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.

Cain, Joseph F.

Joseph F. Cain
May 13, 1891-April 6, 1964

Funeral services for Joseph F. Cain, 72, of 1236 Phoenix St., will be conducted at 2 p.m. Wednesday in the Kiger Funeral Home. The Rev. Gordon Jackson, pastor of the First Church of God, will officiate. Burial will be in Silverbrook Cemetery.

He died at 4:15 a.m.  April 6, 1964, today in Pawating Hospital, where he had been a patients since February 12. he had been ill a year.

Mr. Cain who retired eight years ago from services as a guard at the Kawneer Company, was born May 13, 1891, in Lake City, Minn. He came I to Niles from Tonopah, Nev. In 1918.

Survivors include his widow, Melba R.; a daughter, Mrs. Joseph Schrader, Dowagiac; three sons, Phillip D. and Joseph F, both of Niles and Richard B., Smithtown, Long Island, NY; three brothers, Paul, Colonsay Sask, Can, Harry Saskatoon Sask, Cain and Ira Owatonso, Minn. And 14 grandchildren.

Friends are being received at the funeral home.

Submitted by family member; publication details unknown

  

Cusick, Leo M.

Leo M. Cusick
Aug. 31, 1923-Aug. 3, 1996

Leo M. Cusick, 72, of 2006 Ontario Road, died Saturday, Aug. 3, 1996,  in Woodfield Manor.  He was born Aug. 31, 1923. Graveside service will be at 11 a.m. Saturday in Silverbrook Cemetery. There is no visitation. Hoven Funeral Home, Buchanan, is handling arrangements.

Submitted by family member; publication details unknown 

Cusick, Flora D. (Smith)

Flora D. Cusick
Aug. 11, 1905-Dec. 31, 1998

Flora D. Cusick, 93, of South Thirteenth Street, Niles, Mich. died at 6:25 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 31, 1998, at Silverbrook Manor in Niles following a brief illness.

She was born August 11, 1905 in Galien, Mich. to Anna (Sharfenberg) and Utah B. Smith and had lived in this area all her life.

Mrs. Cusick enjoyed handwork like crochet.  She and her family had a great appreciation for the outdoors, always maintaining a cabin and spending time together enjoying fishing and mushroom hunting.

On September 4, 1920 in South Bend, Ind. she was married to Leo P. Cusick, who died on August 7, 1983.  She was also preceded in death by a son, Leo M. Cusick on August 19, 1996; a sister, Pleasant Burge; and brothers, Mexico, Arizona, Nevada, Michigan, and Allison Smith.

Mrs. Cusick is survived by her children, Winogene Carpenter, Dwayne H. Cusick, and Marjorie Winquist, all of Niles; five grandchildren; nine great grandchildren; two great great grandchildren; sisters, Virginia Jacobs of South Bend, Lillian Graham of Niles, and Shirley Ortiz of Port Hayward, Virginia; and a brother Merlyn ''Bud'' Smith of Baldwin, Mich.

Funeral services for Flora D. Cusick will be at 1 p.m. Tuesday, in Halbritter Funeral Home in Niles with Pastor Ted Mitchell of Edwardsburg, Mich. officiating.

Interment will be at Silverbrook Cemetery, Niles.

The family will receive friends from 5 to 7 p.m., Monday at the funeral home. Contributions in memory of Mrs. Cusick may be made to the donor's choice.

Submitted by family member; publication details unknown 

Cusick, Dwayne H.

Dwayne H. Cusick
March 22, 1925-March 28, 2005

Dwayne H. Cusick, 80, of Thirteenth Street, Niles, Mich., died following an extended illness at 8:40 p.m. Monday, March 28, 2005, in Lakeland Hospital, Niles.

Mr. Cusick was born on March 22, 1925, in South Bend, Ind., to Leo P. and Flora D. (Smith) Cusick. He graduated from Niles High School and remained a lifetime resident of Niles. Dwayne attended Olivett (Michigan) College and graduated from Western Michigan University, Kalamazoo, Mich.

Dwayne was retired from Bendix Aerospace, Mishawaka, Ind. He was a life member of the National Rifle Association, a member of the American Radio Relay League, and the Redbud Amateur Radio Club. He was licensed as an amateur radio operator with the call letters "W8JCU."

