NILES — Lucille Elizabeth Burge, 93, of Niles, passed away at Lakeland Hospital in Niles on Friday, April 29, 2011.

Lucille was born on April 18, 1918, to the late Joseph and Cecile (Rutherford) Lieber in Dowagiac. She was one of four children growing up in the Lieber household.

In 1936 Lucille graduated from Dowagiac Central High School and in 1940 wed the love of her life, Donald R. Burge.

Together they had three sons. Don passed away in 1979.

Lucille was co-owner of Don’s Hardware in Niles where she operated it with her husband on a day-to-day basis.

Lucille always kept busy and was a proud life member and past president of the Niles Music Club, life member of the Order of Eastern Star, a member of First Presbyterian Church in Niles and the last original member of the H.C. Club in Dowagiac, which she helped start in 1936.

She is preceded in death by her parents, husband Don and brothers, Paul and Gordon Lieber.

Lucille is survived by: her children, William (Diana) Burge of Niles, Thomas (Nancy) Burge of Paw Paw and Stephen (Barbara) Burge of Niles; grandchildren, Eric (Lynn) Burge, Bethany (Wesley) Toust, Rebecca (Kyle) Digby and Tara Versluis; great-grandchildren, Brittany Toust, Hudson and Anikah Burge, Aiden and Bree Digby and Noah and Isabelle Versluis; and sister, Warrene Springsteen of Dowagiac.

Funeral services to honor Lucille’s long life will be on Wednesday, May 4, at Brown Funeral Home in Niles at 11 a.m., with visitation on Tuesday from 4 to 7 p.m., also at the funeral home.

Memorial donations may be made in Lucille’s memory to Meals on Wheels or to Niles District Library.

Condolences, photos and memories may be left for the family at www.BrownFuneralHomeNiles.com.