Obituaries

Lisa Ann Hessey
Jan. 4, 1975-Dec. 10, 1996

Lisa Ann Hessey, 21, of 317 Rue Gauguin St., South Bend, Ind., died at 5:55 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 10, 1996, at Hospice House, South Bend, following an extended illness.

She was born Jan. 4, 1975, in Niles, Mich., to Thomas Charles and Debra Diane Holy Hessey, and lived in Niles until recently moving to South Bend.

Lisa was a student of Indiana University South Bend. She graduated in 1993 from Brandywine High School, where she participated in cheerleading and instrumental music. She was a former employee of the Prime Table Restaurant, Niles, and more recently of Market Strategies, South Bend.

She is survived by her parents, Thomas and Debra Hessey of Niles; a sister, Deanna Hessey of Niles; her fiance, Javier Garcia Abarca of South Bend; grandparents, Donald and Mary Lou Hessey and Robert and Vera Holy, all of Niles; and a great-grandmother, Kathleen Smith of Niles.

Funeral services will be at 11 a.m. Friday, Dec. 13, at Halbritter Funeral Home, Niles, with Rev. Scott Goodman of First Baptist Church, officiating. Interment will be in Silverbrook Cemetery, Niles.

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

Contributions in memory of Lisa may be made to Hospice of St. Joseph County Inc., or the Berrien County Cancer Service.

John A. Hess 
August 13, 1857-June 8, 1924

Death Claims Well Known Citizen. 

John A. Hess, 903 N. Fifth St., died about midnight last evening (June 8, 1924) after a prolonged illness with heart disease. 

Mr. Hess was born in Waterloo, Canada, August 13, 1857.  He moved to Niles from a farm near Buchanan about 15 years ago and had since resided her. After coming to Niles be successfully engaged in the carpenter business.

Mr. Hess is survived by four brothers, George, William, Charles and Henry all of Buchanan and by three sisters, Mrs. Catherine Eisele, Niles, Mrs. Lizzie Adams, Michigan City, Mrs. Carrie Boyle of Niles.

The funeral services will be held Thursday afternoon at 2 o’clock at the home. Rev. H. T. Scherer, pastor of the Presbyterian Church of which Mrs. Hess was a member, will officiate. Burial will take place in Silverbrook Cemetery.

Mrs. Hess whose maiden name was Catherine Pfeil died eight months ago. Since that time Mrs. Hess niece, Mrs. Edward Hahn and her husband, have made their home with Mr. Hess.  Mr. Hess was a highly esteemed citizen and many mourn his death.

Submitted by family member; publication details unknown. 

Helena Hess
Oct. 3, 1907-July 3, 2003

Helena Hess, 95, of 3602 S. Ironwood Drive, South Bend Ind., formerly of Niles, Mich., passed away of natural causes at 8:40 a.m. on Thursday, July 3, 2003,in St. Paul's Retirement Community, South Bend.

Helena was born on Oct. 3, 1907, in Brookfield, Ill., to the late Henry J. and Martha (Freymuth) Young. On Sept. 27, 1930, she married Carl E. Hess, who died Sept. 9, 1997. She was also preceded in death by a sister, Marguerite Duncan.

She is survived by a daughter, William W. (Phyllis L.) Rogers of Niles; a son, Keith Hess of Tuscaloosa, Ala.; and by four grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.

Helen was a music teacher for many years in the public school system. She belonged to the Niles Music Club, Monday Reading Club, St. Paul's Lutheran Ladies Aid Society and Altar Guild of St. Paul's Lutheran Church, Niles.

Funeral services for Helena will be at 11 a.m. (Mich. time) Monday, July 7, in St. Paul's Lutheran Church, with Pastor Carl Bassett officiating. Friends may call at 10 a.m. Monday, July 7, in the church. Burial will take place at Silverbrook Cemetery, Niles.

The Pifer-SMITH Funeral Home is handling funeral arrangements.

Contributions in memory of Helena Hess may be made to St. Paul's Lutheran Church or to the charity of donor's choice.

Trent E. Hersman
May 1, 1971-July 22, 2007

Trent E. Hersman, 36, died Sunday, July 22, 2007, in Bronson Methodist Hospital, Kalamazoo, from injuries received in a furnace explosion at his home on July 5.

He was born in South Bend, IN, on May 1, 1971, the son of Troy and Linda (Nelson) Hersman. He graduated from Brandywine High School of Niles in 1989 and attended Olivet College.

He was married to Lisa Austin on Aug. 22, 1992, in Vicksburg, MI. They resided briefly in Niles before moving to Mendon 13 years ago.

Trent was a Chicago Cubs baseball and a Notre Dame football fan. He enjoyed golf, and was currently secretary of the Monday Night League at St. Joseph Valley. He attended the Mendon United Methodist Church and was a member of the Niles Eagles. Trent was employed by Lear Plastics, now I.A.C. in Mendon.

Trent is survived by his wife, Lisa; five-year-old twins, Dalton and Caitlyn; his mother, Linda Hersman of Niles; a brother and sister-in-law, Todd and Stephanie Hersman of Elkhart, and their five children, Amber, Danielle, Autumn and Chase Hersman, and Brittany Qualls; his mother-in-law, Deborah Austin of Athens; two brothers-in-law and their spouses, Brent and Deanne Austin of Richland and their son, Clayton, and Ryan and Melissa Austin of St. Johns; grandparents-in-law, Carl and Margaret Green of Athens; many aunts, uncles, cousins and friends.

He was preceded in death by his father, Troy; a brother, Tad; and by his father-in-law, Kenneth Austin Jr.

The family will receive friends from 3 to 5 and 7 to 9 p.m. Wednesday in the Eickhoff Funeral Home in Mendon.

Funeral services will be 11 a.m. Thursday, July 26, 2007, in the funeral home, with Rev. Ward Pierce, pastor of the Mendon and West Mendon United Methodist churches officiating. Burial will follow at Silverbrook Cemetery, Niles.

Memorial contributions may be made to the Dalton and Caitlyn Hersman College Fund.

Online register and condolences may be sent to www.eickhofffuneralhome.com.

Susan Marie Henry
March 6, 1964-August 29, 1999

Susan Marie Henry, 35, of 2615 Old U.S. 31, died Sunday (Aug. 29, 1999), in Lakeland Medical Center-St. Joseph, after an illness. She was born March 6, 1964. Survivors include her husband, Warren F.; a daughter, Marcita Martin of Indianapolis; three sons, Christopher, Justin and Daniel Wright, all at home; a stepson, Corey Henry of Austin, Texas; her mother, Georgia Simpson of South Bend; her father, Donald “Oscar: Quick of Niles; two sisters, D. Rachelle Quick and Tonja Hamel, both of South Bend; and a brother, Clark Quick of South Bend. Services will be at 2 pm Wednesday in Halbritter Funeral Home, where friends may call from 6 to 8 p.m. today.

Submitted by family member; publication details unknown.