Eva Lena Bright, of Niles
Sept. 5, 1946 — April 28, 2014

Niles Daily Star, Published 8:18am Friday, May 2, 2014

Eva Lena Bright, 67, of Niles, died on Monday morning, April 28, 2014, at her home, unexpectedly but of natural causes.

She was born on Sept. 5, 1946, in Duechars, Indiana, to Willie A. and Mary E. (Parks) Wallbrown. She was graduated from Leavenworth (Indiana) High School, and had attended Oakland City (Indiana) University. She was first employed as a civilian at the United States Army Post at Fort Knox, Kentucky, and later by the Indiana Census Bureau.

In 1986, she moved to Niles, and was employed at the Prime Table Restaurant.

Eva attended Mount Olive Missionary Baptist Church in Niles. She enjoyed writing poetry and reading mysteries. Her greatest joy was her role as a mother and grandmother to the families in her neighborhood.

On April 4, 1987 in Leavenworth she married Donald W. Bright, Jr. with whom she celebrated three weeks ago the twenty-seventh anniversary of their wedding. She is also survived by her mother, Mary Wallbrown of Leavenworth; a brother, Ronnie Wallbrown of English, Indiana and sister, Ruth Faye (Michael) Watson of Central, Indiana; several nieces and nephews; and an aunt, Lena Mae Parks Cox of Leavenworth.

She was preceded in death by her father, Willie A. Wallbrown, and by a sister-in-law, Vera Culbertson (Mrs. Ronnie) Wallbrown; and by two nephews.

The funeral service for Eva Bright will be at 1 p.m. on Saturday, May 3, 2014 at the Halbritter Funeral Home in Niles with the Rev. Fletcher McAfee of Mount Olive Missionary Baptist Church officiating assisted by Eva’s nephew, the Rev. Travis Wallbrown of the Hilltop Pentecost Church in Bedford, Indiana. Burial will be private on Monday at the Silverbrook Cemetery in Niles.

The family will receive relatives and friends beginning at noon on Saturday at the funeral home.

www.halbritterfunerals.com

Ronald L. Marriott, 69
Died March 13, 2014

Niles Daily Star, Published 3:07pm Tuesday, March 19, 2013

Ricky Allen Pratt, of South Bend, Indiana
March 29, 1958 — May 5, 2014

Niles Daily Star, Published 9:22am Wednesday, May 7, 2014

Ricky Allen Pratt, 56, of South Bend, Indiana and former long-time resident of Niles, Michigan, died at 2 p.m. on Monday, May 5, 2014, at his home following a brief illness.

He was born on March 29, 1958, in San Jose, California to Allen L. and Alice M. (Hargreaves) Pratt. He attended school in Lemoore, California, Woodbridge, Virginia and South Bend Clay High School before settling in Niles in 1977. He was an over-the-road truck driver, and had been employed at Celadon Trucking, Werner Enterprises and the Ryder System.

Rick enjoyed woodworking in his home shop, and was a talented cabinetmaker. Many members of his family are proud to have furniture made by Rick.

He was preceded in death by his father, Allen who died on Dec. 26, 2011.

Surviving family includes two daughters, Heather (Johnathan) Carter and Michelle (Jason) Law, both of Scottsville, Kentucky; grandchildren Johnathan Carter II, T.J. Carter, Brittney Law, Abby Law, and Payton Law; Rick’s mother, Alice Pratt of Niles; his sister, Sheila Mazingo of Cassopolis, Michigan and brother, Michael Leroy Pratt of Niles; aunts Elaine (Lawson) Whitfield, Betty (Larry) Vance; Joan Walton, Helen (& Ron) “Cookie” Bucha, and Charlene Chew; an uncle, Abraham “Skeeter” Hargreaves; many nieces and nephews; and a companion, Merri Miller of South Bend.

The funeral service for Rick Pratt will be at 1 p.m. on Thursday, May 8, 2014, at the Halbritter Funeral Home in Niles with the Rev. Jeffrey L. Whittaker of the Michiana Christian Embassy officiating. Committal will follow at the Silverbrook Cemetery in Niles.

