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.

McClary, Bertha

Bertha McClary
May 23, 1879-July 8, 1936

Niles Daily Star, Thursday, July 9, 1936, page 1, col. 1, microfilm Niles District Library

FIRST HEAT DEATH REPORTED IN NILES

Mrs. Bertha McClary Victim, Dies of Heart Attack Brought on by Heat.

One Niles death Wednesday was attributed to the intense heat which induced a heart attack.  Mrs. Bertha McClary, 315 South Lincoln avenue, was the victim.

Mrs. McClary's death occurred late Wednesday afternoon after she had returned from a shopping trip. She was 57 years old.  Her death is the third in the family in the last three months.  Mr. McClary's mother died about three months ago; his brother,  William E. McClary, died May 27 following an automobile crash.

Mrs. McClary was born Mary 23, 1879. She was the wife of Cleveland McClary, who survives. She leaves also two sisters, Mrs. Etta Davis, Niles and Mrs. Blanche Mathes, Three Rivers, a brother, Dick Smith, Buchanan; a half-sister, Mrs. Rachael Leach, Niles, and several nieces and nephews.

Funeral services will be at 3:30 o'clock Friday afternoon in the Price and Kiger funeral home, the Rev. Harry L. Nicholson officiating.  Friends of the family may call at the Price and Kiger funeral home before the hour of the services.

 

Eden, Clifford D.

Clifford D. Eden
Dec. 3, 1888-May 6, 1969

Niles Daily Star, Wednesday, May 6, 1969, page 2, col. 1, microfilm Niles District Library

NILES-  Clifford D. Eden, 80, 0f 1010 S. Third St., died at 9 a.m. Tuesday in the Cabell Huntington Hospital, Huntington, W. Va., where he had been a patient for the past five months.

Born  here Dec. 3, 1888, Mr. Eden had been a lifetime resident here.  Eden had been assistant city engineer and a member of the engineering department until 1961.  During the year of 1949, he took full charge of the department until a new man was appointed.  He retired in January, 1961, at the age of 71, not withstanding the fact that the mandatory retirement age for city employes is 65.   Because of his value to the city, Mr. Eden was kept beyond the retirement age.  A special council was appointed by then Mayor Mowitt Drew to see if some arrangement could be made so that Eden's experience and knowledge would not be lost to the city.  It was hoped that he could be kept on a part-time basis. The council found this was not possible.  In later years, although not employed by the city, he frequently gave information that only he had knowledge of.

City Clerk Burt Luth said today, “Mr. Eden was a real gentleman who had been very free in helping other young engineers starting their careers.”  The present city engineer, Arthur Reed, has received some valuable experience from Mr. Eden.

Mr. Eden married the former Ruth I White, Oct. 26, 1923 in Niles. He was a life member of the Niles Elks Lodge.  During his lifetime he had also been employed in two other states by their highway departments.  In Colorado, he supervised labor used for road construction.

Survivors include his wife, Ruth, and two children.  A son Charles C., of Niles and a daughter, Mrs. J. Thomas Campbell, Huntington and six grandchildren.

Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday in the Halbritter-Swem Funeral Home with the Rev. John R. Wyngarden, pastor of the First Presbyterian Church officiating.  Burial will be in Silverbrook Cemetery.

Friends may call at the funeral home after  9 a.m. Friday.

Austin, A. J.

A.J. Austin
Feb 24, 1904-April 30, 1969

Niles Daily Star, Wednesday, April 30, 1969, page 2, col. 3, microfilm Niles District Library

NILES—A.J. Austin, 65, of 218 Philip Road, died at 6 a.m. Wednesday in the Memorial Hospital of South Bend after a three week illness.

He was born Feb. 24, 1904, in Watervliet and had lived here since 1928 coming from Pueblo, Colo.  Until his retirement he was employed by the Untied Dairies Co.

In addition to his wife Lois, he is survived by two sons, John of Cocoa, Fla., and Charles of Niles; four daughters, Mrs. Paul Elrod, Niles; Mrs. Alvin Robinson, Huntsville, Ala.; Mrs. Hubert Shannon, Louisville, Ky.; and Mrs. William Thompson of Cocoa, Fla.; a sister, Mrs. Ruth Swihart, Pueblo, Colo., and 14 grandchildren.

Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. Saturday at the First Baptist Church, Rev. Ray Cunningham, the pastor will officiate.  Burial will be in Silverbrook Cemetery.

Friends may call at the Halbritter-Swem Funeral Home beginning Friday.

At the request of the family, memorials may be given to the Cancer Fund.

 

Niles Daily Star, Thursday, May 1, 1969, page 2, col. 4, microfilm Niles District Library

NILES—A.J. Austin, 65, 318 Philip Road, who died at 6 a.m. Wednesday in the Memorial Hospital of South Bend after a three week illness is also survived by a daughter, Mrs. William Gilbert of Niles.

Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. Saturday at the First Baptist Church, Rev. Ray Cunningham, the pastor will officiate.  Burial will be in Silverbrook Cemetery.

Friends may call at the Halbritter-Swem Funeral Home beginning Friday.

At the request of the family, memorials may be given to the Cancer Fund.

Rahn, Evelyn (Haslett)

Evelyn Rahn
June 7, 1913-April 28, 1969

Niles Daily Star, Wednesday, April 30, 1969, page 2, col. 4, microfilm Niles District Library.

HASBRAUCK HEIGHTS, New Jersey—Funeral services for Mrs. Evelyn Rahn, a former resident of Niles, will be held at 2 p.m. Friday in the Pifer Funeral Home.  Officiating will be Rev. Joseph M. Stowell, pastor of the First Baptist Church in Hackensack, N.J., of which, she was a member.  Burial will be in Silverbrook Cemetery.

Mrs. Rahn died Monday at St. Luke's Hospital in New York city from pneumonia after heart surgery.

She was born June 7, 1913, in Barboo, Wis., and had lived in Niles most of her life until 1939 when she married Albert H. Rahn on March 4 in Niles.

In addition to her husband, she

is survived by a son, Kenneth, Tecumseh; two daughters, Madeline and Margorie, both a t Home; her parents, Mrs. and Mrs. Claude Haslett, Niles, Two brothers, Donald C. Haslett, South Bend, and Hubert H. , of Niles.

Friends may call at the Pifer Funeral Home after 8 a.m. Friday.

 

Brady, Pamela

Pamela Brady
April 27, 1969-May 2, 1969

Niles Daily Star, Monday, May 4, 1969, page 2, col. 1, microfilm Niles District Library

NILES—Commital[sic] services for Pamela Suanne Brady, five-day old daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Robert Brady, 1241 S. 13th St., were held at 2 p.m. Saturday in the Silverbrook cemetery.  Rev. Fred Smith, pastor of the South Niles Community Church, officiated.

Pamela died Friday in Pawating Hospital. She was born April 27, 1969 in Niles. 

In addition to her parents, she is survived by two brothers, Daryl Mathews and James Brady, both at home; two sisters, Miss Ruth Mathews, at home and Mrs. Roland Fahlsing, Niels and her grandmother, Mrs. Bessie Bushong, Niles.

Funeral arrangements were handled by the Pifer Funeral Home.

Terrio, Carrie A.

Carrie A. Terrio
Sept. 17, 1892-May 2, 1969

Niles Daily Star, Monday, May 4, 1969, page 2, col. 1, microfilm Niles District Library

NILES—Mrs. Carrie A. Terrio, 75, of 3366 Yankee St., died at 1:50 p.m. Saturday in the Memorial Hospital of South Bend.

She was born Sept. 17, 1892 in Nashville, Tenn. and had lived here for 25 years coming from Chicago, Ill.  Mrs. Terrio is survived by her husband, William; a daughter, Mrs. Alice Sturges of Niles; a sister,Mrs. Olivia Reed, Chicago; three grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren.

Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. Tuesday in the Franklin A.M.E. Church, with the pastor, Rev. Lewis Lawrence, officiating.  Burial will be in Silverbrook Cemetery.

Friends may call at the Pifer Funeral Home after  5 p.m. today

Burgin, Fred

Fred Burgin
May 30, 1898-June 16, 1936

Niles Daily Star, Tuesday, June 16, 1936, page 1, col. 8, microfilm Niles District Library

GETS BONUS, BUYS CAR, KILLED 

Fred Burgin, 
Niles Veteran, Crash Victim

First Wife Killed by Hit-Run Driver On
Feb. 15; He Remarried June 3, Was
Fatally Injured Last Night

Fred Burgin, World war veteran, who received his bonus bonds Monday, was injured fatally late Monday afternoon in a traffic accident in South Bend and died at 2:25 this morning.

Burgin was driving a car he purchased Monday, when he collided with one driven by G.M.. Casad, 235 S. Frances street, South Bend.  The accident occurred at a busy intersection in South Bend at Twyckenham and Jefferson streets.

The injured man was rushed to St. Joseph hospital, where he died early this morning. Other passengers in the car were Mrs. Frances Burgin, his wife; her mother, Mrs. Emma Adams, 67, and Mrs. Burgin's three children by a former marriage, Margaret Wood, 16, James Wood Jr., 7, and Marvin Wood, 4.

Mrs. Adams is in St. Joseph hospital suffering from scalp lacerations. Other members of the party were bruised but not seriously.  The youngest child, Marvin, escaped injury.

Mr. and Mrs. Burgin were married June 3. His former wife was killed when struck by a nit-run driver three miles south of Niles last Feb. 15. The driver of the death car never has been identified.

Mr. Burgin was born May 30, 1898, in Corbin, Ky.  He came to South Niles 22 months ago and had recently been living at 36 East Cass street.

The body was brought to the Price and Kiger funeral home where friends are asked to call. The date of the funeral has not been announced.