On Nov. 14, 1959, in Niles, he was married to the former Beatrice Grinage-Smith, who survives. Also surviving are his two sisters, Winogene Carpenter and Margorie Winquist, both of Niles; a niece, Lisa Winquist; and four nephews, Stephen Winquist, Timothy Winquist, Roger Cusick and Gary Cusick; and several great- and great-great-nieces and nephews.

Mr. Cusick was preceded in death by his brother, Leo M. Cusick, who died Aug. 19, 1996.

The family will gather privately at the graveside in Silverbrook Cemetery, Niles, for words of committal by Rev. Emmett H. Kadwell Jr. of Wesley United Methodist Church. They will receive friends from 6 until 9 p.m. today, March 31, in the Halbritter Funeral Home.

Contributions in memory of Dwayne may be made to Pet Refuge.

Submitted by family member; publication details unknown

Curtis, Clark Keene

Clark Curtis
Oct. 15, 1917-April 19, 1999

Clark Keene Curtis, 81, of 1933 M-51 North, Niles, Mich., died at 9 p.m. on Monday, April 19, 1999,  in his home.

Mr. Curtis was born on Oct. 15, 1917, in Niles, to Orrin and Ethel Curtis, who preceded him in death. On Sept. 1, 1937, he married Darlene Winifred Powers, who preceded him in death on May 19, 1991. He was also preceded in death by a sister, Helen Curtis.

He is survived by three sons, Dr. Gregory Curtis and Robert C. Curtis, both of Niles, and James W. Curtis of Mishawaka, Ind.; two sisters, Joan Fuller of Titusville, Fla., and Doris Giltz of Niles; and by four grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.

Mr. Curtis served his country in the Marines during World War II. He retired from the National Standard Company in 1977 where he worked as a foreman for 31 years. He was a member of the Benevolent and Protective Order of the Elks Lodge #1322, Niles. He was an avid golfer and sports enthusiast.

Memorial services will be held at 11 a.m. on Friday, April 23, at the Pifer-SMITH Funeral Home, Niles.

There will be a visitation from 6 to 8 p.m. on Thursday at the funeral home. Burial of the cremated remains will be in Silverbrook Cemetery, Niles.

Memorial contributions may be made to Hospice at Home.

Submitted by family member; publication details unknown

Cross, William E.

William E. Cross
Aug. 21, 1947-Sept. 6, 2006

William Earl Cross, 59, of 1130 West Kirkwood, Bloomington, Indiana, died of natural causes at 11:45 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 6,  2006, in Hospice House of St. Joseph County, South Bend, IN.

He was born Aug. 21, 1947, in Greenwood, Miss., to the late Ivery and Virginia Cross. He was also preceded in death by a sister, Angela Cross in 1964.

He was a retired factory worker, a U.S. Army veteran, and had lived in the Bloomington area for 20 years.

In February 1967 he married Ruthie Webster, who survives. Also surviving are two sons, Earl Cross and Kareen "CiCi" Cross, both of Niles; a daughter, Kimberly Cross of Niles; three brothers, Robert Kirkwood of South Bend, Ivery (Mary) Cross Jr. and Gary Wayne (April) Cross, both of Niles; and seven sisters, Lodean Fox of Oakland, Calif., Kathleen Johnson, Marilyn Jean Cross, Jeanette (Ronnie) Peterson and Sherri Harris, all of South Bend, Nancy Marie (Robert) Cross of Bloomington, Ind., and Brenda (Tommie) Herring of Virginia Beach; and by two grandchildren.

Services will be at 1 p.m. Monday, Sept. 11, in Mount Olive Missionary Baptist Church, 2262 Mulder Drive, Niles, with Fletcher McAfee, pastor. Minister Tracy Hatcher of Peace Temple, Dowagiac, will officiate. Friends may call one hour before services in the church. Burial will be at Silverbrook Cemetery, Niles.

The Hoven Funeral Home, Buchanan, is handling arrangements.

Submitted by family member; publication details unknown

Croom, Jenny Mae

 Jenny Mae Croom, daughter of Reginald and Valray Croom of 1016 Ferry St., was dead at birth at 2:05 p.m. Saturday Feb. 20, 1994, in Pawating Hospital. Surviving with her parents are a sister, Delaina Croom at home; grandparents, Geneva Davis and Edna Croom, both of Niles, and Matt and Diane Croom of Berrien Center; and great-grandparents, Sam and Mary Wright of Detroit, Ossie Croom of Dumas, Ark., and Nann Davis of Niles.

Private graveside services will be in Silverbrook Cemetery. There will be no visitation. Halbritter Funeral home is in charge of arrangements.