The family will receive relatives and friends beginning at Noon on Thursday at the funeral home. Contributions in memory of Rick may be made to The Center for Hospice Care.

www.halbritterfunerals.com

Fannie Davis (Anderson) Miller, of Niles
Dec. 25, 1945 — May 3, 2014

Niles Daily Star, Published 9:10am Thursday, May 8, 2014

Fannie Davis (Anderson) Miller, 68, of Niles, went home to be with her Lord and Savior on Saturday, May 3, 2014, while surrounded by her family.

Fannie Davis Miller

Fannie was born on Christmas day in 1945 to the late James and Tille Mae (Murphy) Anderson in French Camp, Mississippi. She was the youngest of three children.

Fannie was married on Dec. 6, 1971, to Maurice Miller Sr. in Chicago, Illinois where they lived for several years. Together they had three children. Fannie will be remembered as an amazing mother, grandmother sister and family-woman. She was great at crafts and loved collecting.

She is preceded in death by her parents; husband, Maurice U. Miller Sr.; son, Maurice U. Miller Jr. and great-granddaughter Raleigh Franco.

Fannie is survived by her children, Linda (Rodney) Kirkendoll, of Niles and Marcellus Miller, of Niles; sister Barbara Ann Dupriest of South Bend, Indiana; brother, Billy Doyce Anderson of Niles; 13 grandchildren; four great-grandchildren and a host of extended family and friends.

Funeral services to honor Fannie’s life will be held on Monday, May 12, 2014, at Mt. Calvary Baptist Church beginning at 1 p.m. with no public viewing. Burial will follow at Silverbrook Cemetery.

Arrangements have been entrusted to Brown Funeral Home & Cremation Services of Niles.

Rose E. Nieb
April 1, 1893-July 21, 1968

Niles Daily Star, Monday, July 22, 1968, page 12, col. 3, microfilm Niles District Library

Mrs. Rose E. Nieb, 75, of 1720 Phillip Road died t 10:30 a.m. yesterday in Pawating Hospital after an illness of three years.

Mrs. Nieb was born April 1, 1893, in Berrien County and is a life long resident of this area.  She was married to Howard Nieb November 24, 1915 in Niles.

She belonged to the First Presbyterian Church and was a life member of the Bend of the River Grange Home economics Club and was a member of the Farm Bureau.

She is survived by her husband, a son, George E. Nieb and a grand-daughter.

Funeral services will be held in the Halbritter-Swem Funeral Home at 1 p.m Tuesday. Officiating will be Rev. John Wyngarden.  Burial will be in the Silverbrook Cemetery.

Friends may call at the funeral home.

Anna M. Starr
Feb. 13, 1885-March 18, 1976

Niles Daily Star, Thursday, March 18, 1976, page 2, col. 2, microfilm Niles District Library

Anna M. Starr, 91, of Ann Arbor, formerly of Niles, died at 12:55 a.m. Today at the Evangelical Home at Saline, Mich., after a three-year illness.

Mrs. Starr was born Feb. 13, 1885, at Chicago and moved to Ann Arbor from Niles in 1965. She was a member of the Pawating Hospital Auxiliary and Wesley United Methodist Church. Her husband, Henry, whom she married Aug. 10 1907, at South Bend, died in 1956.

Surviving are a sons, Joel of Sand Lake, Mich.; four daughters, Mrs. Gladys Barera of Ann Arbor, Mrs. Alma Wolven of Belmont, Mich., Mrs. Lucille Hunting of Chula Vista, Calif., and Mrs. Althea Luyk of Byron Center, Mich.; a brother, Gus Peterson of Kankakee, Ill.; a sister, Mrs. Florence Heck of Kankakee, 25 grandchildren and 25 great-grandchildren.

Funeral services will be held at 1 p.m. Saturday at the Pifer Chapel of the Swem-Smith Funeral Home, where friends may call after 7 p.m. Friday.  Burial will be in Silverbrook Cemetery.