Obituaries

Erma M. Bisby
Aug. 30, 1912-July 4, 1994

NILES - Erma Magdalen Bisby, 81, of 418 W. Main St., died at 3:12 p.m. Monday in Pawating Hospital. Mrs. Bisby was born on Aug. 30, 1912, in Logansport, Ind. On Nov. 23, 1930, in Niles, she married Joseph Willard Bisby. He died on Nov. 3, 1987. She is survived by four daughters, Erma Jo Burnham of Kalamazoo, Marilyn J. Tate of Port Huron, Mich., Judith Bisby of Niles and Claudia Williams of Mishawaka; two sons, Robert of Menasha, Wis., and Joseph D. of Fairfield, Calif; 17 grandchildren; 14 great-grandchildren; and two brothers, Willard Lowery of St. Joseph and Robert Lowery of Hollywood, Fla. Mrs. Bisby was a member of Saint Mary Catholic Church and The Macabees.

Services will be at 11 a.m. Thursday in the church. Burial will be in Silverbrook Cemetery. Friends may call from 6 to 8 p.m. Wednesday in Halbritter Funeral Home. Memorial contributions may be made to Berrien County Asthma or Tuberculosis & Emphysema associations.

Submitted by family member; publication details unknown

Lisa K. Bitting
Dec. 11, 1960 - Aug. 20, 2005

Lisa Kay Bitting, 44, of South Bend, passed away in her residence on Saturday, Aug. 20, 2005.

She was born December 11, 1960, to Herbert and Pearl (Sanders) Bitting. She is survived by her parents, Pearl (Tom) Weir of Cathedral City, Calif., and Herbert Bitting of Pendleton, Ore.; her sister, Julie L. Lamberton of South Bend; a brother, Bryan (Teresa) Bitting of Fruitland, Idaho; a special sister-in-law, Diane Lubbers; nieces and nephews, Shannan and Matthew Lamberton, Julian Kamanda, Erica and John Lubbers; and numerous aunts and uncles.

Lisa was the director of the Ronald McDonald House in Memorial Hospital for the past three years. She was also involved with the Firefly Festival in South Bend. She graduated from Niles High School and furthered her formal education and graduated from I.U.S.B. with her degree in business.

Funeral services will be held at 10 a.m. (Ind. time) today, Aug. 24, in the Welsheimer Family Funeral Home North, 17033 Cleveland Road, with Rev. Dan Thornhill officiating, and burial will follow at Silverbrook Cemetery, Niles, MI. Friends called Tuesday from 4 to 8 p.m. in the funeral home.

Memorial contributions may be made to the Ronald McDonald House; or to the Karen Schirmer Fine Art Teacher Grant, P.O. Box 635 S. Main St., South Bend, IN 46624.

Submitted by family member; publication details unknown

Pastor Lowell K. Black
Dec. 29, 1959 - Jan. 10, 2003

Pastor Lowell Kenneth Black, 43, of Parkside Lane, Niles, Mich. and Pastor of First Church of Christ-Christian, Niles died at 5:15 p.m. Friday, Jan. 10, 2003 in Lakeland Medical Center-Niles, suddenly, but of natural causes.

He was born on Dec. 29, 1959 in Danville, Ill. to Robert S. and Ruth M. (Haxton) Black Jr., and graduated from Danville High School and Lincoln (Ill.) Christian College. He was ordained through the Second Christian Church, Danville and served as a Youth Pastor in Newburgh, Ind. for nine years prior to accepting the Senior Pastor position at First Church of Christ-Christian, Niles.

Lowell had always been active in athletics, having participated in the Fellowship of Christian Athletes in both high school and college, and coaching the Soccer team at Lincoln College. He had coached his son's Little League Baseball team in Niles and was currently training for the Chicago Marathon.

In Niles, Pastor Black was a member of the First Church of Christ-Christian; member and past-president of Niles Area Ministerial Alliance, volunteer chaplain at Lakeland Medical Center-Niles, a participant in Promise Keepers and DeColores Ministries of Southwest Michigan, and very active as a parent volunteer at Granger (Ind.) Christian School.

On Sept. 22, 1984 in Evansville, Ind. he married the former Cynthia Faye Gholson, who survives. Also surviving are their children, Brittanie Kaye Marie Black and Logan Michael Pearce Black, both at home; his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Robert Black, Jr. of Danville; Cindy's parents, Mr. and Mrs. Jerry Gholson of Evansville; his brothers, James Black of Danville, Dennis Black of Covington, Ind., Karl Black of Saint Joseph, Ill.; and sister, Joetta Lee of Owensboro, Ky.; and several nieces and nephews.

