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.

Hurry, Hildred L.

Hildred L. Hurry
Feb. 15, 1902-July 17, 1980


Niles Daily Star, Friday, July 18, 1980, page 3, col. 8, microfilm Niles District Library

Mrs. Mildred[sic] L. Hurry, 78, of 2428 Dick St., Niles, died at 4:28 a.m. Thursday in Pawating Hospital.

SHE WAS BORN Feb. 15, 1902 in Williamston and had lived in the Niles area since 1952, coming here from Durand.

She was married on June 7, 1919 to Clifford A. Hurry in Jackson. He died May 7, 1979.

Survivors include a daughter, Mrs. Virginia Glum of Lansing; a brother, Russell Leonard of Owosso; a sister, Mrs. Fern Chubb of Morrice; four grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.

Funeral services will be held at 11 a..m. Sagurday in the Halbritter Funeral Home in Niles. The Rev. Arnold O. Schaap of Edwardsburg will officiate.

Burial will be in Silverbrook Cemetery.

Friends may call at the Halbritter Funeral Home after 4 p.m. Friday.

 

Love, Thurvin T.

Thurvin T. Love
May 20, 1905-July 21, 1980


Niles Daily Star, Tuesday, July 22, 1980, page 2, col. 8, microfilm Niles District Library

Thurvin T. Love, 75, of 896 Carberry Road, died at 8:05 a.m. Monday in Pawating Hospital after a lengthy illness.

He was a retired employee of Simplicity Pattern Company and lived in the area since 1942 coming from South Bend.

He was born May 20, 1905 in DeKab, Miss., and married Alberta Quinn in  South Bend on Feb. 27, 1945.

She survives along with two daughters, Roberta of South Bend, Mary Sue of Benton Harbor and a stepdaughter, Johnnie Carpenter of Gary, Ind. He is also survived by several nieces and nephews, seven grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.

He was a member of the Mt. Olive Missionary Church.

Arrangements are pending at the Pifer-Smith Funeral Home.

 

Martin, Mollie

Mollie Martin
Oct. 8, 1883-April 24, 1959


Niles Daily Star, Saturday, April 25, 1959, page 2, col. 4, microfilm Niles District Library


Mrs. Mollie Martin, 75, of Kalamazoo, formerly of Niles died at 11 p.m. Friday in Kalamazoo following an illness of several years.

Mrs. Martin was born Oct. 89, 1883, in LaPorte County, Ind., and moved to Kalamazoo from here in 1947. Her husband, Montgomery Martin, preceded her in death in 1947.

Surviving are: a son, Kenneth Martin, of Niles; one grandson; two great grandchildren; two brothers, Guy VanDusen, of New Carlisle, Ind., and Wesley VanDusen of Niles, and a sister, Mrs. Cynthia Lowery, of Mishawaka, Ind.

Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. Sunday in the Kiger-Halbritter Funeral Home with the Rev. Gordon Everett, pastor of the Evangelical United Brethren Church, officiating. Burial will be in Silverbrook Cemetery. Friends may call at the funeral home.

 

Maxwell, Ethel Mae

Ethel Mae Maxwell
Oct. 3, 1934-July 26, 1980


Niles Daily Star, Monday, July 28, 1980, page 3, col. 2, microfilm Niles District Library

NILES--Ethel Mae Maxwell, 56, of 1425 N. Fifth St.,, died Saturday at Pawating Hospital.

A retired employee of the Simplicity Pattern Company, she was a 30 year resident of Berrien County. She was born Oct. 3, 1924 in Little Rock, Ark.

Survivors include a sons, Ronnie DeShazer of Niles; three daughters, Ms. Annie Ruth Maxwell of Boston, Mass., Miss Ella Mae Maxell of Niles, and Mrs. Mary Beth James, of Niles; a brother, Anzi DeShazer of Hollandale, Miss.; and nine grandchildren.

She was a member of Bethlehem Baptist Church, where funeral services will be at 2 p.m. Thursday with the Rev. James Ridley officiating.

Friends may call from 4 to 9 p.m. Wednesday at the Pifer-Smith Funeral Home, where a wake service will be conducted from 7 to 8 p.m. Wednesday.

