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.

Visel, Charles Frederick

Charles Frederick Visel
July 16, 1868-Nov. 12, 1946

Niles Daily Star, Wednesday, November 13, 1946, page 2, col. 5, microfilm Niles District Library


Charles Visel, 78, Succumbs Tuesday Following Illness

 

Charles Frederick Visel, 78, of 721 North Fourth street, died Tuesday at 7 p.m., in Pawating hospital following an illness of seven weeks.

A lifelong resident of Niles, he was born July 16, 1868.  Visel was a retired railroad signal corpsman. His wife, Minnie, died in 1929.

Services will be held Friday at 2 p.m., in the Kiger funeral home, with the Rev. Theo Eisen officiating. Burial will be in Silverbrook cemetery. Friends may call at the funeral home.

Surviving are his daughters, Mrs. E.A. McLauchlin, Miss Ruth Visel, and Mrs. L.E. Weldy, all of Niles; and Mrs. A.W. Maas, Detroit; a brother, George Visel, Evanston, Ill. ; a sister, Miss Anne Visel, Niles; and a granddaughter, Mary Margaret McLauchlin, Niles.

Visel was a member of St. John's Evangelical and Reformed church, Pioneer association, NYC railroad and the Elks lodge.

 

Walters, Joseph

Joseph Walters
Nov. 18, 1890-Nov. 26, 1946


Niles Daily Star, Wednesday, November 26, 1946, page 2, col. 4, microfilm Niles District Library

Joseph Walters, 56, Dies Suddenly on Tuesday Afternoon

 

Joseph Walters, 56, of 1525 Cherry street, did Tuesday at 3:50 p.m. at Pawating hospital, where he had been taken only a few hours before.

A railroad engineer, Walters had lived in Niles for the past 30 years, coming here from South Bend. He had been born in Elkhart, Ind., Nov. 18, 1890. In Niles he was a member of the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers.

Survivors include his wife, Mabel; a son, Eugene Walters, Calveras county, Cal.; a daughter, Mrs. Lavone Walsh, Montreal, Can.; a nephew, Jack Woods; a niece, Juanita Woods; a granddaughter; a sister, Mrs. Glenn Heitz, Gould City; and two brothers, Wolford Walters and Clyde Walters, both of Mishawaka.

Friends may call at the Pifer funeral home, where the Rev. Clarence K. Graham will conduct services Friday t 2 p.m.  Burial will be in Silverbook cemetery.

 

Walker, Samuel Starr

Samuel Starr Walker
1855-July 18, 1948


Niles Daily Star, Tuesday, July 20, 1948, page 1, col. 3, microfilm Niles District Library


Ex-Nilesite, Pioneer in Mills, Dead

 

Samuel Starr Walker, 92, former Niles resident who became one of Michigan's leading pioneers in the knitting industry, died Sunday at his home in Grand Rapids after a brief illness.

Started First Mills

Walker moved from Niles to Grand Rapids in 1892 and started the first knitting mills there. Prominent in civic affairs, he was a member of the committee which brought the first motored fire equipment to Grand Rapids. Prior to his retirement he had operated Knitting mills in Memphis, Tenn.

Surviving are his wife, three sons, eight grandchildren, 11 great-grandchildren, and a sister, Mrs. Lewis H. Beeson, 61 North St. Joseph avenue, Niles.

To Be Buried Here

Funeral services are being held in Grand Rapids and private committal service will be held Wednesday at Silverbrook cemetery here.

 

Watson, Verne A.

Verne A. Watson
Aug. 6, 1889-Nov. 16, 1946

Niles Daily Star, Saturday, November 16, 1946, page 2, col. 4, microfilm Niles District Library


Watson Expires Early Today After Extended Illness

 

Verne A. Watson, 57, of 456 South St. Joseph avenue, died at 5:10 a.m. today at Pawating hospital, where he has been ill the past several months.

Supervisor of the Cass county bureau of social aid until illness forced his resignation last spring, Watson had come to Niles a year ago from Dowagiac because of his health.

Born in Blandenville, Ill., Aug. 6, 1889, Watson was a resident for years in Edwardsburg. He was a veteran of World War I and was service officer of the Cassopolis Veterans of Foreign Wars post for many years and was a member of the Edwardsburg Presbyterian church. He was married to Leona Culp in 1919.

