Obituaries

Dec 29, 2014

Huston O. Mitchell, age 87 of South Bend, Indiana, formerly of Niles died on Monday, December 29, 2014 at Saint Joseph Regional Medical Center, Mishawaka. He was born February 16, 1927 in Greenfield, Tennessee to Lee Andrew and Adelle (Parham) Mitchell. Huston retired from Bendix Corporation, South Bend in 1984, working more than 34 years for the company. He was...

Dec 28, 2014

Roger Garritano, age 63, of Hilton Head Island, South Carolina, died early Sunday morning following a seven month illness. He was born July 26, 1951 in Dowagiac, Michigan to Joseph and Barbara (Burger) Garritano. A 1969 graduate of Niles High School, Roger followed his father in the construction industry as owner of Garritano and Sons Construction, building mainly in Sea...

Dec 27, 2014

James P. Wegner, age 84 years of Niles, Michigan died at 10:20 p.m. on Saturday, December 27, 2014 at Memorial Hospital in South Bend, Indiana following an extended illness. He was born on June 29, 1930 in Buchanan, Michigan to Ralph H. and Virginia A. (Bell) Wegner. He was a graduate of Niles High School and had lived here most...

Dec 27, 2014

Dennis Leroy Booth, age 63 years of Niles, Michigan died on Saturday, December 27, 2014. He was born October 31, 1951 in Niles to Victor and Annabelle (Archer) Booth. Dennis attended Niles High School and Southwest Michigan College where he studied Machine Tool Technology and developed the skill of welding. He was employed the Niles Steel Tank Company in Niles...

Dec 26, 2014

Sheila K. Smiedendorf, age 60 years of Niles, Michigan died with her family gathered around at 1:45 a.m. on Friday, December 26, 2014 at her home following an extended illness. She was born on August 12, 1954 in Niles to Robert Louis and Mary Louise (Teixeira) Curtis. She was graduated from Brandywine High School, and received her C.N.A. from Southwestern...

Dec 25, 2014

Sandra Lynn “Sandy” Clubb, age 72 years of Niles, Michigan died at 2:31 a.m. on Christmas Day, Thursday, December 25, 2014 at Lakeland Community Hospital in Niles following a brief illness. She was born on November 14, 1943 in Sterling Heights, Michigan to Ted George and Elna Margaret (Jorgensen) Kaye. She has lived in Niles since 1965, and was graduated...

Dec 21, 2014

Doris Jean “Dorie” Blackmun, age 89, of Niles, Michigan, died on Sunday, December 21, 2014 at the Cass County Medical Care Facility in Cassopolis, Michigan. She was born November 16, 1925 in Buchanan to Beryl and Margaret (Tichenor) Harrington. Dorie worked for the former First National Bank of Niles, retiring after many years of service. She was a lifelong member...

Dec 16, 2014

Betty M. Pomeroy-Buysse-Mendenhall, age 83 years of Niles, Michigan died at 2:00 a.m. on Tuesday, December 16, 2014 at Lakeland Community Hospital in Niles following an extended illness. She was born on December 20, 1930 in Watervliet, Michigan to Frederick and Faye (LaPorte) Wood. She graduated from Watervliet High School, and lived many years in Hartford, Michigan where she was...

Dec 16, 2014

Eloise N. Randall, age 92 years of Benton Harbor, Michigan died at 3:45 a.m. on Tuesday, December 16, 2014 with her family gathered around her bedside at the Hanson Hospice Center in Stevensville, Michigan following a long and stubborn fight against cancer, and a passion for life. She was born on September 9, 1922 in Watervliet, Michigan to Edward and...

Dec 15, 2014

Biography

Amalia Josephine “Lia” Derda, age 88 years of Niles, Michigan died at 4:50 a.m. on Monday, December 15, 2014 at Buchanan Meadows Senior Living Center in Buchanan, Michigan following a brief illness. She was born on May 6, 1926 in Treviso, Italy to Carlo and Maria (Beraldo) Massarin. She completed school in Italy, and moved from Venice to...

Dec 15, 2014

Verda M. Albert, age 89 years of Niles, Michigan died at 2:15 a.m. on Monday, December 15, 2014 at Lakeland Community Hospital in Niles of natural causes. She was born on May 28, 1925 in Niles to Raymond E. and Bertha (Sheets) Ramsby. She graduated from Niles High School and has lived here all of her life. She first worked...

Dec 14, 2014

Richard T. Muessig III, age 79 years of Dowagiac, Michigan died Sunday evening, December 14, 2014 at his home, unexpectedly but of natural causes. He was born on April 4, 1935 in Kalamazoo, Michigan to James W. and Evelyn L. (Carbine) Muessig. He was graduated from Lombard (Illinois) High School, and earned both Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees from Michigan State...

Dec 14, 2014

Mary Jean Moore, age 89 years of Niles, Michigan died at 1:47 p.m. on Sunday, December 14, 2014 at Brentwood Assisted Living in Niles following a brief illness. She was born on December 7, 1925 in Marysville, Kansas to Luther G. and Anna M. (Martinson) Howard. She was graduated from Salina (Kansas) High School, and moved from Grand Rapids, Michigan...

Dec 13, 2014

Dorothy June Fisher, age 88 years of Niles, Michigan died at 12:24 a.m. on Saturday, December 13, 2014 at Saint Joseph Regional Medical Center in Mishawaka, Indiana following a brief illness. She was born on July 6, 1926 in Buchanan, Michigan to Benjamin and Clara (Schoff) Cauffman. She attended rural school in Buchanan, and has lived in this area all...

Dec 11, 2014

Ozela Rose Morgan-Zorn, age 71 of Cassopolis, Michigan died on Thursday, December 11, 2014 at The Timbers of Cass County, Dowagiac following an extended illness. She was born December 10, 1943 to Charles and Sarah Catherine (Hill) Morgan. Rose spent many years raising animals and enjoyed working in her vegetable garden. She also enjoyed watching NASCAR races and WWE on...

Dec 11, 2014

Biography

Dorothy Helen Petro, age 91 years of Niles, Michigan died on Thursday, December 11, 2014 at Lakeland Community Hospital in Niles. She was born February 6, 1923 in Goshen, Indiana to John C. and Bertha I. (Cripe) Reiff. Dorothy graduated from Goshen High School and attended Bethel College. She was a long time member of Grace United Methodist...

Dec 7, 2014

Carol departed to eternal rest on December 7, 2014 while being wonderfully served by the Center for Hospice Care at L & M Hospital and other personnel on other floors prior to her final care. She was born on April 10, 1939 in Gary, IN to John and Margaret Megquier. She married Robert Bryant on June 26, 1960. They lived...

Dec 7, 2014

Mr. E. H. Rifenberg, age 97 years of Grand Rapids, Michigan and former long-time resident of Niles, Michigan died at 2:20 p.m. on Sunday, December 7, 2014 at Spectrum Health – Butterworth Hospital in Grand Rapids following a brief illness. He was born on September 19, 1917 in Jones, Michigan to Earl and Mary (Norton) Rifenberg. He was graduated from...

Dec 6, 2014

Virginia Ruth “Jennie” Smith, age 73 years of Baroda, Michigan died on Saturday, December 6, 2014 at Hanson Hospice Center, Stevensville. She was born February 21, 1941 in Sioux City, Iowa to Evert B. and Clara May (Knox) Spaulding. Jennie was a nursing aid and attended the First Church of The Nazarene in Saint Joseph, Michigan. She enjoyed creating all...

Dec 4, 2014

Mark McKim “Mac” Thompson, age 83 years of Niles, Michigan died at 9:20 a.m. on Thursday, December 4, 2014 at his home following an extended illness. He was born on May 21, 1931 in Blenheim, Ontario, Canada to Mark Hibbard and Mary Marguerite (McKim) Thompson, Jr. and has lived in Niles most of his life. At Niles High School,...