Funeral Services for Pastor Lowell K. Black will be at 1 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 14, 2003 in the First Church of Christ-Christian with Pastor David L. Clark of Central Christian Church, Beloit, Wis. Officiating. Committal services will follow in Silverbrook Cemetery, Niles.

The family will receive friends in the church today, Monday from 2 to 4 and 6 to 8 p.m. A trust fund for Brittanie and Logan Black has been established at Berrien Teachers' Credit Union, Niles. Arrangements were made at Halbritter Funeral Home, Niles.

Odester J. Blair
Feb. 20, 1911-Nov. 10, 1994

NILES - Odester J. Blair, 83, of 2314 Caruthers St., died at 9:30 p.m. Thursday in the home of a daughter in Kalamazoo. Mr. Blair was a retired drill press operator at Clark Equipment Co., Buchanan. He was born Feb. 20, 1911, in Nashville, Tenn. He married Roberta Tiggs, who preceded him in death. Surviving are five daughters, Katherine Moore and Arlene Gray, both of Chicago Heights, Ill., Wilma Jean Reed of Los Angeles, Bayyinah Muhammad of Kalamazoo and Vernessa Dotson of Niles; five sons, Blair and Robert, both of Los Angeles, Charles of Chicago Heights, Yamini Abdullah of Niles and Dorise Blair of Grand Rapids; 37 grandchildren; many great-grandchildren; and a sister, Louise Curry of Detroit.

Services will be at 11 a.m. Monday in Pifer-Smith Funeral Home. Burial will be in Silverbrook Cemetery. There will be no visitation.

Submitted by family member; publication details unknown

Virginia R. Bookout
June 14, 1922 - Aug. 28, 2003

NILES -- Virginia Rose Bookout, 81, of Shoreland Drive, died Thursday in Lakeland Specialty Hospital, Berrien Center, after an illness. Survivors include her husband, Robert J.; two daughters, Candis H. Moore of Niles and Robyn H. Jordan of Lithia, Fla.; a sister, Donna Weller of Niles; and two brothers, Robert Boyle of Galien and Jack Boyle of Sun City Center, Fla. Services will be at 11 a.m. Tuesday in Halbritter Funeral Home, where friends may call from 2 to 4 and 6 to 8 p.m. Monday.

Submitted by family member; publication details unknown

Gladys M. Boulton
May 19, 1908 - Dec. 22, 2001

Gladys May Williams Boulton, 93, of North Phillips Road, Niles, MI passed away Saturday, December 22nd at 9:50 p.m. at Lakeland Medical Center, Niles.

She was born on May 19, 1908 in Niles to Henry and Viola(Webber) Williams who lived at 1204 Sycamore. Her father was co-founder of Williams Home Center, Niles.

She graduated from Niles High School in 1926. She was a homemaker who enjoyed working in her yard and flowers, reading, stitchery, needlework and traveling. Mrs. Boulton was very active in the Niles First Baptist Church where she was a member for the past 76 years. She and her husband joined the church in 1925 and were the longest members on the current membership role. She enjoyed singing in the church choir and held many other positions in the church throughout the years. She was a founding member of the Hilah Allyn Guide as well as the Two-by-Two Sunday School Class.

On August 31, 1934 in Niles she married Irving S. Boulton, also a life long Niles resident, who survives.

She is survived by their daughter, Marlene (Donald) Vandenburg, Niles and son, Norman (Fay) Boulton, Phoenix, AZ., formerly of Granger, IN. She enjoyed her five grandchildren: Steven Vandenburg, Niles; Michael (Christine) Vandenburg, Granger, IN; Lisa Vandenburg (Norman) Sowards, Canton, CT; Denise Boulton (Roger) Sparks, Norlina, NC and Cheryl Boulton (Wes) Moore, Winston, Salem, NC.

Also surviving are nine great grandchildren: Elaine and Paul Vandenburg, Niles; Thomas and Sarah Vandenburg, Granger, IN; Morgan and Grant Sowards, Canton, CT; and Baron and Jena Sparks, Norlina, NC and Mary Moore, Winston, Salem, NC.

She was preceded in death by her parents, an infant son Warren and infant twin daughters Mary and Marie, sister Flossie Williams (Trent) Michael; brother Berdell F. Williams (Hilda) and a great granddaughter Alexandra Vandenburg.

Funeral services for Mrs. Gladys Boulton will be held at the First Baptist Church on Thursday at 11:00 a.m.

Burial and committal services will be at Silverbrook Cemetery, Niles.

Visitation will be on Wednesday evening 5:00 - 8:00 p.m.

Contributions in memory of Mrs. Boulton may be made to the First Baptist Church Foundation Fund.