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.

Renz, Anna Marie (Marshall)

Anna Marie Renz
March 15, 1880-Jan. 13, 1940


Niles Daily Star, Monday, January 15, 1940, page 2, col. 1, microfilm Niles District Library

Mrs. Scott Renz, Friend of Sick, Unfortunate, Dies

 

Mrs Anna Marie Renz, wife of Scott Renz, died Saturday afternoon in their home, 545 S. St. Joseph avenue. Her death followed a prolonged period of ill health but her condition became critical only a brief time before her passing.

She had been a member of the Methodist Episcopal church for 38 years and had served as president of the Ladies Aid society. Always generous to those in distress and need, she had become known throughout the city for her ministrations to the sick and her sympathetic understanding of the problems of those in trouble.

Mrs. Renz's parents, Joseph and Anna Marshall, were born in Leeds, England. Mrs. Renz was born in Elyria, O., March 15, 1880, one of a family of 10 children. Mr. and Mrs. Renz were married Aug. 4, 1899, in Fremont, O., and came at once to Niles, Mr. Renz's home city.

To their union was born one child, Mrs. Helen Wiars, wife of Myrtis Wiars, of Niles.

Beside the husband and daughter, Mrs. Renz is survived by a grandson, Dale M. Wiars, Niles, and by three sisters and a brother, Mrs. Edward Paulis and Mrs. Addison Whiteman, Niles; and Mrs. Andrew Rommell and John Marshall, Sturgis.

Funeral services are to be held at 2:30 Tuesday afternoon in the Price and Kiger funeral home. The Rev. J. Kenneth Hoffmaster, pastor of the Methodist Episcopal church, will officiate.

Burial will be in Silverbrook cemetery. Friends may call at the home to view the body until noon Tuesday.

 

Fay, Claude F.

Claude F. Fay
Nov. 3, 1900-Aug. 18, 1978

Niles Daily Star, Monday, August 21, 1978, page 2, col. 6, microfilm Niles District Library

NILES--Claude F. Fay, 77, of 703 N. Sixth St., died at 5:30 p.m. Friday at Pawating Hospital, following an extended illness.

A veteran of the U.S. Navy, having served in World War I, Mr. Fay was a life member of the Niles American Legion Post 26 and a retired employee of the National-Standard Co.

He was born Nov. 3, 1900 in Van Wert, Iowa, and had lived her since 1910, coming from New York.

On June 5, 1940 in Mansfield, Ohio, he married Bessie Lee Medders, who died Jan. 9,, 1976.

Survivors include a step daughter, Mrs. Max (Betty) Cole of Niles; a brother, Clifton A. of Niles; five grandchildren and one great-grandchild.

Funeral services will be at the Halbritter Funeral Home with the Rev. Arnold O. Schaap of Edwardsburg officiating. Burial will be in Silverbrook Cemetery.

Friends may call from 7 to 9 p.m. today at the funeral home.

 

Morris, Raymond W. Sr.

Raymond W. Morris, Sr.
March 17, 1907-Aug. 12, 1978

Niles Daily Star, Tuesday, August 15, 1978, page 2, col. 3-5, microfilm Niles District Library

Funeral services for Raymond W. Morris Sr., 71, of 1051 Eagle Lake Drive, Rt. One, Paw Paw, who died at 10:10 p.m. Saturday at Pawating Hospital, Niles, following an extended illness, will be at 11 a.m. Wednesday at the Wesley United Methodist Church, Niles.

The Revs. Mark D. Graham of the Wesley United Methodist Church and Kenneth L. Snow of the Morris Chapel United Methodist Church will officiate. Burial will be in Silverbrook Cemetery.

Memorials may be made to the Berrien County Cancer Service or the Niles Community Library. Friends are calling at the Halbritter Funeral Home.

Mr. Morris was a retired Studebaker Corp. employee and a retired farmer. He was born March 17, 1907 in Niles and had lived his lifetime in the area until moving to Paw Paw six years ago.

On May 1, 1937 in Rochester, Ind., he married Phyllis M. Welch, who survives.

Also surviving are four sons, Richard and Sgt. George Morris, both of Niles, Raymond Jr. of Michigan City, Ind., and Arthur Lee of Edwardsburg; seven daughters, Mrs. Marie Weintland of Niles, Mrs. Palmer (Joanne) Feltman of Denver, Colo., Mrs. Ray (June) Standiford of Niles, Mrs. Robert (Norma) Kattermeinrich of Niles, Mrs. Eugene (Margie) Sherwood of Niles, Mrs. Edward (Mary) Graham of Niles, and Mrs. Dale (Lena) Young of Niles; a brother, Kenneth of Niles; a cousin, Richard Howard of Niles; 36 grandchildren and 10 great-grandchildren.

