Clayton R. Finch
Nov. 25, 1922 - Aug. 3, 2010

South Bend Tribune (South Bend, IN), Wednesday, August 4, 2010, page B3

NILES - Clayton R. Finch, 87, of South Lincoln Avenue, Niles, MI, died of natural causes at 4 a.m. on Tuesday, August 3, 2010, in his home.

Mr. Finch was born November 25, 1922, in Niles, to Lloyd and Elizabeth (Fisher) Finch. He graduated from Niles High School and was a lifetime resident of Niles. He retired in 1985 from National Standard Company in Niles.  He also retired from New York Central Railroad and was employed at the Hawthorne Melody Dairy in South Bend.

Clayton was a veteran of World War II, having served in the United States Army.

He was a member of Saint Mary Catholic Church, Niles, and the Knights of Columbus Council #708 Third Degree, Fr. Baroux Assembly #0476 Fourth Degree. He was a board member of Saint Vincent DePaul in Niles and volunteered with Meals on Wheels. He was an avid University of Notre Dame fan, fisherman, golfer, gardener and candy maker. He was famous for his toffee and peanut brittle.

On December 28, 1963, in Niles, he married the former Anna B. Wetmore, who survives. Surviving family also include their sons, Daniel (Debbie) Finch and Joseph (Mary) Malott; daughter, Ruth (Michael) Murphy, all of Niles; five grandchildren and 16 great-grandchildren; and a sister, Betty Griffee of South Bend.

Mr. Finch was preceded in death by his brothers, Earl, Bill and Webster Finch.

A Mass of Christian Burial for Clayton R. Finch will be held at 2 p.m. on Friday, August 6, 2010, in Saint Mary Catholic Church, Niles, with the Rev. David Otto of the church officiating.

Interment will be at Calvary Cemetery, Niles, and will conclude with a Flag Presentation by the American Legion.

The family will receive relatives and friends from 5 to 7 p.m. Thursday in the Halbritter Funeral Home, Niles, where a Rosary will be recited at 5:30 p.m.

Contributions in memory of Clayton may be made to Saint Mary Catholic Church.

Clifford Shirk
Sept. 1, 1901-Feb. 29, 1956

Niles Daily Star (Niles, Berrien Co., MI), Wednesday, February 29, 1954, page 2, col. 4, microfilm Niles District Library

Clifford Shirk, 54, 0f 2221 South Third street, died at 11:05 a.m., today at Osteopathic Hospital, South Bend. He was composing room foreman at The Daily Star and had been employed by The Star for 32 years.

He suffered a fractured hip Monday in a fall on ice at the rear of The Star building and was removed to the South Bend hospital. Cause of death was not immediately determined and an autopsy was scheduled to be performed this afternoon at the Orvis Funeral Home in South Bend.

Mr. Shirk was a native of Mishawaka, served in the Navy and was employed by a South Bend printing firm before coming to Niles.

The widow and three daughters survive. Obituary details and funeral arrangements are incomplete.

Niles Daily Star (Niles, Berrien Co., MI), Thursday, March 1, 1954, page 2, col. 4, microfilm Niles District Library

SHIRK RITES SET

Services for Clifford Shirk, 54, of 2221 South Third Street Road, who died Wednesday morning, will be held at 3:30 p.m., Saturday at the Pifer Funeral Home where friends may call beginning tonight.

The Rev. L. George Beacock, pastor of the First Methodist Church, will officiate. Burial will be at Silverbrook Cemetery.

Following an autopsy performed by a Chicago pathologist at South Bend yesterday, the cause of death was instant meduliary failure (brain center failure)) caused by peritonitis due to a ruptured gastric ulcer. An osteopathic physician said there was no indication of a fractured skull and no proof that a fractured hip bore any relationship to the cause of death.

Shirk suffered a fractured hip in a fall on ice at the rear of the Daily Star building Monday morning.

Born Swept. 7, 1901 at Mishawaka, Shirk came to Niles from South Bend about 32 years ago.

Survivors are his widow; three daughters, Mrs. Harry Hibiske, Mrs. Robert Kirkpatrick and Mrs. Milton Warner, all of Niles; nine grandchildren; two brothers, Lawrence S. Shirk of South bend, and Willis K. Shirk, Osceola, Ind., and a sister, Mrs. James Miller of Mishawaka.

Ella M. Champion
May 11, 1872-Dec. 14, 1968

Niles Daily Star (Niles, Berrien Co., MI), Monday, December 16, 1968, page 3, col. 1, microfilm Niles District Library.

Education pioneer dies at Pawating

By: Robert Kramer, Education Writer

NILES-- Miss Ella M. Champion, a former Niles school teacher and administrator, encouraged her student to lead active, inquisitive lives.

Mrs. Champion died at 4 p.m. Saturday in Pawating after 96 year of practicing what she preached.

She began teaching grade school in the Niles system after high school graduation. By attending summer sessions at the University of Chicago and completing correspondence courses, she earned a bachelors degree and membership in the Phi Beta kappa honorary fraternity.

During the depression Miss Champion, who was then elementary supervisor for the Niles schools, taught art classes and supervised grade school teaching.

“Ella Champion taught me how to teach,” said Miss Hester Scott, current Niles elementary Supervisor.

