Obituaries

We now have over 7,000 obituaries collected about the interred here at Silverbrook Cemetery.

The obituaries are transcribed by the volunteers of the Friends of Silverbrook Cemetery from various sources.  If you see an opportunity for an addition or a correction, please email our obituary editor at obits@friendsofsilverbrook.org.

Gray, Samuel J.

Samuel J. Gray
1829-Sept. 22, 1880


Niles Republican, Thursday, September 23, 1880, page 1, microfilm Niles District Library

Death of Samuel J. Gray

 

Mr. Samuel J. Gray, a modest, unassuming and much respected citizen, died suddenly at his residence in the east end of the city last night, of dropsy of the heart. Mr. Gray has been sick some time but was down town yesterday, and his sudden death was a surprise and shock to its community. Mr. Gray was a native of Richmond, Indiana, and came to this place with his parents in 1829, when he was but five months old, and when there were but about five families in what is now the City of Niles. Mr. Gray went to California in 1849, made some money, returned here a few years after, and has since been a resident of this city. His funeral  will take place to-morrow at 10 o'clock.


Niles Weekly Mirror, Tuesday, Sept. 29, 1880, page 5, microfilm Niles District Library

Mr. Samuel J. Gray, a modest unassuming and much respected citizen, died suddenly at his residence in the east end of the city last Wednesday night of dropsy of the heart.  Mr. Gray has been sick some time but was down town last Wednesday, and his death was a surprise and shock to the community.  Mr. Gray was a native of Richmond, Indiana, and came to his place with his parents in 1829 when he was but five months old, and when there were but five families in what is now the City of Niles.  Mr. Gray went to California in 1849, made some money, returned  here a few years after, and has since been a resident of his city. His funeral took place Friday at 10 o'clock--Republican

 

Hall, Maude L.

Maude L. Hall
June 20, 1883-July 6, 1976


Niles Daily Star, Tuesday, July 6, 1976, page 9 , col. 1-2, microfilm Niles District Library

NILES--Maude L. Hall, 93, of 1207 Red Bud Tr., N. Heritage Home, Buchanan, died at 5:25 a.m. Tuesday at Pawating Hospital. She was a former Niles resident.

She was born June 20, 1883, in Hersey, Mich., and lived in this area for 56 years, coming from Jackson in 1920. She married Roy Hall, who died Nov. 20, 1951.

She is survived by a daughter, Mrs. Fern Helmick, Union City, Mich.; five grandchildren and 20 great-grandchildren.

Services will be at 1:30 p.m. Thursday at the Pifer Chapel of the Swem-Smith Funeral Home, the Rev. Mark D. Graham of Wesley United Methodist Church officiating. Burial will be in Silverbrook Cemetery. Friends may call after noon Wednesday at Pifer Chapel, and memorials may be presented to the Memorial Fund at Wesley United Methodist Church.

 

Johnston, Simeon O.

Simeon O. Johnston
Aug. 30, 1891-July 10, 1976


Niles Daily Star, Monday, July 12, 1976, page 10, col. 1-2, microfilm Niles District Library

NILES-- Simeon O. Johnston, 84, 819 N. 13th St., died Saturday at 11:30 p.m. at the Paul Stephan Nursing Home after an extended illness.

A retired structural steel draftsman for Canadian Bridge Co., he was born Aug. 30, 1891 in Highland, Kan. He moved to the area from Phoenix, Arix. [sic] in 1962 and has been a resident since.

He was married May 24, 1924 in Windsor, Ont. to Maude R. Ross, who survives. Also surviving is a daughter, Miss Miriam M. Johnston of Niles.

Graveside rites will be Tuesday at 10:30 a.m. at Silverbrook Cemetery, the Rev. Karen S. Slager of Wesley United Methodist Church officiating. Burial will be in Silverbrook Cemtery.

Friends may call after 2 p.m today at the Halbritter Funeral Home.

 

Mochour, Laverne L.

Laverne L. Mochour
Sept. 12, 1914-Aug. 31, 1958


Niles Daily Star, Tuesday, September 2, 1958, page 2, col. 6, microfilm Niles District Library

LaVerne L. Mochour, 43, of 1307 Louis Street, member of the Niles Police Department since Dec. 17, 1951, died at 6:30 a.m. Sunday after suffering a heart attack. He was stricken ill at his  home and rushed to Pawating Hospital, where he was pronounced dead on arrival.

