Helen E. Elias-Underly, 92, of South Third Street, Niles, died at 2 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 26, 2009, at her home, following a brief illness.

Funeral services will be at 11 a.m. Wednesday, Sept. 30, at Halbritter Funeral Home, Niles, with a family friend, Charlotte Flora of South Bend, Ind. officiating.

Committal will follow at Mission Hills Memorial Gardens, Niles.

The family will receive relatives and friends at the funeral home on Tuesday, Sept. 29, from 6 to 8 p.m.

She was born on July 5, 1917, in Trenton, N.J., to Karl and Agnes (Hetweni) Veres.
She attended South Bend schools and has lived in Niles since 1952.

She was formerly employed by the Brandywine Schools, Niles, for many years and previously employed at Niles Wire Goods.

She served for 20 years as a volunteer at the Niles Senior Center. She enjoyed the outdoors, including yardwork, flower gardening and birdwatching.

She was a familiar sight on her front porch, watching the neighborhood and the Third Street traffic.

On Jan. 1, 1934, in South Bend, Ind., she married Joseph Elias, who died on April 21, 1964.

On Jan. 9, 1965, in Saint Joseph, she married Otto L. Underly, who died on Jan. 29, 1984.
She was also preceded in death by her parents, Charles and Agnes (Harvani) Verash; her step-father, Nicholas Verash and by two brothers who died in Word War II, TSgt. Nicholas Verash, U.S.  Army and Pvt. Leslie Verash, U.S. Army.

Surviving family includes her children, Joseph (Betty Lou) Elias and Helen (Bub) Pingel, all of Niles; grandchildren, Beverly (Daniel) Karalash, Tammie (John) Brown and Tim (Marilyn) Pingel; great-grandchildren, Morgan and Alexandra Karalash and Jordan and Derek Brown and a brother, Joe Verash of South Bend, Ind.

Memorial contributions may be made to Lakeland Hospice.

Arrangements were by Halbritter Funeral Home, Niles.