“She was an inspiring supervisor, always visiting classrooms and always offering really valuable and helpful suggestions to improve teaching.

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“She was, of course, interested in art, and able to convey her excitement to the children. But she also intrigued them with her understanding of other areas. She was an expert in nature study and a great story teller. She really captivated the children with her stories and also her poetry readings.

“She was always interested in poetry and read it beautifully,” Miss Scott related.

Miss Champion's interest in these areas continued until her death. Even in recent years she produced paintings and poetry at a remarkable rate.

'I'd guess that she's hand painted well over a hundred Christmas cards in the last three years,” said John Parnell, a long-time friend. “And she also wrote amazing amounts of poetry. She lived with Miss Ruth Swan and they put together books of her poetry and gave them as presents. The books themselves are works of art.

“She gave my wife and me a book when we were married and another at the birth of each child.

“In addition, I suspect there are well over 200 of her paintings scattered throughout the town, “ Parnell said.

Three of Miss Champion's watercolors, depicting the Indiana dunes and water scenes, hang in the office of Richard B. Warren, superintendent of the Niles school system. Warren knew the former elementary supervisor when he was a junior high school teacher here.

“She was a remarkable woman, with much intelligence and interest in many different things. Her knowledge of nature found beautiful expression in her watercolors.

“Miss Champion's extreme vigor was remarkable. I'd talked to her several times in the past few years and each time she was both interested and aware of the latest developments in education” Warren said.

Miss Champion had become a town legend in her own lifetime. Last week Mayor Frank Frucci, Jr. suggested that the Recreation Board establish a park across from the library.

The mayor recommended the new facility be named “Ella Champion Park.”

Miss Champion was born on May 11, 1872 in Niles and lived here all her life.

Miss Champion was a member of the Wesley United Methodist Church and a charter member of the Business and Professional Womens Club.

She is survived by three nephews: Francis Champion of Centralia, Wash.; William Champion of Chicago, Ill.; and Edwin Champion of Redondo Beach, Calif.

Funeral services will be held at 4 pm. Tuesday at the Pifer Funeral Home with the Rev. Robert Trenery, pastor of the Wesley United Methodist Church, officiating. Burial will be in Silverbrook Cemetery.

Friends may call at the Pifer Funeral Home.

Goldie Clark
March 23, 1894-Dec. 15 1968

Niles Daily Star (Niles, Berrien Co., MI), Monday, December 16, 1968, page 17, col. 6, microfilm Niles District Library.

Niles—Mrs. Goldie Clark, 74, of 2203 Bicknell, died at 7:35 p.m. Friday in the Foote Memorial Hospital of Jackson where she had been ill for the past three weeks.

Mrs. Clark was born March 23, 1894 in South Bend and had lived here since 1915, coming from South Bend. She was married to the late William Clark, who died Sept. 27, 1961.

She is survived by a son Howard of Jackson; four daughters, Mrs. Joseph Low, Mrs. Robert Regenos and Mrs. Walter Lepel all of Niles and Capt. Rose Mary Clark serving with the Air Force in Sault Ste. Marie; A brother, Henry White of Kalamazoo, a sister, Mrs. Mabel Feaster of South Bend; 12 grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.

Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. Tuesday in the First Church of Christ with the pastor, Mr. Jack F. VanArsdall, officiating. Burial will be in Silverbrook Cemetery.

Friends may call at the Pifer Funeral Home.

Todd Wickler
Jan. 15, 1968-Dec. 20, 1968

Niles Daily Star (Niles, Berrien Co., MI), Monday, December 23, 1968, page 15, microfilm Niles District Library.

NILES—Funeral services for Todd Wickler, 11-month-old son of Mr. and Mrs. Larry Wickler of 36 N. State, were held at 2 p.m today in the Pifer Funeral Home. Officiating was the Rev Ray Cunningham of the First Baptist Church. Burial was in the Silverbrook Cemetery. He died at 6:40 pm. Friday in Pawating Hospital.

Todd was born Jan. 15, 1968 in Niles.

In addition to his parents, he is survived by two brothers, Dennis and Tim and three sisters, Tammy, Roxann and Cindy all at home and grandparents: Mrs. and Mrs. Henry Wickler of Niles and Mrs. Jack Barker of Stevensville.

William H. Webber
Jan. 11, 1874-Dec. 14, 1968

Niles Daily Star (Niles, Berrien Co., MI), Monday, December 16, 1968, page 17, col. 6, microfilm Niles District Library.

NILES—William H. Webber, 94, of 1707 Detroit Road, died at 10 a.m. Saturday in the K-Lee Nursing Home of Dowagiac where he had been ill for some time.

Mr. Webber was born Jan. 11, 1874 in South Bend and had lived in Niles all of his life. He married the late Flora Cranston March 28k, 1899 in Niles. Mrs. Webber died in 1942. Mr. Webber retired from Tyler Fixture Corp. in December of 1958.

He is survived by a daughter, Mrs. Marion Burnett of Niles; four grandchildren, five great-grandchildren and one great-great-grandchild.

Funeral services will be held at 10 a.m. Tuesday in the Pifer Funeral Home with Rev. Robert Trenery, pastor of the Wesley United Methodist Church, officiating. Burial will be in Silverbrook Cemetery.

Friends may call at the Pifer Funeral Home.