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.

Babbitt, John M.

JOHN M. BABBITT
1896-1966


John Babbitt Dies; Lumber Firm Owner

    John M. Babbitt, 70, died at 6:15 a.m. today at Pawating Hosptial where he had been a  patient about two weeks.
    He operated the Babbitt Lumber Company here for 50 years and was a past president of the Chamber of Commerce of Greater Niles.
    Born July 13, 1896, in Crawfordsville, Ind., he came to Niles in 1907 from Louisville, Ky.  On Aug. 7, 1924, he married Fay Smith in Niles.
    Surviving in addition to his wife are a daughter, Mrs. Milo L. Ruetz, Niles and two grandchildren.
    In addition to the chamber, he was also a member of the Niles Rotary Club, the Knights of Columbus, Niles Elks Club, Fraternal Order of Police, NIles American Legion Post 26, the Pickwick Club and St. Mary's Catholic Church.
    His tenure as president of the chamber was from 1932-1933. He was also a director of the Northern Indiana-Southern Michigan Retail Lumberman's Association.
    In 1914, he went into business with his father, W.L. Babbitt.  During World War I, he enlisted in the Navy.
    Funeral services will be at 9 a.m. Saturday at the St. Mary's Catholic Church with the Rt. Rev. Msgr. John D. Slowey officiating. Burial will be in Silverbrook Cemetery.
    Friends may call after 7 p.m., at the Halbritter-Swem Funeral Home.  Rosary will be recited at 7:30 p.m., Friday at the funeral home.
    The family has asked that memorials be given to charities.

(Source:  Niles Daily Star, Wednesday, October 12, 1966, page 2, col. 2&3, microfilm Niles District Library)

Worm, Walter R.

Walter R. Worm
1908-1975


    Niles--Walter R. Worm, 67, of Thompson Rd., died at 6:25 p.m. Monday in Pawating Hospital.
    An Army veteran of World War II, he was born March 6, 1908, in South Bend, and lived in Niles most of his lifetime.
    Surviving is a sister, Mrs. Gertrude Dittmar of Niles.
    Funeral services will  be held at 10 a.m. Thursday in the Pifer Chapel of the Swem-Smith Funeral Home with Lawrence Lee of the New Apostolic Church officiating.  Burial will be in Silverbrook Cemetery.
    Friends may call after 7 p.m. Wednesday at the funeral home.
    Military rite to be conducted by the LaRue Messenger Post 26 of the American Legion.

(Source: Niles Daily Star, Tuesday, June 3, 1975, page 2, col. 6, microfilm Niles District Library)

DePoy, Ray E.

RAY E. DEPOY
Oct. 14, 1900-Feb. 16, 1959


Ray E. DePoy, 58, of 1929 Niles-Buchanan Road, retired Niles automobile dealer, died Monday evening in St. Petersburg, Fla.
Mr. DePoy, a charter member of the Niles Lions Club and a past deputy district governor, was born Oct. 14, 1900, in Winamac, Ind., and came to Niles in 1926 from South Bend.  He also was a member of the New Carlisle, Ind., Masonic Lodge.
Surviving are: his widow, Dorothy; two sons, William E. DePoy, of Niles, and Leslie J. DePoy, of Constantine; five grandchildren; three brothers, William E. and Ralph DePoy, both of Niles, and George DePoy, of LaPorte, Ind., and a sister, Mrs. Carol Carr, of Rolling Prairie, Ind.
Friends may call beginning Friday evening at the Pifer Funeral Home where arrangements are incomplete.

(Source: Niles Daily Star, Tuesday, February 17, 1959, page 2 col. 5, microfilm Niles District Library)

DePoy, Dorothy B.

DOROTHY B. DEPOY

Jan. 27, 1896-June 3, 1975

    Niles--Mrs. Dorothy B. DePoy, 79, of 251 Cass st., died at 12:55 a.m. today in Pawating Hospital after a brief illness.
    Born Jan. 27, 1896, in Sunderland, England, she lived in Niles since 1927, coming from South Bend.  Her husband, Ray DePoy, died in 1959.
    Surviving are two sons, William E. DePoy of Niles and Leslie J. DePoy of Schoolcraft, Mich.; a brother, Otto Baker of South Bend, and six grandchildren.
    Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. Thursday in the Halbritter Funeral Home with Calvin Hargis of Jehovah's Witnesses, of which she was a member, officiating.  Burial will be in Silverbrook Cemetery.
    Friends may call after 4 p.m. Wednesday at the funeral home.
    Memorials may be made to the Niles Community Library.

