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.

Bort, Clella M. (Stubbs)

Clella M. Bort (Stubbs)
Sept. 27, 1867*-April 28, 1936

Niles Daily Star, Tuesday, April 28, 1936, page 1, col. 3, microfilm Niles District Library

 

Mrs. Grant Bort, 69, Lifelong Resident of Berrien Co., Dies.

Mrs. Clella M. Bort, 69, died at 2 o’clock this morning at the family home, on the Niles-Buchanan Road.

Mrs. Bort had been ill for about five years, her illness becoming serious during the past ten days. Heart trouble and complications caused her death.

Mrs. Bort had been a resident of Berrien county all her life. She was married to Grant Bort at St. Joseph, 40 years ago. Mr. Bort and two children survive, Grant Jr. a Niles mail carrier and John at home.

She leaves also a brother, Peter Stubbs, Niles.

The body is at the family home. Funeral arrangements are as yet incomplete.

 

Niles Daily Star, Wednesday, April 29, 1936, page 2, col. 2, microfilm Niles District Library

Niles News in Brief: BORT SERVICE THURSDAY

Funeral services for Mrs. Grant Bort, 69, who died at 2 o'clock Tuesday morning in the family home on the Niles-Buchanan road, will be held at the home Thursday afternoon at 2:30 o'clock, the Reb. T.O. Lee of the Methodist church officiating.

*dob from Michigan Death record

Burt, Olive (Bauckman)

Olive Burt
Jan. 5, 1893-May 2, 1936

 

Niles Daily Star, Saturday. May 2, 1936, page 1, col. 4, microfilm Niles District Library

 

Mrs. Olive Burt, Blind for Years, Dies This Morning

 

Mrs. Olive Burt, 231 Pokagon street, was found dead in her home at 11 o'clock this morning of a heart attack. Mrs. Burt who had lived in Niles all of her life, had been been blind for several years.

She was the widow of Charles Burt, one time chief of the Niles fire department,who died nine years ago.

Mrs. Burt was born in Niles January 5, 1893, the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Frederic Bauckman, both deceased. On May 27, 1911 she was married to Charles Burt. One daughter, Dorothy, survives.  

The body was taken to the Rutherford Funeral home.  Funeral announcements will be made later.

 

Niles Daily Star, Monday, May 4, 1936, page 2, col. 2 microfilm Niles District Library

 

Niles News in Brief:  BURT RITES TUESDAY

 

Funeral services for Mrs. Olive Burt who died suddenly Saturday at her home, 221 Pokagon street, will be held Tuesday afternoon at 2 o'clock in the Rutherford mortuary.  The Rev. A.R. Kuehn will officiate and burial will be in Silverbrook cemetery.

McOmber, George

George McOmber
April 14, 1846-April 19, 1936

 

Niles Daily Star, Monday, April 20, 1936, page 1, col. 8, microfilm Niles District Library

 

George McOmber, 90, Once Niles Resident, Is Dead

 

George McOmber, 90, a former resident of Niles, died Sunday afternoon at the home of his daughter, Mrs. Grace Woodford, 1934 Vassar avenue, South Bend.

Mr. McObmer[sic] was born in Watertown, N.Y., April 14, 1846.  He was married in 1864 to Harriet Vanderhof, in Buchanan.  Mrs. McOmber died Nov. 29, 1905.

He leaves his daughter, one grandson, George Woodford, South Bend, and a brother, William McOmber, Crete, Nebr.

Funeral Services will be held Tuesday afternoon at 2 o'clock (CST) in South Bend at the home of his daughter.  Burial will be in Silverbrook cemetery, Niles.

 

Jackson, Albert

Albert Jackson
Sept. 18, 1872-April 18, 1936*

 

Niles Daily Star, Monday, April 20, 1936, page 2, col. 2, microfilm Niles District Library

 

Niles News in Brief:  FORMER RESIDENT PASSES

 

Albert T. Jackson, 82, former resident of Niles, died Saturday in Berrien Center.  Funeral services were held this afternoon at 2 o'clock in the Rutherford mortuary, Adjutant George W. Sager, of the Salvation Army, officiating.  Mr. Jackson leaves one son, Edward, Coloma.

 

*dob from Michigan Death Record

Turtle, Larry Gene

Larry Gene Turtle
May 3, 1931-May 6, 1936

 

Niles Daily Star, Wednesday, May 6, 1936, page 1, col. 5, microfilm Niles District Library

 

Larry Gene Turtle, Aged 5, Dies After Three Days' Illness

 

Larry Gene Turtle, five-year old son of Mr. and Mrs. Edward Turtle, 1316 Silverbrook avenue, died in Pawating hospital at 12:30 this morning.  He had been ill three days.

The child was born in Shawnee, Okla., May 2, 1931. He celebrated his fifth birthday anniversary Saturday.  Beside his parents, he leaves a brother, Edward Lee, 7, and a sister, Donna Joyce, 3, also his grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. C.P. Shaw, Dayton, and Mr. and Mrs. Moses Delibec, Niles.

Villwock, Robert W.

Robert W. Villwock
Oct. 6, 1873-April 23, 1936

 

Niles Daily Star, Thursday, April 23, 1936, page 1, col. 3, microfilm Niles District Library

 

Funeral Service Set Saturday for Robert Villwock

 

Funeral services for Robert W. Villwock, 57, who died Wednesday in the Tabor sanitarium, Benton Harbor, will be held in the family home four miles north of Niles Saturday afternoon at 2 o'clock, the Rev. Theo Eisen officiating.

Mr. Villwock was born in Germany, Oct. 6, 1873. He came here when nine years old and had lived near Niles since that time, where he operated his farm.

Surviving are his wife, Mrs. Matilda Villwock; two daughters, Mrs. Verne Asmus and Mrs. Carl Reum, Niles; three sons, Elmer, Robert Jr., and Henry at home, and a sister, Mrs. August Loroff, Castillo, Ohio.

The body will be at the family home until the hour of the funeral. Burial will be in Silverbrook cemetery.

 

Waters, Birdie (Guinn)

Birdie Waters
Nov. 25 1883-April 25, 1936

 

Niles Daily Star, Monday, April 27, 1936, page 1, col. 4, microfilm Niles District Library

 

Mrs. Q. Waters, 52, Is Death Victim; Funeral Wednesday

 

Mrs. Quintard Waters, 52, died Saturday night at 11:15 o'clock at the family home on Route 3, Buchanan.  Mrs. Waters' death was due to complications following a dislocated shoulder.

She was born in Christianburg, Ky., Nov. 25, 1883, and leaves her husband, a sister, Mrs. Elizabeth Quincy, Christianburg; and three brothers, Thornton Guinn, Louisville, Ky., Robern Guinn, also of Louisville, and Henry Guinn, Dowagiac.

Mrs. Waters was a member of the A.M.E. Church and had been an active worker there.

Funeral services will be in the Turner-Pifer funeral home Wednesday afternoon at 2 o'clock, the Rev. F.G. Hurd officiating.  Burial will be in Silverbrook cemetery. Friends of the family may call at the Turner-Pifer funeral home until the hour of the funeral.

 

Niles Daily Star, Tuesday, April 28, 1936, page 2, col. 1, microfilm Niles District Library

 

Niles News In Brief:  WATERS RITES WEDNESDAY

 

Funeral services for Mrs. Quintard Waters, who died Saturday night in Pawating hospital, will be in the Turner-Pifer funeral home Wednesday afternoon at 2 o'clock.  The Rev. F.G. Hurd will officiate and burial will be in Silverbrook cemetery.