Ellen Armstrong Kubiak

Ellen Rose Kubiak, age 84 years of Niles, Michigan, mother, grandmother, realtor, and tavern owner died peacefully at 7:45 p.m. on Saturday, October 22, 2022 surrounded by her family at home following a brief illness.  Her family is grateful for the kind and compassionate care provided by Caring Circle Hospice at Home.

She was born on May 3, 1938 in Niles to Frank H. and Cecelia H. (Lowery) Armstrong, Sr., and graduated with the class of 1956 from Niles High School.  She had a very successful career in Real Estate for more than thirty years, last working for RE/MAX Modern Realty.  She has lived in Niles all of her life.

On January 25, 1964 in Niles she married her high school sweetheart, William “Butch” Kubiak.  Together, they owned and operated Kubiak’s Tavern, which the Kubiak family has owned since 1933 – Michigan’s oldest single-family owned tavern.  When not at work or at the tavern, she enjoyed spending time with her family at their lake cottage, and – of course – her favorite pastime was going to the Casino.  She was one lucky lady.

Ellen was preceded in death by her husband, Butch Kubiak on March 30, 2002; by her parents, Frank and Cecelia Armstrong, Sr.; and by all ten of her siblings, Dorothy Ringler, Howard Armstrong, Jr., Mary Stokes, Warren Armstrong, Verna Brill, Betty Lou Armstrong, Dick Armstrong, John Armstrong, Pauline Garrett, and Cecilia Diedrich.  She was both the youngest of the eleven Armstrong children, and the last survivor.

Surviving family includes her daughter, Diane C. (& Daryl) Janowiak of Niles; grandsons Hunter J. and Connor W. Janowiak, both of Niles; and many nieces and nephews including a special niece, Sonya Gallagher of Elkhart, Indiana.

The Mass of Christian Burial for Ellen Kubiak will be celebrated at 11:00 a.m. on Friday, October 28, 2022 at Saint Mary Catholic Church, 203 South Lincoln Avenue in Niles by the Rev. Christian Johnston assisted by Deacon Roger Gregorski.  Committal Rites will follow at Silverbrook Cemetery in Niles.

The family will receive relatives and friends on Thursday from 2:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m. at the Halbritter-Wickens Funeral Home, 615 East Main Street in Niles with recitation of The Rosary at 3:00 p.m.  Contributions in memory of Ellen may be made to Caring Circle Hospice at Home, 4025 Health Park Lane, Saint Joseph, Michigan, 49085, https://www.spectrumhealthlakeland.org/caring-circle ; or to the American Diabetes Association, Post Office Box 7023, Merrifield, Virginia, 22116, https://diabetes.org/ .

Online condolences may be left at:

www.halbritterwickens.com

Ellen was a loving and generous mother, grandmother, and aunt.  She was so proud of her daughter and grandsons.  She beamed with pride, telling stories of her grand-boys and all of their accomplishments.  Gram will be dearly missed.