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.

Jann, William L. Jr.

William L. “Junior” Jann Jr., of Niles
Nov 20, 1964-July 19, 2019

Niles Daily Star, Published 8:28 am Wednesday, July 24, 2019

 
 
 
 

Nov. 20, 1964 — July 19, 2019

William L. “Junior” Jann Jr., 54, of Niles, passed away unexpectedly, but of natural causes, on Friday, July 19, 2019, while in Bradenton, Florida.

He was born on Nov. 20, 1964, in Niles to William L. Sr. and Judith L. (Barrett) Jann.

William graduated from North Liberty High School. He was a self-employed heating and air conditioning repairman. William enjoyed treasure hunting and could be found frequently going to Goodwill, yard sales and antique stores. He was a great cook and was teaching himself to play the guitar. William loved music, making people laugh and time spent with family. William could also be found on his Harley Davidson with the wind at his back and took great pride in polishing it nearly every day.

He will be remembered for his big heart, kindness and generosity. William was always giving to everyone he met.

William is preceded in death by his mother, Judith Jann-McLean, and a sister, Sherry Jann-Northrop.

He is survived by his father, William L. Sr. (Merline) Jann, of Bradenton, Florida; his children, Jeffery Jann, of California, and Sara Nikkole-Fugate (Eli Fugate), of Indiana; four grandchildren, Ashton and Orion Fugate, as well as Jeffery and Jayden Jann; a grand-daughter on the way, Vega Eda June Fugate; siblings, Brenda (Roger) Lintz, of Niles, Bryan (Brenda) Jann, of Edwardsburg, Vicky Orrick, of Florida, Jesse (Amy) Jann, of St. Petersburg, Florida, and Jason Vore, of Florida, William will also be missed by nieces, nephews, aunts, uncles, cousins and many friends.

Funeral services will be at 5:30 p.m. on Saturday, July 27, 2019, at Brown Funeral Home in Niles with visitation beginning at 4:30 p.m. William will be laid to rest at a private ceremony at Silverbrook Cemetery.

Memorial contributions may be made in William’s memory to his family.

Memories of William may be shared with his family at BrownFuneralHomeNiles.com.

Arrangements have been entrusted to Brown Funeral Home & Cremation Services, Niles.

Kujawa, Kevin J.

Kevin J. Kujawa, of Niles
Oct. 18, 1985-Sept. 20, 2019

Niles Daily Star, Published 8:40 am Friday, September 20, 2019

Kevin J. Kujawa, 33, of Niles, passed away on Wednesday, Sept. 18, 2019. Arrangements are pending and have been entrusted to Brown Funeral Home. BrownFuneralHomeNiles.com.

AND https://brownfuneralhomeniles.com/tribute/details/2544/Kevin-Kujawa/obituary.html

Obituary of Kevin Joseph Kujawa

Kevin J. Kujawa, 33, of Niles, passed away on Thursday, September 18, 2019, in Battle Creek, Michigan.

Kevin was born on October 18, 1985, in Niles, Michigan to Laurie D. (Wishman) Kujawa.

Kevin will always be remembered for his selflessness. He had the most generous heart, a gentle soul, and he always developed a friendship with whoever crossed his path. He enjoyed being in the construction industry and was a very dedicated worker. From a very young age, he enjoyed fishing and hunting.  Kevin was always around his family and friends; he loved watching sports, and always had music playing. His favorite thing in life was spending time with his two children, Brayden and Payton, from video and baseball games with his son to cheer competitions and snuggles with his daughter.

He was preceded in death by his brother, Brian D. Kujawa;  papa and memaw, Norman and Sue Wishman; grandpa and grandma, Walter and Wanda Kujawa; uncle, Tim Kujawa;  and a cousin, Andrea Howell.

Kevin is survived by his mother, Laurie D. Kujawa; sister, Lynzi Kujawa; son, Brayden Kujawa; daughter, Payton Kujawa; the mother of his children, and love of his life, Crystal Bronstetter; niece, Cali S. Kujawa; all of Niles, Michigan.

Funeral services will be held at 12:00 PM on Sunday, September 22, 2019, at Brown Funeral Home in Niles. Burial will follow at Silverbrook Cemetery. Visitation will be held 2 hours prior to the service, also at Brown Funeral Home.

 

Memorial contributions may be made in Kevin’s memory to the family, in care of his mother, Laurie Kujawa.

Fletcher, Bruce

Bruce Fletcher, of Niles
May 24, 1930 — Sept. 25, 2019

Niles Daily Star, Published 8:45 am Friday, September 27, 2019

Bruce Fletcher, 89, of Niles, passed away on Wednesday, Sept. 25, 2019, at West Woods of Niles.

He was born May 24, 1930, in Toto, Indiana, to the late Virgil and Mousie Fletcher.

Bruce owned and operated Fletcher Excavating for more than 50 years. He, along with his family, built and operated Nub Lake Campground in Niles.

