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.

Smith, Harry

Harry Smith
1888-July 6, 1929

Niles Daily Star, Monday, July 8, 1929, page 1, col. 6, microfilm Niles District Library

HARRY SMITH STRICKEN AFTER SHORT ILLNESS

Niles Painter Dies Saturday; Funeral Held This Afternoon from Home

Harry Smith, 41, well known Niles decorator and painter, died quite suddenly at 12:45 on Saturday afternoon in Pawating hospital where he had been a patient for a few days.  Although Mr. Smith had been a sufferer from heart disease for some time his condition had not been considered alarming until last week and he had been at his work until last Monday.

The funeral services were held this afternoon at 3 o'clock at the home in Forest Acres, about two miles north of Niles. The Rev. O.P. Miles, pastor of the First Baptist church officiated. Burial was made in Silver Brook cemetery.

Mr. Smith was born in Champaign, Ill., in 1888, and had spent most of is lie there and in Chicago, until he came to Niles seven years ago to enter the employ of J.A. Contois by whom he had since been employed.  Fellow workers of Mr. Smith served as pallbearers.  Mr. Smith is survived by a widow, Mrs. Lucinda Smith, by three daughters, Mrs. Lucille Smith Apple, wife of Alfred Apple, Miss Frances and Miss Florence Smith, all of Niles, by two brothers, Ora Smith, Champaign, Ill., and Louis Smith, of Berrien Springs, and one sister, Mrs. Catherine Gilmore of Champaign.

The deceased was a member of the Painters and Decorators Union of America, having been affiliated with the South Bend branch of that union.

Among those from out of the city who attended the funeral services today were Ora Smith and Mr. and Mrs. George Gilmore and their son, George, Jr., and Louis Smith of Berrien Springs.

 

Sherman, Catherine (Trattles)

Catherine Trattles Sherman
Dec. 9, 1905-July 13, 1929

Niles Daily Star, Monday, July 15, 1929, page 1, col. 3, microfilm Niles District Library

Former Niles Woman, Fatally Hurt in Crash, to Be Buried in City

Funeral services will be held tomorrow at 9 o'clock in St. Mary's Catholic church for Mrs. Catherine Trattles Sherman, of Cleveland, Ohio. The Rev. V. Ducat will conduct the services. Burial will be made in Silver Brook cemetery.

The body was brought to Niles this morning from Cleveland and is at the Troost and Augustine chapel where friends may call until near the hour of the funeral service.

Mrs. Sherman died in Lakewood hospital on Saturday evening of injuries sustained in an automobile accident when the car in which she was riding was struck by another car. Two months previous to the accident she had had a major operation and had not regained her strength sufficiently to withstand the shock of the accident.  Mrs. Sherman formerly lived in Niles and is a granddaughter of Mrs. V.P. Ives, 713 Ferry street.  She is survived by her parents, Mr. and Mrs. Sherman Trattles, 2023 W. 105th street, Cleveland, Ohio, by one sister, Mrs. Joseph Keegan, of Nashville, Tenn., and by one brother, George Trattles, of Cleveland. The parents, the sister and Mr. and Mrs. George Trattles accompanied the body to Niles. Mrs. Sherman was 24 years of age.

 

Niles Daily Star, Tuesday, July 16, 1929, page 4, col. 1, microfilm Niles District Library

FUNERAL MRS. SHERMAN

Funeral services for Mrs. Catherine Sherman of Cleveland, Ohio, were held this morning in St. Mary's Catholic church with the Rev. V. Ducat officiating.  Burial was made in Silver Brook cemetery.  Mrs. Sherman died on Saturday evening in Lakewood hospital in Cleveland from injuries received in an automobile accident. The body was brought to Niles on Monday by her parents, Mr. and Mrs. Sherman Trattles of Cleveland, and other relatives.  Mrs. Trattles is a daughter of Mrs. V.P. Ives.

 

Waltsgott, Augusta H.

