Dale L. Deditch
July 20, 1920-April 23, 2006

Dale L. Deditch, 85, of Gene's Circle, Niles, Michigan, and Paradise Trails, Carp Lake, Michigan, died at 9:25 p.m. Sunday, April 23, 2006, in Hospice of the Straits, Cheboygan, Michigan, due to a brief illness.

Mr. Deditch was born on July 20, 1920, in Flint, Michigan, the son of Henry and Claudine (Home) Deditch. A builder with his father, Henry, Dale also was one of the original agents with Wolverine Insurance Company of Dowagiac. For 30 years he served the Niles Community as a realtor in the Deditch Real Estate Company. In 1974 he moved to Carp Lake.

Following his 1939 graduation from Niles High School, Mr. Deditch attained the rank of master sergeant in the U.S. Army Air Corps. During W.W.II, he was stationed in Manchester, England, as a radio operator, airielo with the Fifth Transport and 10th Air Deposit Squadrons. After 11 years of dedicated service, Dale retired from the military in 1952.

Active in the Barron Lake and Howard Township areas, Mr. Deditch was one of the founding trustees of what is now the governing body of Howard Township. For 30 years, he was a member of the National Association of Realtors.  In addition to his memberships with the Veterans of Foreign Wars of Mackinac, he also was a member of the Church of the Straits as well as the First Presbyterian Church of Niles.

On February 7, 1942, in Niles, Dale married Vera L. (Asmus) Deditch, who died August 30, 1995.  Also preceding him in death were his son, Mark L., who died January 26, 2005, and a grandson, Jonathon, who died November 15, 1994.

Surviving family include a son, Dale L. (Mary) Deditch of Niles, Michigan; one granddaughter, Nichole (Andrew) Dohm of Edwardsburg, Michigan; and a great-grandson, Andrew J. Dohm. Mr. Deditch's sister, Micky Fjetland of Norcross, Georgia, and a niece and friend, Lynn (Charles) Kruhlik of Wolverine, Michigan, also survive.

Funeral services for Dale L. Deditch will be at 11 a.m. Thursday, April 27, 2006, in the First Presbyterian Church in Niles, with the Rev. Dr. Ronald Wakeman officiating. Following a military flag presentation by American Legion Post #26, burial will be at Silverbrook Cemetery. The family will receive friends in the Halbritter Funeral Home today from 5 to 7 p.m.

Contributions in memory of Mr. Deditch may be made to either Hospice of the Straits, 722 South Street, Cheboygan, MI 49721; or to the Howard Township Fire Department, 2681 E. Detroit Road, Niles, MI 49120.

Submitted by family member; publication details unknown

Eugene H. Dayhuff
Sept. 10, 1916-June 10, 1998

Eugene H. Dayhuff, 81, of Tucson, Ariz., formerly of Niles, died Wednesday June 10, 1998, in St. Mary’s Hospice, Tucson.  He was born Sept. 10, 1916. Survivors include his wife, Audrey D. (Cook); two sons, Robert H. of Tucson and William E. of Tempe, Ariz.; three sisters, Lola J. Forbes of Mattawan, Mich., Mildred M. Allen of Niles and Mary V. Carter of Yuma, Ariz.; and two brothers, George B. of Placentia, Calif., and Victor of Niles. Services will be at 2 p.m. Thursday in Halbritter Funeral Home, where friends may call from 6 to 8 p.m. Wednesday. Burial will be at Silverbrook cemetery.

Submitted by family member; publication details unknown

Jerry Day
Jan. 2, 1917-April 1, 1995

Gerald L. ''Jerry'' Day, 78, of 2832 S. Third St., died at 8 p.m. Saturday April 1, 1995, in St. Joseph's Medical Center, South Bend, after an illness. Mr. Day retired as a manager from Big C Lumber, Roseland, after 10 years and also was employed in the family's former business, Day's Lumber in Bertrand. He was born Jan. 2, 1917, in Peru, Ind., and lived in Niles most of his life. On Nov. 22, 1939, in Winamac, he married June E. Hendricks. She survives with a son, Dennis of Manhattan, Kan.; three grandchildren; a sister, Martha Robertson of Mishawaka; and a brother, William of Niles. Mr. Day was a Navy veteran of World War II. He was a member of Bertrand Bible Church.