He leaves his wife, a daughter, Jean, at home, and a sister, Mrs. R.C. Osborn, Streeter, Ill.

Services will be held Monday at 2 p.m. at the Pifer funeral home, where the Rev. T.M. Greenhoe will officiate. Burial will be in Silverbrook cemetery. Friends may call at the funeral home.

 

Weiss, Mary Louise

Mary Louise Weiss
July 30, 1918-Aug. 27, 1995

Niles Daily Star, Monday, August 28, 1995, page 2, col. 2, microfilm Niles District Library

Mary Weiss, 77, of 808 Iroquois, Niles, died at 11 p.m. Sunday, at Pawating Hospital in Niles.

Arrangements are being completed by Halbritter Funeral Home in Niles.


Niles Daily Star, Tuesday, August 29, 1995, page 2, col. 2, microfilm Niles District Library


Mary Louise Weiss
1918-1995
avid bridge player

Funeral services for Mary Louise Weiss, 77, of 808 Iroquois Trail, Niles, will be Wednesday at 11 a.m. at Halbritter Funeral Home in Niles by the Rev. A.E. Bastin of St. John's United Church of Christ.

Burial will follow in Silverbrook Cemetery in Niles.

Mrs. Weiss died at 11 p.m. Sunday at Pawating Hospital in Niles, following a brief illness.

She was born July 30, 1918, in Niles, and was a lifetime resident of Niles.

On March 24, 1946, in Niles, she married Paul L. Weiss, who survives.

Mrs. Weiss was a retired employee of Kawneer Co.

She was a member of St. John's United Church of Christ, Niles; Niles YMCA Duplicate Bridge Club; Lady Elks, Niles; Niles Chapter 332, Order of Eastern Star; and was a former legal secretary for Grathwohl and Grathwohl.

In addition to her husband, survivors include two sons, Paul E. Weiss of Davison, and Jerry Weiss of Germany; and five grandchildren.

Friends may call today from 5-8 p.m. at the funeral home.

Memorial contributions may be made to the Niles Community Library.

 

Webber, Lawrence F.

Lawrence F. Webber
June 1, 1895-May 15, 1981


Niles Daily Star, Saturday, May 16, 1981, page 2, col. 7, microfilm Niles District Library


Lawrence F. Webber, 85, of Ann Arbor, died Friday in St. Joseph Mercy Hospital in Ann Arbor.

He was born June 1, 1895 in Niles [and] was a 1914 graduate of Niles High school.

He served with the U.S. Navy in World War I and World War II.

Mr. Webber had been a sales representative for the National Cash Register Company and later operated his own store equipment business at Ann Arbor.  He was a long-time member of the Lions Club and Elks Lodge 325.

Funeral services will be held at 4 p.m. Saturday in the Muehlig Funeral Chapel in Ann Arbor. Dr. Erwin A. Gaede will officiate.

Graveside services will be held at 1:30 p.m. Monday in Silverbrook Cemetery in Niles. The Rev. Ray Cunningham will officiate.

The family suggests that memorials may be made to the Lions Club Activities Fund.

 

Winger, William H.

William H. Winger
Jan. 4, 1913-June 10, 1960


Niles Daily Star, Saturday, June 11, 1960, page 2, col. 1, microfilm Niles District Library

William H. Winger, 47, 527 James St., died at 5:05 p.m. Friday in Memorial Hospital, South Bend.

Mr. Winger was born Jan. 4, 1913 in Owensboro, Ky., and came to Niles in 1952 from South Bend, where he worked as an inspector for the Wheelhorse Mfg. Corp.

Surviving are: his widow, Mabelle; two step-sons, Harry Boekhoff, Lindwood, Calif., and Billy Boekhoff, Norwalk, Calif., one grandson, and a sister, Mrs. Helen Cashen,  Huntington, W.Va.

Funeral services will be held at 3 p.m. Tuesday in the Pifer Funeral Home with the Rev. Robert K. Lee, pastor of the New Apostolic Church, officiating. Burial will be in Silverbrook Cemetery. Friends will be received at the funeral home.