Mr. Morris was a member of the Niles Community Grange and a past master of the grange.  He also was a former member of the school board of the Thomson School District, a former school bus driver for the Niles Community Schools, a graduate of Niles High School and an outstanding basketball player at Niles.

 

Elliott, Caroline Louise

Caroline Louise Elliott
Jan. 15, 1859-Jan. 14, 1940

Niles Daily Star, Tuesday, January 16, 1940, page 2, col. 2, microfilm Niles District Library


The body of Caroline Louise Elliott, a former resident of the city who died earlier this week in Chicago will be brought to Niles for burial Wednesday afternoon. Committal services at Silverbrook cemetery will be conducted by the Rev. Guy W. Simon.

(Daughter of William S. Elliott and 3rd wife Arthaline Howell)

Elliott, William Sidney

William Sidney Elliott
Jan. 18, 1813-Oct. 17, 1899


Niles Mirror, Wednesday, October 25, 1899, page 1, col. 3, microfilm Niles District Library

Death of a Former Resident

 

Wm. S. Elliott died in Chicago on the evening of Oct. 17, aged 87 years. He was a resident of Niles from 1837 to 1851, at first a farmer at Bertrand, then for about six years he resided on Oak Lane in this city.

The remains will arrive in Niles tomorrow at noon and interment will be at Silver Brook cemetery.  Mr. J.S. Orr of Michigan City, a nephew of the deceased, is here to make all arrangements for the funeral.

Of the Elliott family there remains the third wife, three sons and one daughter.


Niles Mirror, Wednesday, October 25, 1899, page 1, col. 3, microfilm Niles District Library

The remains of the late William S. Elliott, who died at the home of his son, F.E. Elliott, in Chicago, Oct. 17, arrived this afternoon, accompanied by several relatives. Interment was in Silver Brook cemetery.

 

Elliott, Arthaline (Howell)

Mrs. Wm. S. (Arthaline Howell) Elliott
Dec. 22, 1830-April 19, 1914


Niles Daily Sun, Monday, April 20, 1914, page 1, col. 4, microfilm Niles District Library

FORMER NILES LADY TO BE BURIED HERE

 

The remains of Mrs. Elliott, a former resident of Niles who died Sunday in Chicago from pneumonia are to be brought to Niles Tuesday at 12:50. Deceased was advanced in years and was upwards of 75 years of age. The remains will be taken directly to Silver Brook cemetery for interment. They will be accompanied to Niels by the pastor of the Chicago Presbyterian church where the deceased attended, also by four pallbearers from that city.

Arrangements for the funeral were made with Undertaker Skalla by Mrs. Orr of Michigan City, who came to Niles today for that purpose.


Niles Daily Star, Monday, April 20, 1914, page 1, col. 5, microfilm Niles District Library


FORMER AGED NILESITE DIED IN CHICAGO

Body Will Arrive Here Tomorrow for Interment in Family Lot

 

Mrs. Wm. S. Elliott, over 80 years of age, died in Chicago Sunday from pneumonia. The family resided in Niles during the later part of the forties and well into the fifties, and will be well remembered by old-time residents. Mrs. Elliott was related the Coan, Ferson and other early families of Niles.

Mrs. Geo. S. Orr of Michigan City, a close friend of the deceased, came here today and made arrangements for interment at Silver Brook cemetery, in the Elliott famliy burial lot. The body will arive[sic] in Niles tomorrow noon, accompanied by the daughter, Miss Carrie Elliott, who is at the head of the city reference department in Chicago.  A son resides in New York City, but will be unable to come.

 

Elliott, Caroline (Morse)

Caroline M. Elliott
May 5, 1825-Dec. 30, 1851

Niles Republican, Saturday, January 10, 1851, page 2, col. 6, microfilm Niles District Library


DIED

In Niles, on the evening of the 30th ult., Mrs. Caroline M, wife of William S. Elliott.

Long impressed with the feeling that her stay on earth would be short, she at length verified a remark of her during her sickness. "My home is not in this world."--And, truly, her dying exercises assured others of her destiny. "Weep not for me; all is well, all is well." "Oh! yes, Jesus is precious--If I could have breath I would tell you how precious! How I would praise him!"  "O Death, where is thy sting?  And five minutes before expiring, she said, "I am going, I am going to Jesus!" These taken from many expressions, suggest the heaven revealed"  Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord.