By Staff
Barbara J. Skalla, 78, of Hoyt Street, Niles, died on Friday, June 19, 2009, at Kewadin Casino Hotel &Convention Center, Sault Sainte Marie, unexpectedly, but of natural causes.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be at 11 a.m. Wednesday, June 24, at Saint Mary Catholic Church, Niles, with the Rev. David Otto, pastor, officiating.
Burial will be in Mission Hills Memorial Gardens, Niles.
Friends may call from 6 to 8 p.m. Tuesday, June 23, at Halbritter Funeral Home, Niles, where the Rosary will be recited at 7:30 p.m.
She was born on June 22, 1930, in Manistique, to John Archambeault and Delima Lamourie Archambeault. She attended Cooks and Manistique schools in Michigan and has lived in Niles since 1949.
She was formerly employed at Diamond Harbor and at the Fernwood Botanic Gardens Cafe. She also owned and operated "The Rosehip Patch" specializing in dried floral arrangements.
She was a member of Saint Mary Catholic Church, Niles. In Manistique, she was a member of Saint Francis de Salles Catholic Church and its choir.
She enjoyed nature and especially flower gardening, but her greatest joy and priority was her family and especially her grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
On Aug. 20, 1949, in Niles, she married John R. Skalla, who died on July 7, 1977.
She was preceded in death by a granddaughter, Leslie Sappington and by 13 brothers and sisters.
Surviving family includes four sons, Steven (Denise) Skalla of Niles, Dan (Patti) Skalla of Stow, Ohio, John Andrew (Lorraine) Skalla of Dowagiac and David (Debbie) Skalla of Edwardsburg; three daughters, Michelle (Stan) Hively of Niles, Kathleen (Wayne) Sweeney of Buchanan and Dawn (John) Hunerjager of Lawrence; 16 grandchildren; 12 great-grandchildren; sisters, Wanda Gould of Manistique and Gail Goundril of Green Bay and many nieces and nephews.
Arrangements were by Halbritter Funeral Home, Niles.