Obituaries

Paul G. Coffinger
Feb. 6, 1926-Feb. 15, 1996

Paul Glen Coffinger, 70, of 1427 Ferry St., died of natural causes at 8:30 p.m. Thursday Feb. 15, 1996,  in Lakeland Medical Center. Mr. Coffinger was a retired factory worker. He was born Feb. 6, 1926, in Niles. On Dec. 18, 1974, in Niles, he married Rosemary P. Gross. She survives with six daughters, Treasa Wetzel of Corona, Calif., Debby Wolf, Peggy Benjamin, Rosemarie Benjamin and Paula Coffinger, all of Niles, Anna Cooke of Buchanan; 12 grandchildren; nine great-grandchildren; one great-great-grandchild; two sisters, Ann Howard of Cassopolis and June Messeros of South Bend; and a brother, Russell of Niles. A son, Rusty, died May 23, 1995. He was a World War II veteran.

Services will be at 11 a.m. Monday in Pifer-Smith Funeral Home. Burial will be in Silverbrook Cemetery. Friends may call from 2 to 6 p.m. Sunday in the funeral home.

Robert Allen Cochran
Feb. 4, 1926-Nov. 23, 2004

Niles Daily Star, Thursday, November 26, 2004, page 2, col. 2, microfilm Niles District Library

ADRIAN--There will be no services for Robert Allen Cochran, 78, of Adrian.  At his request, cremation has taken place and there will be no public visitation.

Burial will be in Silverbrook Cemetery.

He was born on Feb. 4, 1926, in Niles to Clyde and Sylvia (Anderson) Cochran.  He served in the U.S. Army from May 13, 1944, until July 30, 1946.  He was a member of the Disabled American Veterans.

He is survived by a son, Shummy Cochran of Niles; two daughters, Debi Simpson of Buchanan and Randy Sue Asmus of Niles; five grandchildren and six great-grandchildren; his longtime companion, Juanita Ely of Adrian; her children, Johnny Ely, Jay Ely, Jackie (Roe) Litteral; her six grandchildren; a brother, Herman Cochran of Niles; and a sister, Jane Seals of Niles. Arrangements are by Anderson Funeral Home.

Memorial contributions may be made to the American Cancer Society, Niles/Buchanan Relay for Life, 5110 S. Sprinkle Road, Portage, MI 49002.

Also: Submitted by family member, publication details unknown

Robert Allen "Bob" Cochran, 78, of Adrian, Mich., died Tuesday, Nov. 23, 2004, in the Veterans Hospital, Ann Arbor, Mich.

He was born Feb. 4, 1926, in Niles, Mich., to Clyde and Sylvia (Anderson) Cochran. Bob served in the U.S. Army from May 13, 1944, until July 30, 1946. He was a member of the Disabled American Veterans.

Bob is survived by his longtime companion, Juanita Ely of Adrian; her children, Johnny Ely, Jay Ely and Jackie (Roe) Litteral; her six grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren; a son, Shummy Cochran of Niles; two daughters, Debi Simpson of Buchanan, Mich., and Randy Sue Asmus of Niles; one brother, Herman Cochran of Niles; one sister, Jane Seals of Niles; five grandchildren and six great-grandchildren.

He was preceded in death by his parents, and by four brothers and two sisters.

At Bob's request, cremation has taken place and there will be no public visitation or services. Burial of cremains will be at Silverbrook Cemetery, Niles.

Arrangements are under the direction of the Anderson Funeral Home.
Memorial contributions may be made to the American Cancer Society, Niles/Buchanan Relay for Life, 5110 S. Sprinkle Road, Portage, MI 49002.

Dorothy Cochran
June 30, 1928-April 12, 2002

Dorothy "Dutch" Cochran, 73, of Chicago Road, Niles, Mich., died following a brief illness at 11:35 a.m. Friday, April 12, 2002,  in Lakeland Specialty Hospital, Berrien Center, Mich.

She was born June 30, 1928, in Niles, to Frank and Dorothy (Linsenmier) Schanbacher, and was a lifetime area resident.

"Dutch" retired as a school bus driver from the Niles Community Schools. She also was a former Girl Scout leader.

She is survived by a daughter, Debbie Simpson of Buchanan, Mich.; a daughter, Randy Asmus of Niles; a son, Shummy Cochran of Niles; five grandchildren and four great-grandchildren; and by one niece.

Funeral services will be at 11 a.m. Wednesday, April 17, in the Halbritter Funeral Home, Niles. Interment will be at Silverbrook Cemetery, Niles.

The family will receive friends from 6 to 8 p.m. Tuesday in the Halbritter Funeral Home, Niles.

Contributions in memory of Dorothy "Dutch" Cochran may be made to the Berrien County Cancer Service.

