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.

Low, Mary Jane

Mrs. Mary Jane Low
March  3, 1895-January 8, 1956


    Mrs. Mary Jane Agnes Low, 60, of 1813 Bell Road, died Sunday in St. Joseph Hospital in South Bend after a six weeks illness
    She was born March 3, 1895, in Bathgate, N.D., and married Willis W. Low on March 11, 1918 in Richmond, Va.  He survives.
    Survivors are her mother, Mrs. Sarah Healey, Burlington, N.D.; her husband, Willis Sr., three sons, Willis Jr., Joseph and Calvin, all of Niles, three daughters, Mrs., Verda Hyde, Mrs. Louise Keihn and Mrs. Jane Lewis, all of Niles, five granchildren[sic] and four sisters, Mrs. Edith Heath of LaPorte, Ind., Mrs. Josie Sommer of Seattle, Wash., Mrs. Annabell Lux of Burlington, J.D. and Mrs. Ida Berard of Red Falls, Minn.
    Services will be held at 2 p.m., Wednesday in the Kiger Funeral Home with the Rev. Orlen Njus of Bertrand Bible Church officiating. Burial will be in the Silverbrook Cemetery.

Niles Daily Star, Monday, January 9, 1956, page 2, col. 4, microfilm Niles District Library.

Carlson, Edna Marie

Mrs. Edna Carlson
Aug. 29, 1904-Jan. 10, 1956


    Mrs. Edna Marie Carlson, 51, of 816 Burns Street, died at 1:15 p.m. Tuesday at Pawating Hospital.
    Mrs. Carlson was born Aug. 29, 1904 in Joliet, Ill., and moved to Niles about 32 years ago.  She was employed as a New York Central Railroad clerk and was a member of the clerk's association.
    Surviving are:  her husband, John L.; her mother, Mrs. Alfred Waite, of Niles; her step-father, Alfred Waite, of Niles; a half-brother, Gordon Waite, of St. Louis, Mo., and two half-sisters, Miss Julane Waite and Mrs. Harvey Milthaler, both of Niles.
    Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. Friday in the Pifer Funeral Home here with Dr. 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, Wednesday, January 11, 1956, page 2, col. 4, microfilm Niles District Library.

Reum, Ernest A.

Ernest A. Reum
Oct. 27, 1879-January 10, 1956


    Ernest A. Reum, 76, of 918 Lake Street, died suddenly Tuesday in his home.
    Reum was born Oct. 27, 1879 in Germany and came to this country in 1927 and worked for the Kawneer Co., for 18 years before retiring in 1945.
    Survivors are his widow Ernestine, two daughters, Mrs. Berta Stracke of St. Joseph and Mrs. Caroline Thorpe of Auburn, Ind, two[sic] sons, Karl, Arthur and August, all of Niles, William of Bremerton, Wash., and Richard of St. Joseph, 11 grandchildren and one sister, Enna Bohle of Germany.
    Services will be held at 3:30 pm. Friday at the Pifer Funeral Home with the Rev. Theodore Laesch of the St. Paul's Lutheran Church officiating.  Burial will be in Silverbrook Cemetery.

Niles Daily Star, Wednesday, January 11, 1956, page 2, col. 4, microfilm Niles District Library.

Butler, Harry J.

Harry J. Butler
July 30, 1886-Jan. 11, 1956


    Harry J. Butler, 69, of 407 Dey Street, died this morning in Pawating Hospital, after a one week illness.
    Butler was born July 30, 1886, in Mattawan, Mich., and has lived here 44 years.  He married Fannie Taylor, Jan. 21, 1908 in Decatur, Mich.  He worked for the Michigan Central Railroad as a telegraph operator before retiring last year.  He was also a member of the Pioneer Association of the Michgan[sic] Central Railroad.
    Survivors are his widow, Fannie, one daughter, Mrs. Camilia Rohrbaugh, of Elkhart, one son, Lynn, of Niles, two grandchildren and three sisters, Mrs. Beulah Sandfort of Detroit, Mrs. Lena Spamm and Mrs. Hazel Reuter, both of Kalamazoo.
    Services will be held at 2 p.m., Friday in the Kiger Funeral Home with the Rev. John W. Hill at the First Evangelical United Brethren Church officiating.  Burial will be in Silverbrook Cemetery.

Niles Daily Star, Wednesday, January 11, 1956, page 2, col. 4, microfilm Niles District Library.

