Obituaries

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,...

Dec 2, 2014

Evelyn Louise Bailey, age 84 years of Niles, Michigan died on Tuesday, December 2, 2014 at her home following an extended illness. She was born September 29, 1930 in Niles to John Earl and Margaret Ruby (Schrumpf) Horner. Evelyn was a 1948 graduate of Niles High School and is a member of Saint John’s United Church of Christ in Niles....

Dec 1, 2014

Biography

Mr. Terry Lee Harrell, Sr., age 65 years of Niles, Michigan died at 7:45 a.m. on Monday, December 1, 2014 at Hospice House in South Bend, Indiana following an extended illness. He was born on December 18, 1948 in South Bend to Roy T. and Virginia (London) Harrell. He attended Niles Community Schools, and has lived in this...

Dec 1, 2014

Biography

W. Wayne Horton, age 84 years, long-time resident of Buchanan, Michigan and currently residing in Beebe, Arkansas died on Monday, December 1, 2014 in Arkansas following an illness. He was born on September 7, 1930 in Rose Bud, Arkansas to Joseph and Ella (Hayes) Horton. He attended school in Arkansas, but came to Michigan as a young man....

Nov 26, 2014

Blair Kevin Mather, age 54 of Niles, Michigan died at 6:52 p.m. on Wednesday, November 26, 2014 at Lakeland Community Hospital in Niles, unexpectedly, but of natural causes. His family is using the Gift of Life Michigan to offer healing and life to others. He was born on November 4, 1960 in Niles to Jake J. and Jean (Moneysmith) Mather....

Nov 24, 2014

Pamela Jean Cantrell, age 56 years of South Bend, Indiana died at 3:00 a.m. on Monday, November 24, 2014 at the Hospice House in South Bend. She was born on June 1, 1958 in Milwalkee, Wisconsin. She was a housekeeper in the South Bend area for many years. Pamela enjoyed shopping, for movies, “Nike” brand items, among others, so...

Nov 23, 2014

Rose Pearl Eldridge, age 87 years of Galesburg, Michigan and formerly of Niles, Michigan died at 2:55 p.m. on Sunday, November 23, 2014 at Bronson Methodist Hospital in Kalamazoo following an extended illness. She was born on August 18, 1927 in Coldwater, Michigan to Kenneth Patch and Pearl Adelia (Bidwell) Youngs. She attended school in Coldwater, and has lived in...