Services will be at 1:30 p.m. Tuesday in Halbritter Funeral Home. Burial will be in Silverbrook Cemetery. Friends may call from 6 to 8 p.m. today in the funeral home. Memorial contributions may be made to the church.

Submitted by family member; publication details unknown

Brian Day
July 10, 1954-Aug. 29, 2007

Brian R. Day, 53, a longtime resident of Niles, died unexpectedly but of natural causes on Wednesday, Aug. 29, 2007,  in his home.  He was born July 10, 1954. He is survived by his mother, Betty L. Day of Niles; a sister, Patricia E. (Richard) Seidner of Niles; several nieces and a circle of friends, including his good friend, Jerry Schmaltz, and special friend, Sue Zandarski. The family is gathering privately for services at Halbritter Funeral Home, with Pastor Kendall M. Holder of Baroda Church of God officiating. Burial will be at Silverbrook Cemetery. There will be no visitation.

Submitted by family member; publication details unknown   

Bertha L. Day (Mickle)

Jan. 30, 1922 – May 21, 1999

Mrs. Bertha Louise Day, 77, of 48 North St. Joseph Avenue, Niles, Mich., died at 9:20 p.m. on Friday, May 21 in Lakeland Medical Center, Niles.

Louise was a member of Fulkerson Park Baptist Church, Niles. She was co-owner of the Chuck Day Music Center, Niles, and a member of the Niles Music club.

Louise was born on Jan. 30, 1922, at Rock Hill, S.C. and had lived her since 1949, coming from Marion, N.C.  On March7, 142, in Dyersburg, Tenn., Louise was united in marriage to Charles Frank Day, whom is surviving.

Also surviving are two daughters, Mrs. Linda Louise Jaroch of Buchanan, Mich., and Cheryl “Kay” Charlene Morris of Ferndale, Calif.; a brother, Ear Mark Mickle of Valdese, N.C; and two sisters, Margaret Swartz of Buchanan and Jesse Willis of Burnsville, N.C.; six grandchildren, Charles Jaroch of Buchanan, Anthony Jaroch of Virginia beach, VA, Jamie Bowman of Redding, Calif., Kimberly Chambers, Lyle Morris and Terry Morris, all of Ferndale; and nine great-grandchildren.

Funeral services will be at 1 p.m. Wednesday in Fulkerson Park Baptist Church, Niles with the Rev. Edward Villalba officiating. Burial will be at Silverbrook Cemetery.

Friends may call from 3 to 5 and 7 to 9 p.m. on Tuesday in the Hoven Funeral Home, Buchanan.

Memorials may be made to Fulkerson Park Baptist Church of Niles.

Russell H. Davis
April. 1, 1917-Jan. 10, 2006

Russell Hershell Davis, 88, of 19300 Auten Road, South Bend, Ind., died of natural causes at 10:47 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 10, 2006,  in Saint Joseph Regional Medical Center, South Bend.

He was born on April 1, 1917, in Niles, Michigan, to the late Frank and Cora Bell (Carter) Davis. On Nov. 4, 1944, in Petersburg, Va., he married Marian Irene Miltenburger, who preceded him in death in 1992.

He was a U.S. Army World War II veteran as a sergeant. He retired from Clark Equipment Company, Buchanan, Mich., and had lived in Niles since 1980.

He is survived by a daughter, Mary Helen (Lynn) Boggs of Statesville, N.C.; a son, Kenneth Davis of South Bend; seven grandchildren, 10 great-grandchildren and a great-great-grandchild.

Services will be at 10 a.m. today in Hoven Funeral Home, Buchanan, Mich., with Pastor John Bair of Bethel Tabernacle officiating. Burial will be at Silverbrook Cemetery, Niles, Mich.

Friends called from 4 to 7 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 12, in the funeral home.