Bruce loved God’s word, especially the study of eschatology. He accepted Jesus Christ as his personal savior on March 13, 1955, and served him faithfully for the rest of his life.

He was an avid hunter and fisherman and always wanted to go one more time. He was planning a fishing trip to Florida as he passed. Nothing was as good as his and Bonnie’s fish fry’s.

Bruce is survived by his sons, Timothy (Debbie) Fletcher, Andrew (Caroline) Fletcher; daughter, Pamela Brady; seven grandchildren, seven great-grandchildren. He is also survived by his wife, Wilma Allen-Fletcher; whom he married in January of 2017.

He is preceded in death by his wife of 61 years, Bonnie Fletcher; parents, Virgil and Mousie; son, Gerald Glen Fletcher; daughters, Peggy Fletcher, Robin Kay Fletcher, Jorjen Fletcher, Molly Beth Fletcher; brothers, Walter Fletcher, Jesse Fletcher, Gemroe Fletcher, Frank Fletcher, Charles Fletcher and Chester Fletcher.

Visitation for Bruce will be from 3 to 6 p.m. on Sunday, Sept. 29, 2019, and noon on Monday, Sept. 30, 2019, at Hoven Funeral Home, Buchanan.

Funeral service will be at 1 p.m. on Monday, Sept. 30, 2019, at Hoven Funeral Home.

Burial will follow at Silverbrook Cemetery, in Niles.

Online condolences may be made at hovenfunerals.com.

Contributions in memory of Bruce Fletcher may be made to Great Lakes Caring, 6120 Stadium Dr., STE 100, Kalamazoo.

Thompson, Elaine Marie (Smith)

Elaine Marie Thompson
December 23, 1936 – August 27, 2019

https://www.halbritterwickens.com/notices/Elaine-Thompson

Elaine Marie Thompson, 82 passed away at 10:50pm on Tuesday, August 27, 2019, in St. Joseph Regional Medical Center in Mishawaka.

Elaine was born on December 23, 1936, in South Haven, MI, to the late Arthur Franklin and Myrtle Ann (Corrie) Smith. Elaine was also preceded in death by a stillborn son, Robert Arthur Thompson; and brother, James Smith. On March 30, 1957, at the Congregational Church in South Haven, MI, Elaine married Mark McKim “Mac” Thompson, and he passed away on December 4, 2014.

Elaine is survived by her children, Mark David (& Donna) Thompson of Niles, Thomas Arthur (& Karan) Thompson of Rochester, New York, Troy McKim (& Angela) Thompson of Niles, and Jennifer Marie (& William Boothe) Thompson-Boothe of South Bend; grandchildren, Mark (& Shawnetta) Thompson, Samantha Thompson, Sarah (& Ash) Scarbrough, Benjamin Thompson, Rebecca Thompson, Kevin Thompson, Duane Thompson, Mathew (& Rachel) Colburn, Madison Boothe, and Mason Boothe; great-grandchildren, Dominic, Elizabeth and Sophia Scarbrough and Mark, Molly, and Maggie Thompson; and sisters-in-law, Mildred Smith and Fran Thompson.

Elaine enjoyed working for Garrett Laboratories with her friends in Niles. She liked to sew, bake and watching South Haven sunsets. She enjoyed her monthly Card Club with her girlfriends. She spent as much time as she could with her children and grandchildren including their sports and music activities. She enjoyed all the family gatherings and talking to the birds and watching it rain from her front porch.

The family would like to thank the staff at Woodland Terrace at Longmeadow for the great care they provided for their mother.

Memorial Contributions may be made to Harbor Lights Hospice 1820 E Day Rd, Mishawaka, IN 46545 or the Humane Society of Southwest Michigan 641 South Crystal Avenue, Benton Harbor, MI 49022 .

The family of Elaine M. Thompson will receive relatives and friends from 12:00 p.m. until 2:00 p.m. on Saturday, September 7, 2019 in HALLBRITTER WICKENS FUNERAL HOME, 615 E. Main St. Niles. The visitation will conclude with a Celebration of Life Service lead by Pastor Ed Slate. Burial will be private in Silverbrook Cemetery at a later date.

Condolences for the family may be made at www.halbritterwickens.com.

 

Allen, Charnley Schnoor

Charnley Dardanelle "Cheetah" (Schnoor) Allen
Feb, 14, 1926-Aug. 30, 2019 (AGE 93)

https://www.palmerfuneralhomes.com/notices/CharnleyDardanelleCheetah-Allen

Charnley “Cheetah” Allen, 93 years old, residing in Mishawaka, Indiana passed away at 8:02 am Friday, August 30, 2019 at home with her daughter Darcy. She was co-owner with her husband of Gene Allen Studios in River Park since 1955.

Charnley was born on February 14, 1926 in Niles, MI to John and Ida (Dardanelle) Schnoor and remained a lifelong area resident. On November 19, 1949 in Niles, Michigan she was united in marriage to Eugene “Gene” Allen, and they were married for nearly 67 years before his passing on October 26, 2016.

