Clara Marie Singleton, of Niles

Published 3:10 pm Thursday, January 6, 2022

March 6, 1949 — Jan. 5, 2022

Clara Marie Singleton, 72, of Niles, Michigan, wife, mother, restaurant fan, casino visitor, but most of all: loving grandmother died peacefully at 8:15 a.m. on Wednesday, Jan. 5, 2022, with her family gathered around her bedside at home following a brief illness. Her family is grateful for the kind and compassionate care provided by the staff of Caring Circle Hospice at Home.

She was born on March 6, 1949, in Niles to John Lewis and Edna Marie (Vetter) Blatz, attended Niles Community Schools, and was graduated from Brandywine High School. She had been employed as a patient care aide in area group homes, but served for many years as a paraprofessional teacher’s aide in the South Bend Public Schools.

Clara was a member of Saint Mary Catholic Church in Niles. She enjoyed going out to restaurants. She loved the oriental fare at Ho Ping Garden in Niles or Ho Ping Restaurant in Roseland, and really liked the Cheddar’s Scratch Kitchen in Mishawaka where she was familiar with a special beverage known as the “Painkiller” (limited to two per visit). She also visited the Blue Chip Casino in Michigan City where she would overnight on her birthday, which is also her wedding anniversary. Her greatest joy however was her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren.

She was first married to Richard Seidner, who has remained a friend. On March 6, 1998, in Gatlinburg, Tennessee she married David M. Singleton with whom she has celebrated the 23rd anniversary of their wedding.

She was sadly preceded in death by her son, Scott L. Seidner on May 1, 2006; by her parents; and by her siblings, Judith Correa in 2016, Joseph Correa in 2017, and Susan Iris Correa in 2018.

Surviving family includes her husband, Dave Singleton; her children, Tammy M. Kennedy, of Niles, Richard (& Patricia) Seidner, of Niles, Dawn M. (& Dr. John) Van Dyke, of Buchanan, Michigan, and Robert (& Sarah) Seidner, of Paoli, Indiana; Dave’s children, Bryan (& Mandy) Singleton, of Battletown, Kentucky, Kimberly Wright, of Webster, Kentucky, and Carrie (& Jason) Howard, of Brandenburg, Kentucky; 16 grandchildren and 15 great-grandchildren; Clara’s brother, William Correa, of Edwardsburg, Michigan; and several nieces and nephews.

The Catholic Prayer Service for Clara Singleton will be read at 11 a.m. on Monday, Jan, 10, 2022, at the Halbritter-Wickens Funeral Home, 615 East Main St. in Niles by the Rev. Christian Johnston of Saint Mary Catholic Church. Committal Rites will follow at the Silverbrook Cemetery in Niles.

The family will receive relatives and friends on Sunday at the funeral home from 2 p.m. until 4 p.m. Online condolences may be left at: halbritterwickens.com.

Clara loved life and all of the people in her life, caring for patients and students, going-out to restaurants and the casino; and – most importantly – spending time with her family. All evidence of our mission to Love God and Love People.