Marjorie E. “Marge” Stephens, 94, of LaSalle Avenue, Niles, died at 9:43 a.m. Sunday, Aug. 9, 2009, at Hospice House in South Bend, Ind., following a brief illness.

Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. Thursday, Aug. 13, at Halbritter Funeral Home in Niles, with Pastor Jason Miller of Granger Community Church officiating.

Internment will be at Mission Hills Memorial Gardens in Niles.

The family will receive relatives and friends at the funeral home from 6 to 8 pm. Wednesday, Aug. 12.

She was born on May 1, 1915, in Elkhart County, Indiana, to John and Agnes (Christopher) Shank.

She graduated from Wakarusa High School in Indiana and moved to Niles in 1946.
She owned and operated Stephens’ Grocery on South 11th Street in Niles. She retired from Simplicity Pattern Company in Niles after 10 years of service.

She attended the First Presbyterian Church in Niles. She was a volunteer at West Woods of Niles and for the Babe Ruth Baseball League at Thomas Stadium in Niles.

On July 3, 1937, in Wakarusa, Ind., she married Merle George Stephens, who died on Jan. 9, 2008.

She was also preceded in death by her daughter, Marcia Diane Stephens, who died in 1941; a grandson, Tracy Stephens, who died in 1981; sisters, Gladys Ganger, Florence Schwalm, Irma Mishler and Lucille Messner and brothers, Kenneth, Alvin and Ray Shank.

She is survived by her son, Terry (Kay) Stephens of Niles; daughter, Leuellyn (Harold) Myers of Granger, Ind.; grandsons, Thomas Stephens and Brandon and Kyle Myers; five great-grandchildren; four great-great-grandchildren and brothers, Donald Shank of Myrtle Beach, S.C. and Kermit Shank of Hamilton, Ind.

Memorial contributions may be made to the American Cancer Society for cancer research.

Arrangements were by Halbritter Funeral Home, Niles.