Cheetah is survived by her daughter, Darcy (Donald) Troyer of Mishawaka; her son, Mark (Cheryl) Allen of Rio Vista, Texas, five grandchildren, Courtney (Michael) Sailors, Britney (Josh) Ortiz, Matthew (Kelly) Patrick, Dillon (Tiffany) Allen and Dustin (Stefi) Heckman; eight great grandchildren, Makalya, Colton and Macean Sailors, Miles Ortiz, Soffia, Todd and Jeffrey Allen, and Rebecca Patrick; and Linda “Beaver” Shafer who was with Gene Allen Studios for 53 years and is like family.  Cheetah’s two sisters, Bonnie Graves and Johanna Johnson, preceded her in death.

Cheetah enjoyed watching her kids at horse shows. She was a member of Our Redeemer Lutheran Church, South Bend.

Memorial services will be held at 11:00 am Friday, September 6, 2019 at Our Redeemer Lutheran Church, 805 S. 29th Street, South Bend, IN.  Rev. Steve Latzke, pastor of the church, will officiate. Friends may visit with the family from 9:30 am Friday at the church, until time of services.  Private burial will take place in Silverbrook Cemetery, Niles, MI.

Memorial contributions may be offered to Our Redeemer Lutheran Church.  Palmer Funeral Home – River Park is assisting the family with arrangements.  Online condolences may be shared on this website: www.palmerfuneralhomes.com.


Donations may be made to:

Our Redeemer Lutheran Church
805 South 29th Street, South Bend IN 46615

Nicks, Marvine (Hatcher)

Marvine Nicks
Feb. 23, 1941-Aug. 28, 2019

Obituary of Marvine Nicks

https://brownfuneralhomeniles.com/tribute/details/2535/Marvine-Nicks/obituary.html

Marvine Nicks, 78, of Niles, passed away on Wednesday, August 28, 2019, at her home, with her family by her side.

Marvine was born in Blytheville, Arkansas, on February 23, 1941, to the late Harold and Opal (Moore) Hatcher Sr.  She was one of fifteen children. Growing up in a large family taught her the value of family. Her priority was her children and grandchildren. She would do anything for them. Marvine found great joy in playing little pranks on unsuspecting family and friends, whether it was dancing shoes or a talking box. Marvine was known as a plain-spoken, tell it like it is kind of woman, it is what made her special to everyone; you always knew where you stood with her.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Harold and Opal Hatcher.

Marvine is leaves to treasure her memory her daughters, Antoinette (James) Eiland of South Bend and Marlesa Nicks of Cassopolis; two grandchildren, Anashia (Jeremy) Johnson of South Bend and Jasmine Eiland of Indianapolis; eight great-grandchildren, Anijah, Jerney, Jeremy Jr, Jordyn, Jeremiyah, Jamiyah, Jacorion, Jahsiyah; the father of her children, Lee Nicks of Niles; two children of her heart, Erica Martin and Jay Woods; siblings, Marlene Wade, Carolyn Hatcher, Opal Fay Hatcher, Geraldine “Deanie” Hatcher, Janet Sue White, Deborah Grady, Donna (Joe) Coleman, Ramona (Arthur) Jones, Lisa Hatcher, Tera Ellis, Teria Ellis, Harold Hatcher Jr, Michael Hatcher and Tracey (Chris) Hatcher, along with a host of nieces and nephews.

A Homegoing service will be held at 12:00 PM on Friday, September 6, 2019, at Mt Calvary Baptist Church, 601 Ferry St. In Niles, her brother Elder Tracey Hatcher will be officiating. A time of visitation will be held one hour prior to the service. Burial will follow at Silverbrook Cemetery.

To send flowers to the family of Marvine Nicks, please visit Tribute Store

Kyles, Aaron

Aaron Kyles, of Niles
Sept. 25, 1980 — Aug. 15, 2019

Niles Daily Star, Published 8:36 am Thursday, August 22, 2019

Sept. 25, 1980 — Aug. 15, 2019

Aaron Kyles, 38, of Niles, passed away on Thursday, Aug. 15, 2019, in South Bend.

He was born on Sept. 25, 1980, to Augustine (Moss) and Alvin Clayton Kyles Sr., in Niles.

Aaron is survived by his father, Alvin; son, Aaron Jr.; daughters, Mary Louise, Danashia, Arianna; brothers, Anthony D. Kyles, Terrance Moss, Alvin C. Kyles Jr. and sister, Cheri Jordan.

He is preceded in death by his mother, Augustine (Moss) Kyles.

Funeral service will be at 11 a.m. on Friday, Aug. 23, 2019, at Mt. Calvary Baptist Church, 601 Ferry St., Niles.

Visitation will be one hour prior to the service on Friday. Burial will follow at Silverbrook Cemetery.

Arrangements have been entrusted to Hoven Funeral Home, Buchanan. Online condolences may be made to hovenfunerals.com.