeral home from 6 to 8 p.m. today, Feb. 24.

Contributions in memory of Mrs. Haimbaugh may be made to the Berrien County Cancer Service; Dew-Lay Care Center; or to Cass County Medical Care Facility.

 Submitted by family member; publication details unknown

Frederick S. Haas, Sr.
June 21, 1941-March 31, 2007

Sergeant First Class Frederick S. Haas Sr., U.S. Army retired, 65, of Frantz Drive, Niles, died at 1:25 a.m. Saturday, March 31, 2007, in his home following a brief illness.

He was born on June 21, 1941, in Marcellus, to Stanley Arthur and Doris Martha (Riley) Haas. He graduated from Decatur, Michigan High School, and has lived in Niles since 1963.

Sergeant Haas served full-time in the United States Army for 30 years prior to retirement. Although his service was stateside, he was a veteran of the Viet Nam Era. He was a member of the American Legion Post #309, Decatur, and past president of the 246th Armored Association.

He also owned and operated the former Lafayette Radio Store in South Bend, and attended classes at Davenport College.

He was a member of Saint John's Untied Church of Christ, Niles; a member of and past master of Volinia-Marcellus Lodge #227 F & AM, and a member of the Dowagiac Peninsular Lodge #10 F & AM.

He enjoyed learning about the John Deere Company and its equipment, and he maintained a large collection of John Deere scale models.

On December 24, 1960, in Saint John's Church, Niles, he married the former Barbara J. Geideman, who survives. Also surviving are ther sons, Frederick (Shelly) Haas Jr. of Benton Harbor and Reginald J. Haas of Niles; grandchildren, Melissa, Chris, and Douglas Haas; and great-granddaughter, Autumn Haas; brother, James Haas of Decatur and sisters, Lola Lyons and Mary Helen Fosdick, both of Dowagiac, and Kathleen Pederson of Cassopolis.

He was preceded in death by two brothers, Mere Haas and Wayne Haas.

Funeral services for Frederick S. Haas Sr., will be at 10 a.m. Tuesday, April 3, in the Halbritter Funeral Home, Niles, with Rev. Kyle Gardner of Saint John's United Church of Christ officiating. Committal services will follow at Silverbrook Cemetery, Niles, and will conclude with full military honors by American Legion Post #309, Decatur.

The family will receive friends from 6 to 8 p.m. today in the funeral home, with Masonic services by the Volinia-Marcellus Lodge #227 F & AM at 7 p.m.

Contributions in memory of Mr. Haas may be made to Saint John's United Church of Christ.

Melva Ann Groce
Feb. 6, 1941-Nov. 11, 2007

Melva Ann Groce, 66, Niles, died at 6:30 a.m. Sunday Nov. 11, 2007, in her home.  She was born Feb. 26, 1941. Survivors include a son, William C. "Bubba" Groce Jr. of Granger; a daughter, Valerie Moore of South Bend; brothers, Raymond Johnson and Thad McDonald; and a sister, Arlene Jones of Kansas City, MO. Services will be at 11 a.m. Friday in Mount Olive Missionary Baptist Church. Friend may call from 5 to 8 p.m. Thursday in Hoven Funeral Home, Buchanan. Burial will be at Silverbrook Cemetery.

 Submitted by family member; publication details unknown