Born: May 24, 1944

Died: Oct. 31, 2012

Kenneth R. “Irish Ken” Schilf, 68, of Brown Street in Niles, Mich., died at 11:30 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 31, 2012 at his home following an illness.

He was born on May 24, 1944 in Oak Park, Ill., to Elmer Francis and Margaret Patricia (Crawford) Schilf, and was graduated from Saint Francis Catholic High School in Chicago.  He also attended Northern Illinois University in DeKalb.  He was a Veteran of the Viet Nam Era, serving in the United States Army, including duty in the country of Viet Nam.

Ken was a counselor for the Michigan Veterans Trust Fund in Berrien County, Mich.  He was a member of the American Legion and the Veterans of Foreign Wars.  He was also a member of the Fraternal Order of Eagles No. 2094 in Niles.  He liked to help people laugh, and always had a new joke to tell.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Elmer and Margaret Schilf, and by his long-time companion, Dorothy Mitchell who died on Nov. 15, 2010.

Surviving family includes his son, Michael (& Leticia) Schilf of Los Angeles, Calif.; grandchildren Jacob, Kendra, and Bridget; and Ken’s brothers, Donald Schilf of Huntley, Ill., and Robert Schilf of Carol Stream, Ill., and a niece and nephews, Alexis, Christopher, and Brian.

Services for Kenneth Schilf will be at 1 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 17, 2012 at the Niles Veteran’s Memorial at Riverfront Park with the Rev. David Otto of Saint Mary Catholic Church in Niles officiating.  The service will conclude with Full Military Honors by the United States Army Honor Guard and American Legion Post No. 51 of Buchanan, Mich.

Interment will be at the Abraham Lincoln National Cemetery in Elwood, Ill., privately.  Arrangements were made at the Halbritter Funeral Home in Niles.  www.halbritterfunerals.com