John Martin Fox
Nov. 12, 1868-Jan. 19, 1946

Niles Daily Star, Saturday, January 19, 1946, page 2, col. 7, microfilm Niles District Library

Niles Resident 50 Years, John Fox Dies in Hospital

John Martin Fox, 78, 1113 Maple Street, died today at 6 a.m. in the Berrien Center hospital, after an month's illness. Born in Milton township, Cass county, he lived in Niles for 50 years.

He is survived by his wife, Jessie; three daughters, Miss Janet Fox, Chicago, and Mrs. John Loos and Mrs. Alonzo Statler, Niles, a son, Charles Fox, route two, and nine grandchildren.

Friends may call at the Pifer Funeral home where services will be conducted Monday at 2 p.m. by the Rev. L. George Beacock, pastor of the First Methodist church.

Rev. James Francis Goodman
Feb 22, 1880-Nov. 30, 1945

Niles Daily Star, Saturday, December 1, 1945, page 2, col. 6, microfilm Niles District Library

Rev. Goodman, 65, Dies Friday at Kendallville, Ind.

The Rev. James Francis Goodman, 65, died Friday at the McCray memorial hospital, Kendallville, Ind., after being ill with pneumonia for about three weeks. He served as Baptist minister in Niles from 1934-1937.

Goodman was born in Canada Feb. 22, 1880 and came to the U.S. at the age of 14. He was educated at Kalamazoo College and at the Baptist Theological seminary in Louisville, Ky.

He married Myrtle B. Brooks of Oscoda, Mich. Oct. 2 1906. She survives. Other survivors are a brother, Joseph, of Kalamazoo; and two children, Monica Willard, of Niles and Paul J. Goodman, of Inkster. Goodman finished his ministerial work with an eight year pastorate at the Wolcottville and Rome city Baptist churches in Indiana.

Funeral services will be held at . .[illegible] . .Baptist church. Burial will be in Silverbrook cemetery.

Arthur L. Kaser
Feb. 9, 1890-March 8, 1956

Niles Daily Star (Niles, Berrien Co., MI), Wednesday, March 8, 1956, page 2, col. 4, microfilm Niles District Library

Arthur L. Kaser, 66, of 2805 South 13th Street, died at `1:30 a.m., today in Pawating Hospital.

Kaser was born Feb 9, 1980[sic] in Michigan City, Ind., and came here from South Bend in 1930. He was employed for many years with the Strohm Construction Company of Mishawaka.

Survivors are his widow, Loah, two sons, David of Ann Arbor, Mich. and Kent of South Bend; one daughter, Barbara Kasser of Ann Arbor, and two grandchildren.

Friends may call at the Kiger Funeral Home beginning Friday afternoon until the service which will be at 2 p.m. Saturday in the Kiger Funeral Home with the Rev. Orlen Njus of Bertrand Bible Church, officiating. Burial will be in Silverbrook Cemetery.

Loah I. Kaser
March 16, 1894-Nov. 5, 1980

Niles Daily Star, Friday, November 7, 1980, page 2, col. 4, microfilm Niles District Library

BLOOMINGTON, Ind.--Mrs. Loah I. Kaser, 86, of Bloomington, Ind., formerly of Niles, died at 10 pm. Wednesday in the Bloomington Convalescent Center.

She had retired in 1967 after working for Brandywine Schools.

She was born on March 16, 1894 in North Liberty, Ind. and had spent most of her life in the Niles area.

She was married in 1922 in South Bend to Arthur L. Kaser. He died in 1956.

Survivors include two sons, David of Bloomington and Kent of South Bend; a daughter, Mrs. Barbara Standiford of Seattle; seven grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.

Funeral arrangements are incomplete. Friends may call from 2 to 5 p.m. and from 7 to 9 p.m. Sunday at the Welsheimer North Chapel, 52803 Business Route U.S. 31, South Bend.