Patricia P. Clubine
June 3, 1930-March 2, 1998

Patricia P. Clubine, 67, of 1501 Lykins Lane, died Monday, March 2, 1998, in her home. She was born June 3, 1930.  Survivors include her husband, Donald E.; a daughter, Jane E. Clubine of Toledo, Ohio; four sons, James E. of West Chester, Penn., Russell E. of Boyne City, Mich., and Chris A. and Andrew D., both of Niles; a sister, Elizabeth Peterson of Niles; and three brothers, Frank Skopec of Downers Grover, Ill., and Theodore Skopec and Rudolph Skopec, both of Niles. Services will be at 11 a.m. Wednesday in Halbritter Funeral Home, where friends may call from 6 to 8 p.m. today.

Ernie Russell Clubine

July 6, 1919-August 15, 1999

Mr. Ernie Russell Clubine, 80, of Oak Street, Niles, Mich., died Aug. 15, 1999, at the Lakeland Medical Center - Niles, following an extended illness.

Born in Indiana Harbor, Ind., on July 6, 1919, he was a son of Earl and Elma (Jackson) Clubine, and had lived most of his life in Niles, graduating from Niles High School in 1937.

Mr. Clubine was retired from the Clark Equipment Company, Benton Harbor, Mich., in 1989, following 25 years of service. His career included memberships in the National Management Association and the American Society of Tool & Manufacturing Engineers.

During World War II he served in the U.S. Army as a staff sergeant in the 86th Infantry Division in Europe and the Philippines. He spoke often, with pride, of having served his country. He was a member of American Legion #26, Niles, and the 86th Blackhawk Division Association.

He was a member of the First Church of Christ - Christian, Niles, and volunteered with the Meals on Wheels delivery program.

In July 1945, while on a military furlough during transfer from the European theater to the Pacific, he was married in South Bend, Ind., to the former Mary H. Miholick, who survives.

He is also survived by their son, Richard and his wife, Colleen Clubine of Peachtree, Ga.; grandchildren, Megan and Matthew Clubine, also of Peachtree; his brother, Donald Clubine of Niles; nephews, James, Russell, Chris and Andrew Clubine; and by a niece, Jane Clubine.

He was preceded in death by two infant sons, Ernie and Wilfred; and by his brother, Wilfred Clubine.

Funeral services for Ernie R. Clubine will be at 11 a.m. on Tuesday, Aug. 17, at the Halbritter Funeral Home, Niles, with Rev. Lowell Black of the First Church of Christ-Christian officiating. Com-mittal services will be at Silverbrook Cemetery, Niles, followed by the Veteran's Flag Presentation and Taps by American Legion Commander John McLaughlin.

The family will receive friends from 5 to 8 p.m. today at the funeral home.

Contributions in memory may be made to Hospice at Home of Berrien County or to the Berrien County Cancer Service.

Paul C. Clark
July 13, 1920-April 23, 2006

Paul Charles Clark, 85, of North 17th Street, Niles, passed away peacefully in his home, surrounded by his family, on Sunday, April 23rd, 2006.

He was born on July 13, 1920, in Niles, to the late Charles F. and Ella A. (Tyler) Clark.

On February 1, 1947, Paul married Joan M. Steigely at a ceremony in Niles.

Paul was a proud WWII veteran, serving in the U.S. Navy. He was a retired employee of Bendix where he gave 35 years of service. He also owned and operated Clark Services, Inc., where he was a special deputy for the Berrien County Sheriff's Office for over 30 years. Paul was a state senatorial candidate in 1966 and 1970, and was involved in local politics. He was a member of American Legion Post #26, Niles Fraternal Order of Police, Niles Masonic Lodge, St. Joseph Valley Lodge #4, Scottish Rite of Grand Rapids, Saladin Temple Shrine of Grand Rapids, Niles Shrine Club, Berrien County Democratic Club, and was a charter member of the Niles Auxiliary Police and the Michigan Sheriff's Association.

He was preceded in death by his parents, three brothers and a sister.

Paul is survived by his wife, Joan Clark of Niles; two daughters, Sue Ann (Jack) Spence of Richland, MI, and Lynn M. (Robert) Fujawa of Niles; a son, Scott (Jacque) Clark of Niles; nine grandchildren and 11 great-grandchildren.

Funeral services will be held Wednesday, April 26th, 2006, in the Brown Funeral Home, Niles, with Rev. Jeff Whittaker officiating. An interment will follow at Silverbrook Cemetery. A time of visitation will be held today, April 25th, in the funeral home from 2:00 to 4:00 p.m. and 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. where a Masonic rite service will be held at 7:30 p.m.

Contributions may be made in Paul's memory to Hospice at Home, Inc.

Arrangements have been entrusted to Brown Funeral Home & Cremation Services, Niles (formerly Pifer~Smith Funeral Home).