James R. Benjamin
May 26, 1933-Nov. 30, 1994

NILES - James R. Benjamin, 61, of 111 Emmons St., died about 2 a.m. Wednesday in his home after an illness. Mr. Benjamin was a retired lieutenant from the Niles City Fire Department, where he worked for 36 years, and was employed by Ironwood Displays. He was born May 26, 1933, in Niles and was a lifelong resident. On Sept. 3, 1955, in Angola, Ind., he married Eleanor R. ''Ellie'' Romanski. She survives with two daughters, Patricia O'Brien of Niles and Dee Lyon of St. Louis; two grandchildren; his mother, Dorothy L. Benjamin of Niles; and a brother, Robert C. of Bisbee, Ariz.  Mr. Benjamin was a member of American Legion Post 26 and Niles Elks. He was a Navy veteran of the Korean War.

Services will be at 3 p.m. Saturday in Halbritter Funeral Home. Burial will be in Silverbrook Cemetery. Friends may call after 1 p.m. Saturday in the funeral home. Memorial contributions may be made to the Niles Salvation Army.

Submitted by family member; publication details unknown

Marguerite W. Benjamin
May 24, 1907-June 26, 1998

NILES--Marguerite W. Benjamin, 91, of Niles Avenue, St. Joseph, formerly of Niles, died Friday in her home. She is survived by a brother, Donald Weaver of Niles. Services will be at 2 p.m. Monday in Grace United Methodist Church, where friends may call one hour before services. Halbritter Funeral Home is handling arrangements.

Submitted by family member; publication details unknown

Ned E. Benjamin
June 5, 1928 - Dec. 7, 2001

Niles Daily Star, Monday, December 10, 2001, page 2, col. 1, microfilm Niles District Library

Funeral services for Ned E. Benjamin, 73, of 2538 Juniper Ave., Niles will be Monday, Dec. 19 at 1:30 p.m.  at Hoven Funeral Home in Buchanan. The Rev. Emmett Kadwell of Wesley United Methodist Church of Christ of Niles will be officiating.

Burial will be in Silverbrook Cemetery, Niles.

Benjamin died of natural causes Friday, Dec. 7 at 2:40 p.m. at Cass County Care Facility in Cassopolis.

Benjamin was born June 5, 1928 in Niles. He was a lifetime area resident. On Dec. 6, 1953, he married Maxine J. "Mickey" Heiermann in Buchanan. She survives. He was a veteran of the Korean War. He owned Ned's Meat Processing in Niles. He was a member of American Legion Post No. 26 in Niles and the Buchanan Moose Lodge.

Survivors (in addition to his wife) include: one son, Guy (and Becky) Benjamin of Niles; one daughter, Beth A. Benjamin of Niles; two grandchildren; two brothers, Erwin R. Benjamin of Buchanan and Daryl Benjamin of Niles; and one sister, Ruth E. Wolf of Niles.

Visitation was Sunday.

Memorial contributions may be made to Cass County Medical Care Facility or the Howard Township Fire Department.

ALSO

Ned E. Benjamin, 73, of 2528 Juniper Avenue, Niles, Mich., died at 2:40 p.m. Friday, Dec. 7, in the Cass County Medical Facility, Cassopolis, Mich.

Ned was a Korean War veteran. He was also a member of Niles American Legion Post 26, Buchanan Loyal Order of Moose Lodge #449, and was a longtime member of the Howard Township Fire Department. Ned was the owner of Ned's Meat Processing of Niles. He had also worked at Williams Home Center, Wolahan Lumber and Cornwell Market.

Ned was born June 5, 1928, in Niles. He was preceded in death by his father and mother, Clarence and Margaret (Cornwall) Benjamin; and by two brothers, Keith and Kay Benjamin.

On Dec. 6, 1953, in Buchanan, Mich., Ned was united in marriage to Maxine J. "Mickey" Heiermann, who survives. He is also survived by a daughter, Beth A. Benjamin of Niles; a son, Guy E. (Becky) Benjamin of Niles; a grandson, Bryan C. Benjamin; a granddaughter, Chelsey M. Benjamin; and their grand-daughter, Maxie; a sister, Ruth E. Wolf of Niles; and by two brothers, Erwin R. (Doris) Benjamin of Buchanan and Daryl J. (Joan) Benjamin of Niles.