Dux, Bertha Marie

Miss Bertha M. Dux
Feb. 3, 1877-January 12, 1956


    Miss Bertha Marie Dux, 78, of 336 Fort Street, died at 8:40 a.m. today in Pawating Hospital following an illness of two weeks.
    Miss Dux was born Feb. 3, 1877, in North Judson, Ind., and moved here about 30 years ago. She was a member of St. Paul's Lutheran Church.
    Surviving are: four sisters, Mrs. J.C. Humphrey and Miss Emma Dux, both of Niles, Mrs. Minnie Swartz, of Logansport, Ind., and Mrs. Pauline Underwood, of Knox, Ind., and two brothers, John, of Kankakee, Ill., and Henry, of Kouts, Ind.
    Funeral services will be held at . .[illegible]. .in the Pifer Funeral Home . . [illegible] . .Theodore Laesch, pastor of St. Paul's, officiating.  Burial will be in Silverbrook Cemetery.  Friends may call at the funeral home beginning Friday afternoon.

Niles Daily Star, Thursday, January 12, 1956, page 2, col. 4, microfilm Niles District Library.

Bolding, Betty Lou (Gibbs)

Betty Lou Bolding, 79
Oct. 3, 1931 – Jan. 15, 2011

Betty Lou (Gibbs) Smith Bolding, 79, of State Line Road, Niles, died at 4:15 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 15, 2011 at West Woods of Niles following an extended illness.

She was born Oct. 3, 1931 in Edwardsburg to Francis Earl Gibbs and Dessie Lorie Lumbert. She graduated from Edwardsburg High School and received her diploma in 1977.

She retired in 1990 from Michigan Skilled Center, Inc.

She was a member of Emmanuel Baptist Church in Niles. She enjoyed game shows on television, especially “Jeopardy.” She loved people, cooking and helping with Feed the Children.

She was first married on Aug. 31, 1949 to Eugene L. Smith in Osceola, Ind. He died Sept. 22, 1988.

She then married Charles H. Bolding on July 13, 1996. He died Oct. 4, 2000.

She was also preceded in death by her sons, Eugene L. Smith, Jr., on July 13, 2001, and Daniel F. Smith, on Aug. 4, 1979; and brothers, Glen. A., Marvin and Alvin Gibbs.

She was survived by her sons, Joseph A. and Randall W. Smith of Niles; daughters, Gwendolyn L. Smith of Battle Creek, Mich., JoAnn C. Smith of Battle Creek, Carolyn J. Smith of Hudson, Fla., Roberta D. Anderson of Battle Creek and Marjorie E. Smith of Berrien Springs; nine grandchildren; 14 great-grandchildren; brothers, Richard Gibbs of Union City, Mich. and George and Russell Gibbs of Chicago; and sisters, Romona Myers of Plymouth, Ind., Ruth McNaughton of South Bend, Viola Hansen of Hillsdale, Mich. and Beverly Van Harlingen of Elkhart, Ind.

The family will gather privately at Halbritter Funeral Home with Pastor Brian G. Hedges of Fulkerson Park Baptist Church officiating.

Burial will be at Silverbrook Cemetery in Niles.

There will be no public visitation.

Niles Daily Star, Published online 10:41pm Monday, January 17, 2011

Kline, John

John Kline
April 10, 1862-July 15, 1944

Niles Daily Star, Saturday, July 15, 1944, page 2, col. 8, microfilm Niles District Library

JOHN KLINE, 82, TAKEN BY DEATH

John G. Kline, 82, died this morning at his home at 56 River street.

Kline was born in Niles, April, 1862, and was married in Niles to Agnes Cameron in 1884.  He lived in Niles all his life.

Surviving are the widow; seven children--Lourie, John, Delbert, Harry and Anderson Kline, Niles--and Mrs. Genevieve Douglas and Mrs. Ella Douglas; South Bend.

 

Niles Daily Star, Monday, July 17, 1944, page 2, col. 2, microfilm Niles District Library

KLINE RITES

Services for John G. Kline, 82, of 50 River street, were conducted this afternoon at 2:30 in th Pifer funeral home by the Rev. O.H. Gerstenkorn, pastor of the Baptist church. Burial was in Silverbrook cemetery.  Kline, who died Saturday morning is survived by the widow, Agnes; seven children, Lourie, John Delbert, Harry and Anderson Kline, all of Niles, and Mrs. Ella Douglas and Mrs. Genevieve Douglas, South Bend, and eight grandchildren.

 

*DOB from Death record.