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.

Lafler, Enos Mill

Enos Mill Lafler
Nov. 22, 1870-Oct. 11, 1953


Enos Mill Lafleer, 82, of 530 Broadway, died at 3:30 a.m. Sunday in Pawating hospital.

Lafler was born Nov. 22, 1870, in Kalamazoo and came here from Warsaw, Ind., seven years ago. He was a retired New York Central Railroad employe with 50 years of service. His occupation was agent and chief clerk at Wabash, Ind. He was married June 14, 1905, in Niles to Carrie Saunders, who survives.

Also surviving are: four children, Charles S. Lafler of Pennsauken, N.J., Edward Lafler, Newman, Calif., Josephine Lafler Dyson, Manhattan Beach, Calif., and William G. Lafler, Hollywood, Calif., and six grandchildren.

Private funeral services will be held at 2:30 p.m. Tuesday at the Kiger Funeral Home with the Rev. T.M. Greenhoe, pastor of the First Presbyterian Church officiating.  Burial will be in Silverbrook Cemetery.  Friends may call at the funeral home.


Niles Daily Star, Monday, October 12, 1953, page 2, col. 2, microfilm Niles District Library

Contois, Jo Ann

Jo Ann Contois
Oct. 6, 1948-Oct. 18, 1948


Niles Daily Star, Monday, Oct. 18, 1948, page 2, col. 6, microfilm Niles District Library

INFANT JO ANN CONTOIS

Jo Ann Contois, premature infant daugther, of Mr. and Mrs. George Contois, 1605 Broadway, died at 11:15 a.m. today at Pawating hospital.

The child weighed two pounds, five and one-quarter ounces at birth, October 6, and was confined to an incubator since that time. The infant was two and  one-half months premature.

Funeral arrangements, to be handled by the Pifer funeral home, are incomplete at this time.


Niles Daily Star, Tuesday, Oct. 19, 1948, page 2, col. 5, microfilm Niles District Library

COMMITTAL SERVICES

Committal services were held today at Silverbrook cemetery for JoAnn Contois, infant daughter of Mr.and Mrs. George Contois, 1605 Broadway.  Services were conducted by the Rev. L. George Beacock, pastor of the First Methodist church.

McWilliams, Lyle E.

S/Sgt. Lyle E. McWilliams
March 30, 1918-May 5, 1945


Niles Daily Star, Monday, Oct. 18, 1948, page 2, col. 6, microfilm Niles District Library

REBURIAL RITES

The body of S/Sgt. Lyle E. McWilliams, Akron, O., formerly of Niles, will arrive at 11:50 a.m. Tuesday by rail for burial in Nliles.

The deceased, who was the grandson of Mrs. Wilhelmina Reum, of Niles, was killed in action May 5, 1945 at Manila, Phillipine Islands.

He was killed by Japanese snipers while in combat in that theatre of war.

McWilliams was born March 30, 1918, in Niles, and was 27 years of age at the time of his death.

He was serving  with the Thirty-Seventh division of the 145th infantry.

Surviving are his step parents Mr. and Mrs. Larned McWilliams, Akron, O.; a brother, William McWilliams, Stanton, Tex.; and two sisters, Mr. Peter Donohoe and Mrs. Donald Treadway, both of Akron, and the grandmother of Niles.

Friends may call at the Kiger Funeral home Tuesday night. Funeral services will be held Wednesday at 2 p.m., at the Kiger Funeral home  with the Rev. Harold Hohlman, of the St. Johns Evangelical and Reformed church officiating.  Burial will be made at Silverbrook cemetery.

 

Taylor, Frank

Frank Taylor, 79
July 19, 1869-Oct. 15, 1948


Frank Taylor, 79, died 9:35 p.m. Friday at his Pokagon home after two years illness.

Last rites will be 1:30 p.m. Monday at the Kiger funeral home. The Rev. T.M. Greenhoe of the Niles First Presbyterian church will officiate.  Burial will be in Silverbrook cemetery.  Committal services will be by the Pokagon Masonic lodge.

Taylor was born in Hillsdale, July 19, 1869, and come to this area from Matoon, Ill., in 1923.  He married Viola Neal at Mattoon June 15, 1916.  He was a retired Michigan Central railroad car man.

Surviving besides the widow are the following children: Earl Taylor, Big Rapids; Mrs. Hazel Moody, Lansing; Mrs. Louise Herrington, Cannonsburg; and four other children by a previous marriage.  He is also survived by three brothers, three sisters, 10 grandchildren, three great grandchildren and one great great grandchild.


Niles Daily Star, Saturday, Oct. 16, 1948, page 2, col. 5, microfilm Niles District Library

Gutherline, Lucy

Lucy Gutherline, 73
Feb. 11, 1875-Oct. 16, 1948


Lucy Gutherline, 73, formerly of  1014 Howard street, died at 2:30 a.m. today in Pawating hospital after several years' illness.