Patrolman Mochour was born Sept. 12, 1914, in Niles, and had lived his entire life in this community. He was a member of the First Methodist Church, the Niles Elks Lodge, and Fraternal Order of Police.

Surviving are: his wife, Evelyn, two daughters, Carla, in Tucson, Ariz.,  and Judy, at home; his stepfather, O.E. Hayden, of Mishawaka, Ind., and his grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. Hiram Stedman, of Niles.

Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. Wednesday in the First Methodist Church with the pastor, the Rev. L. George Beacock, officiating. Burial will be in Silverbrook Cemetery with graveside rites by the Niles Elks Lodge.  Friends may call at the Kiger-Halbritter Funeral Home here.

Myers, Timothy E.

Timothy E. Myers
Sept. 7, 1958-Sept. 24, 1958


Niles Daily Star, Wednesday, September 24, 1958, page 2, col. 5, microfilm Niles District Library

Timothy E. Myers, infant son of Mr.and Mrs. Clarence Myers, of 2100 South 17th Street, died at 4 a.m. today at home.

The infant was born Sept.7, in Buchanan and beside the parents is survived by a sister and two brothers, Connie Kay and Lawrence and John; the grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. James Myers, of Dowagiac, and Mr. and Mrs. John McIntire, of Niles, and a great grandmother in Dowagiac.

Funeral services will be held at 10 a.m. Friday in the Pifer Funeral Home. Burial will be in Silverbrook Cemetery. Friends may call at the funeral home beginning this evening.

 

Schmuhl, Alice M.

Alice M. Schmuhl
Dec. 17, 1913-Sept. 26, 1958


Niles Daily Star, Friday, September 26, 1958, page 2, col. 4, microfilm Niles District Library

Mrs. Alice M. Schmuhl, 45, of 1617 Clarendon Avenue, nurse for the Niles Public schools System died at 1:35 a.m. today in Billings Hospital at Chicago following an illness of two weeks.

Mrs. Schmuhl, a member of the First Presbyterian Church, the Nightingale Club and Alpha Beta Epsilon Sorority, was born Dec. 17, 1913, in Delta, O.,and came to this community in 1926 from there. She was married on April 6, 1940, in the Niles Methodist Church to Gerald Schmuhl, who survives.

Also surviving are: her parents, Mr. and Mrs. Charles Myers, of Niles; seven sisters, Mrs. Reid Shirrell and Mrs. Carl Rowe, both of South Bend, Mrs. Claude Parker, of Sturgis, Mrs. Clarence McLauchlin, Mrs. Richard Camp and Mrs. Jacqueline Wetherspoon, all of Niles, and Mrs. Charles Dhaboldt, in Oregon, and two brothers, Wilbur Myers, of Niles, and LaMar Myers, in California.

Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. , Monday in the First Presbyterian Church with the pastor, the Rev. John P. MacLachlan, officiating. Burial will be in Silverbrook Cemetery. Frineds may call at the Kiger-Halbritter Funeral Home beginning Saturday noon.

 

Starr, Gerald Lee

Gerald Lee Starr
Aug. 23, 1930-Sept. 15, 1958


Niles Daily Star, Tuesday, September 16, 1958, page 2, col. 4, microfilm Niles District Library

Death Reported

 

Gerald Lee Star[sic], 28 of 597 Moraine Avenue, Akron, O., grandson of Mrs. Georgia Kingston, of Niles, died at 2:30 a.m. Monday at Akron.

Friends may call at the Pifer Funeral Home from 7 to 9 p.m. Thursday. Committal services will be held at 10 a.m. Friday at Silverbrook Cemetery.

He was born in Akron, O., and beside his grandmother is survived by his parents, Mr.and Mrs. Ray C. Starr, of Akron; five brothers, Edward, Richard, David and Thomas Starr, all of Akron, and Fred Starr, of Sawyer, and four sisters, Mrs. Walter White, of Akron, and Mary, Susan and Sarah Starr, all of Akron.