Niles Daily Star, Saturday, November 8, 1980, page 2, col. 3, microfilm Niles District Library

BLOOMINGTON--Funeral services for Mrs. Loah I. Kaser, 86, of Bloomington, Ind., and formerly of Niles, who died at 10 p.m. Wednesday, will be at 11 a.m. Monday in Welsheimer North Chapel, 52803 U.S. 31, South Bend.

Rev. David Jenkins of the Bertrand Bible Church, will officiate and burial will take place in Silverbrook Cemetery. Friends may call between 2 and 5 and 7 and 9 p.m. Sunday.

Kathleen Lois Kehrer
Jan. 8, 1934-Dec. 2, 1945

Niles Daily Star (Niles, Berrien Co., MI), Monday, December 3, 1945, page 1, col. 3, microfilm Niles District Library

11-Year Old Niles Girl Found

Victim's Body Found by Her Brother Sunday

A verdict of accidental death was expected to be returned today by Coroner William Pifer in the death of 11-year-old Kathleen Lois Kehrer who was found Sunday afternoon suspended by a rope from a tree near the home of her parents, Mr. and Mrs Erwyn Kehrer.

The family lives two and one-half miles north of Niles on M-40.

Seventh Grade Pupil

The body of the girl, a seventh grade pupil in the Central school of Niles, was discovered Sunday afternoon by a brother, James, 15. The discovery was made about an . . .[illegible]... ed, authorities deduced.

Members of the family told state police, who investigated the accident, that the girl was playing alone. The tree, 20 inches in diameter with the lowest branch 10 feet from the ground, is located in the rear of the Kehrer residence.

Her body was found with a light rope looped around her throat The noose apparently caused death by strangulation.

Funeral Wednesday

The girl was born in Niles Jan. 8, 1934. Survivors, in addition to the parents and the brother who found her body, are a sister, Mary Lou; the paternal grandmother, Mrs. Louise Kehrer of Sister lakes, and the maternal grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. Clifford Morris of Berrien Springs.

The body was brought to the Kiger funeral home where friends may call. Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m., Wednesday in the First Presbyterian church with the Rev. T.M. Greenhoe in charge. Burial will be made in Silverbrook cemetery.

The girl was a member of the Presbyterian church Sunday school.

Coroner Pifer said he contemplated checking details of the tragedy before returning the verdict.

Joseph Kraft
Nov. 17, 1889-March 7, 1956

Niles Daily Star (Niles, Berrien Co., MI), Wednesday, March 7, 1956, page 2, col. 5, microfilm Niles District Library

Joseph Kraft, 66, of rural route one, Niles, died today in Ridgewood Osteopathic Hospital at Detroit. He had been ill since September, 1955.

Kraft, a New York Central Railroad passenger train engineer, was born Nov. 17, 1889, in Hobart, Ind., and came to Niles in 1920 from Michigan City, Ind.

Surviving are his wife, Carrie; three sons, Raymond, of Niles, Howard, of Detroit, and Marvin of Union City, Mich.; a daughter, Mrs. Clara Leeman, of Naples, Fla.; nine grandchildren; four brothers, Edward Kraft of Duluth, Minn.; Martin of Wheeler, Ind.; and Theodore and Willie, both of East Gary, Ind., and three sisters, Mrs. Dean Stokes and Miss Amelia Kraft, both of East Gary, and Mrs. Laurie Riche, of Duluth, Minn.

Friends may call at the Pifer Funeral Home here beginning Thursday evening. Arrangements are incomplete.

Niles Daily Star (Niles, Berrien Co., MI), Wednesday, March 8, 1956, page 2, col. 4, microfilm Niles District Library

 KRAFT RITES SET

Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m., Saturday in the Pifer Funeral Home here for Joseph Craft, 66, of rural route one, Niles, who died Wednesday following a several months illness. The Rev. Theodore Laesch, pastor of St. Paul's Lutheran Church, will officiate and burial will be in Silverbrook Cemetery. Kraft was a member of the Sumnerville Grange and the Brotherhood of Railroad Engineers.