Services will be held at 3 p.m. Monday in the Kiger funeral home with the Rev. T.M. Greenhoe officiating.  Burial will be in Silverbrook cemetery.  Friends may call at the funeral home.

Mrs. Gutherline was born in Niles Feb. 11, 1875, and spent her entire lifetime in the community.

Surviving are a daughter, Mrs. Pearl Chapman of Niles; Mrs. Helen Bailey, South Bend, Charles Luke and Fred Luke, both of Niles, all grandchildren; and six great grandchildren.


Niles Daily Star, Saturday, Oct. 16, 1948, page 2, col. 5, microfilm Niles District Library

Eycleshymer, Albert Chauncey

Albert Chauncey Eycleshymer
June 16, 1867-Dec. 30, 1926


Niles Daily Star, Saturday, January 2, 1926, page 1, col. 4-5, cont. page 2, col. 4, microfilm Niles District Library

MANY CHICAGO PHYSICIANS ATTEND FUNERAL SERVICES HERE FOR DR. EYCLESHYMER

Nine physicians and representatives from the University of Illinois, college of medicine, the widow and three children, Albert Davis, Lois Katherine and Mrs. Edward Kemler, and Mrs. Eycleshymer's brother-in-law and sister, Mr. and Mrs. Edward Girth, of Chicago, comprised the party which came to Niles Friday morning with the body of Dr. Albert Chauncey Eycleshymer, dean of the college of medicine for seven years, and who was killed on Wednesday by the accidental discharge of his own gun.

The body was taken to the home of Fred B. Eycleshymer at Cedar and Tenth streets, where Rev. O.R. Gratton, pastor of the Methodist church, conducted the funeral services at 2:30 o'clock.  Miss Phena Baker sang.  The body was laid to rest in Silver Brook cemetery in accordance with the expressed with of Dr. Eycleshymer, and where the bodies of his parents are buried.

Mrs. K.D. Davis, a sister of the deceased, her son, Ward, and the latter's wife, of Albion, met the funeral party here. The doctors who came to Niles with the body, who served as pallbearers had all been associates and friends for many years of Dr. Eycleshymer at the university.

The representatives of the university who came to Niles, and who served as active and honorary pallbearers were all friends of Dr. Eycleshymer through years of association at the university. They were Dr. D.G. Davis, Dr. V.E. Emmel, Dr. William Welker, Dr. Hugh McGingan, Dr. O.E. Nadeau, Dr. William Petersen, Dr. C.S. Bacon, T. Jones, an artist of the college, and W.J. Brown, secretary of the school of medicine.

Albert Chauncey Eycleshymer, anatomist, was born in Cambridge, N.Y., June 16, 1867, a son of David C. and Annie Terry Eycleshymer.  B.S. Universty of Michigan, 1891; fellow, Princeton, 1891; Clark University, 1892; University of Chicago, 1893, Ph.D., latter 1895; student University of Cambridge, England, 1895-06; Austin fellow, Harvard university, 1901; M.D., St. Louis university, 1901; married Mary Elizabeth Donovan, Chicago, September 23, 1895.  Assistant professor human embryology, Rush Medical college, Chicago, 1897-09  assistant professor human anatomy, University of Chicago, 1893; director of anatomy department, 1903-13, acting dean College of Medicine, 1913, St. Louis university professor and head of department of anatomy since 1913 and dean of faculty since 1917, College Medicine, University Illinois, Chicago. Member National board of medical examiners. Receied[sic] grand prize for embryol work from Louisiana Purchase Exposition, 1904.  Fellow A.A.A.S.; member American Society Naturalists, American Society Zoologists, American Academic Medicine.

Author: A Cross Section Anatomy; Anatomical Names; Manual of Surgical Anatomy for United States Army and Navy, 1919. Home, 201 S. Ridgeland Ave., Oak Park.

 

 

 

Brooks, Willard Raymond

Willard Raymond Brooks
Sept. 13, 1948-Oct. 6, 1948


INFANT SON DIES

Infant Willard Raymond Brooks, died at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday in St. Joseph hospital. Mishawaka. He had been ill since his birth on Sept. 13.

He leaves his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Charles Brooks and a sister, Rosemary, of Mishawaka; grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. Willard Paddock, of Buchanan, and Mr. and Mrs. Ray Brooks, of Niles, and great-grandmothers, Mrs. Paddock, of Buchanan, Mrs. Effie Squires, of Niles, Mrs. Mary Wilson, of Battle Creek.

Committal services will be held at 10 a.m. Friday at Silverbrook cemetery, with the Rev. Perry Rich, Friends church of Niles, officiating.


Niles Daily Star, Thursday, Oct. 7, 1948, page 2, col. 4, microfilm Niles District Library