 

 

 

McCreary, Clifford B.

Clifford B. McCreary
Sept. 29, 1913-July 28, 1978


Niles Daily Star, Saturday, July 29, 1978, page 2, col. 3-5, microfilm Niles District Library

NILES--Clifford B. McCreary, 64, of 204 1/2 S. St. Joseph St. died at 7 p.m. Friday in his home folowing a two-month illness.

Mr. McCreary was born on Spet. 29, 1913, in Melcher, Iowa, and lived in Niles since 1977 coming from Elkhart. On May 5, 1941, in Laramie, Wyo., he was married to Gail S. Stoneburner, who survives.

Also surviving are three daughters, Mrs. Robert (Mary) Mills, Niles; Mrs. Barney (Jean) Stockman and Mrs. Timothy (Doris) Smith, both of Elkhart; his mother, Mrs. Belle McCreary, Paramont, Calif.; three brothers, Richard and George, of Elkhart, and John of Los Angeles; two sisters, Mrs. Thelma Van Skyhawk, Eagle River, Wis., and Mrs. Katherine Willis, Anaheim, Calif., and seven grandchildren.

Funeral services will be Monday at 2 p.m. at the First Assembly of God Church.  Burial will be in Silverbrook Cemetery with the Rev. Paul A. Fisher officiating. Friends may call at the Halbritter Funeral Home after 2 p.m. Sunday.

Mr. McCreary was a member of the First Assembly of God Church, an Army veteran of WW II, a life member of the D.A.V. No. 19, Elkhart, and a member of the National Order of Trench Rats Dugout No. 389, Elkhart.

Memorial contributions may be given to the First Assembly of God Church Memorial Fund.

 

Russell, Irene L.

Irene L. Russell
June 13, 1913-July 6, 1980


Niles Daily Star, Tuesday, July 8, 1980, page 3, col. 7-8, microfilm Niles District Library


NILES--Mrs. Irene L. Russell, 67, of 1011 Cass St., died at 5 p.m. Sunday at Baldwin, Mich.

She was born June 13, 1913 in Buchanan, and had lived her lifetime in the area.

On Nov. 11, 1928, in LaPorte Ind., she married Lester W. Russell, who survives.

Also surviving are three daughters, Mrs. Harry (Janet) Walters of Mishawaka, Mrs. Walter (Phyllis) Kater and Mrs. Marjorie Merica, both of Niles; four brothers, Donald, Eli Lewey and George Opala, all of Battle Creek; five sisters, Mrs. Lou Green, Mrs. Mable Rose, Mrs. Mildred Hammon, Mrs. Amelia Taylor, and Mrs. Mary VanFleet, all of Battle Creek; eight grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.

Funeral services willl be at 1 p.m. Wednesday at the Halbritter Funeral Home with the Rev. Morton J. Hempel of the Church of God officiating. Burial will be at Silverbrook Cemetery.

Friends may call after 4 p.m. Tuesday at the funeral home. Memorials may be made to the Niles Community Library.

 

Shriner, Samuel

Samuel Shriner
June 5, 1895-July 26, 1980


Niles Daily Star, Monday, July 28, 1980, page 3, col. 1, microfilm Niles District Library

Samuel Shriner, 85, of 2403 Redfield Road, died Saturday at Osteopathic Hospital, South Bend, after a lengthy illness.

A lifetime resident of the area, Mr. Shriner was an employee of Tyler Refrigeration Company.

He was born June 5, 1895 in Bremen, Ind., and married Emma Batchelor on July 17, 1927 in Niles.

She survives along with three daughters, Mrs. John (Marie) Smith of Fort Wayne, Ind.; Mrs. Wayne (Marjorie) Baxter of Niles and Mrs. Jack (Betty) Duis, also of Niles; 15 grandchildren and 17 great grandchildren.

He was a member of the Church of God Full Gospel.

Funeral services will take place at Pifer-Smith Funeral Home at 10:30 a.m. Tuesday with Rev. Morton Hemple of the Church of God officiating. Burial will be in Silverbrook Cemetery.

Friends may call between 7 and 9 p.m.  tonight and memorials may be made to the Church of God Full Gospel.