Funeral services will be at 1:30 p.m. Monday in the Hoven Funeral Home, Buchanan, with visitation from 3 to 7 p.m. today in the funeral home. The Rev. Emmett Kadwell will be officiating, with interment at Silvervrook Cemetery.

Memorial contributions may be made to the Cass County Medical Care Facility or to the Howard Township Fire Department.

Submitted by family member; publication details unknown

Dorothy May Best
Oct. 5, 1935-Oct. 6, 1994

NILES - Services for Dorothy May Best, 59, of 1815 Miller Drive, who died at 5:28 p.m. Thursday in St. Joseph's Medical Center, South Bend, after an illness, will be at 2 p.m. Monday in Halbritter Funeral Home. Burial will be in Silverbrook Cemetery. Friends may call from 2 to 4 and 6 to 8 p.m. Sunday in the funeral home. Memorial contributions may be made to Berrien County Cancer Services.

Mrs. Best was born Oct. 5, 1935, in Murfreesboro, N.C., and had lived in Niles for many years, coming from Murfreesboro. On Aug. 9, 1951, in Franklin, Va., she married William A. Best. He survives, with two sisters, Linda Myers of Murfreesboro and Joyce Jerdon of Salisbury, Md.; and 12 nieces and nephews. She was a member of Grace United Methodist Church.

Submitted by family member; publication details unknown

William A. Best
Oct. 15, 1930 -- Dec. 24, 2004

William A. "Red" Best, age 74 years, of Miller Drive, Niles, Michigan, died at 3:10 a.m. Friday at Lakeland Hospital-Niles, following an extended illness.

William retired in 1952 from Clark Equipment Company in Buchanan. He was also employed by Kawneer, and owned and operated "Buddy's Place," a convenience store in Tunis, North Carolina.

He was born on October 15, 1930, in Rolton, North Carolina, to John Wesley and Frances L. (Little) Best. William has lived in Niles since 1952, coming from Franklin, Virginia.

On August 9, 1951, in Franklin, Virginia, he married Dorothy May (Green) Best, who preceded him in death on October 6, 1994. Also preceding William in death are four sisters, Juanita Davey, Ruby Corban, Ruth Russell, and Bessie Noble.

William is survived by two nephews, Gene (Cheri) Davey of Roberts, Montana, and Richard (Sandy) Corban of Niles; four nieces, Christine (Dave) Mitchell of Niles, Darlene (Warren) Watson of Niles, Janice (Walt) Breske of South Bend, Indiana, and Jean Leake of Niles. Several additional nieces and nephews also survive William. His companion, Linda Stenger of Niles and Special friend "Jake".

A time of sharing and remembrance will conclude the visitation at Halbritter Funeral Home, Niles, at 2 p.m. Tuesday December 28, 2004. Burial will follow at Silverbrook Cemetery Niles. Friends may call Tuesday from 1 to 2 p.m. at the funeral home.

Memorials may be made to Pet Refuge.

Submitted by family member; publication details unknown

 

Donna Mae Bickel
Oct. 16, 1924 - Nov. 20, 2006

Donna Mae Bickel, 82, of Huntly Road in Niles, passed away in Westwood Nursing Home early on Monday, November 20, 2006.

Donna was born on October 16, 1924, to the late Clarence and Viola (Wolford) Smith in Edwardsburg.

Donna was married to Burt Brown in 1945 and together they had two children; after their divorce, Donna wed Don Bickel at a ceremony in Niles.

Donna was a member of St. Peter's Lodge #106 F&AM Eastern Stars. She also loved fishing on Barron Lake.

She was preceded in death by her parents; husband, Don; son, Phillip Brown; one great-great-grandson; brother, Wolford "Boy" Smith; and sisters, Shirley Haney and Nancy Huven.

Donna is survived by her son, Gary (Loni) Brown; ex-husband, Burt Brown; eight grandchildren and 10 great-grandchildren; and a large extended family.

A time of visitation will be held on Sunday, November 26, 2006, from 6 to 8 p.m. in the Brown Funeral Home in Niles where the service will follow at 1:00 p.m. on Monday afternoon. Donna will be interred at Silverbrook Cemetery in Niles.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the Eastern Star of Edwardsburg.

To leave a message for the family, please visit www.brownfuneralhomeniles.com.

Arrangements have been made to Brown Funeral Home and Cremation Services of Niles (formerly Pifer~Smith).

Submitted by family member; publication details unknown