(Source: Niles Daily Star, Tuesday, June 3, 1975, page 2, col. 5, microfilm Niles District Library)

DePoy, William Everett


WILLIAM EVERETT DEPOY
1926-1995
charter member Y's Men's Club

    Funeral services for William Everett DePoy, 69, of 1525 Merrifield St., Niles, will be Wednesday at 11 a.m. at Pifer-Smith Funeral Home in Niles by the Rev. Nolan Williams of Wesley United Methodist Church in Niles.
    Burial will follow in Silverbrook Cemetery, Niles, with graveside committal rites by Benevolent and Protective Order of the Elks No. 1322 (BPOE)
    Mr. DePoy died early Sunday morning at his home.
    He was born May 19, 1926, in South Bend, Ind.
    On Dec. 4, 1948, in Niles, he married the former Dorlene Jones, who survives.
    Mr. DePoy retired in 1970 from Bendix Corp. Missile Division, as contract administrator.  He was also former owner and operator of Radio Shack in Niles for 15 years.
    He was a veteran of the U.S. Army during World War II.  He was [a] charter member of Y's Men's Club in Niles; a member of Niles City Club; former Niles City Republican Chairman; former Niles Airport Board chairman; a member of the Niles Optimist Club; and BPOE No. 1322.  He was also a licensed pilot.
    In addition to his wife, survivors include two daughters, Constance Morrison of Niles, and Barbara Farb of Menasha, Wis.; a son Roger DePoy  of Niles; and seven grandchildren.  A brother, Leslie DePoy, died in 1988.
    Memorial contributions may be made to BPOE No. 1322, Niles, or American Parkinson Disease Association, Wisconson[sic] Information and Referral Center, St. Joseph's Hospital, 3070 N. 51st St., Suite 206, Milwaukee, WI 53210-1688.

(Source:  Niles Daily Star, Monday, December 4, 1995, page 2, col. 2, microfilm Niles District Library)

DePoy, William E.

William E. DePoy

1893-1967

    William E. DePoy, 73, of 527 Union St., died today at 9:10 a.m. in Pawating Hospital.
    A retired service station operator, Mr. DePoy was born Aug. 24, 1893, in Winamac, Ind. He moved to this area from New Carlisle, Ind. in 1929.
    On March 27, 1915, he married Edna O. Brown in New Carlisle.
    In addition to his wife, Edna, he is survived by a daughter, Mrs. Noble L. Robinson of Niles; a son, Max E. DePoy of Niles, six grandchildren; a sister, Mrs. Martha Carr of LaPorte, Ind. and a brother, Ralph DePoy of Niles.
    He was a member of the Niles Lions Club and the Niles Elks Club.
    Funeral services will be Monday at 3 p.m., In the Halbritter-Swem Funeral Home with the Rev. John P. MacLachlan officiating.
    Graveside services will be in Silverbrook Cemetery.
    Friends and relatives may call at the funeral home Saturday after 7 p.m.

(Source: Niles Daily Star, Friday, June 30, 1967, page 2, col. 4, microfilm Niles District Library)

Jones, Rubie

Rubie Jones
1903-1999


    Funeral service for Rubie Jones, 95, 1310 Howard Street, Niles, will be Saturday at 1 p.m. at Halbritter Funeral Home, Niles, by the Rev. Dr. Ronald H. Wakeman of First Presbyterian Church, NIles.
    Burial will follow at Silverbrook Cemetery, Niles.
    Mrs. Jones died Tuesday at 3:35 a.m.  at Silverbroook Manor, Niles.
    She was born Sept. 2, 1903, in Buchanan and was a lifetime resident of this area.
    On July 24, 1924, in Goshen, Ind., she married Byford Jones, who preceded her in death on May 2, 1958.
    Mrs. Jones was a former sales clerk at Drolet's Main-Oak Pharmacy.
    She was a member of the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers Auxiliary.
    Mrs. Jones was also preceded in death by a daughter Anita Cogswell in March 1994, a brother, Ray Canfield and a sister, Bessie Webber.
    Surviving family includes three daughters:  Donna Drolet of Niles, Dorlene Sarratore of Mesa, Ariz. and Ellen Morrow of Niles, 15 grandchildren and 24 great-grandchildren.
    Friends may call one hour prior to services at Halbritter Funeral Home.
    Memorial contributions may be made to Support the Fort, Niles, or the Foundation of First Presbyterian Church.

(Source: Niles Daily Star, Wednesday, January 6, 1999, page 2, col. 2-3, microfilm Niles District Library)