Augusta H. Waltsgott
Dec. 17, 1850-July 2, 1929

Niles Daily Star, Wednesday, July 3, 1929, page 4, col. 1, microfilm Niles District Library

DEATH OF MRS. WALTSGOTT

Mrs. Augusta Waltsgott, a former resident of Niles for many years, died last evening in Kalamazoo where she and her daughter, Mrs. Lena Kitterer, had made their home for more than a year.  They left Niles to go to California to live but soon after returned east and located in Kalamazoo where the family of a deceased daughter of Mrs. Waltsgott, Mrs. Harry Vanderbeek, lives.  Mrs. Waltsgott is survived by her daughter and by one son, Otto Waltsgott, formerlly of Niles  and editor at Eau Claire, now at Pasadena, Cal.   He is enroute to Niles, it is understood, to attend the funeral services. The body will be brought to Niles on Friday morning and taken directly to Silver Brook cemetery where the committal service will be conducted at 10 o'clock by the Rev. G.W. Simon, pastor of the Presbyterian church. Mrs. Waltsgott was about 79 years of age.

Niles Daily Star, Friday, July 5, 1929, page 4, col. 1, microfilm Niles District Library

COMMITTAL SERVICE HERE

The body of Mrs. Augusta Waltsgott was brought to Niles this morning from Kalamazoo and was taken directly to Silver Brook cemetery where burial was made in the family lot.  Mrs. Lena Kitterer, of Kalamazoo, and friends, accompanied the body to Niles. The Rev. G.W. Simon, pastor of the Presbyterian church, conducted the committal service.  Otto C. Waltsgott, of Pasadena, Calif., expected in Niles this morning for the committal service, was unable to come.

Note:  DOB and DOD from Michigan Death Certificate.  Spelled Waltsgott on DC

 

Steigely, Raymond W.

Steigely, R. W.
1894-June 19, 1950

Niles Daily Star, Tuesday, June 20, 1950; page 2, column 5, microfilm, Niles District Library

Raymond W. Steigely, of Oak street, died Monday at 1 a.m. at Memorial hospital South Bend. He had been ill since Saturday.

Surviving are his widow, Lillian; their daughters, Katherine of Ann Arbor, and Patricia Jo, at home; a brother, Harold Steigely, of Niles, and a sister Mrs. A. H. Leonard, of San Diego, Cal.

He was a manager of the Niles Locker plant.

Friends may call at the Pifer funeral home, where services will be conducted at 2 p.m. Thursday by the Rev. Theo Laesch, pastor of St. Paul’s Lutheran church. Burial will be in Silverbrook cemetery. Steigely was a veteran of World War I.

 

 

Brand, Ira

Ira Brand
April 9, 1866-June 24, 1950

Niles Daily Star, Monday, June 26, 1950; page 2, column 5, microfilm, Niles District Library

Services for Ira Brand, 209 Pokagon street, who died at 10:30 p.m. Saturday in the Berrien Center hospital, will be held at 2 p.m. Tuesday at the Pifer funeral home.

Brand, who had been in poor health for some time, leaves his wife, Jennie, stepchildren, Gordon and Clayton Algee, of Niles, and Mrs. Marjorie Stigner, of Kalamazoo; seven grandchildren, and 13 great-grandchildren.

Brand was born on 4-9-1866, in Tekonska, Mich., and came here from Remus, Mich. 22 years ago.

 

Friends may call at the Pifer funeral home. Services will be conducted by the Rev. L. George Beacock, and burial will be in Silverbrook cemetery.

Corey, Robert Charles

Seaman Robert Charles Corey
Dec. 20, 1929-Aug. 20, 1950

Niles Daily Star, Tuesday, September 12, 1950; page 2 column 5, microfilm, Niles District Library

The body of Seaman Robert Charles Corey, who died as the result of strangulation while serving aboard ship on Aug. 20 with the navy, arrived at the Pifer funeral home this morning. Corey was the 20-year-old son of Mr. and Mrs. Robert F. Corey, 321 South Fifteenth street.

The Rev. L. George Beacock, Methodist pastor, will officiate at the services set at 2 p.m. Thursday at the Pifer funeral home, and the American Legion post will have (illegible text) services at Silverbrook cemetery.

Friends may call at the funeral home.

 

 

 

Spencer, Herbert L.

Herbert L. Spencer
July 5, 1875-June 24, 1950

Niles Daily Star, Saturday, June 24, 1950; page 2, column 6, microfilm, Niles District Library

Herbert L. Spencer, 74, of 202 Huron street, died at 8:30 a.m. today in Pawating hospital after an illness of six weeks.

Spencer was born July 5, 1875, in Ridgelow, Canada and moved here in 1907 from Detroit. He had retired after operating a dry cleaning establishment for many years. He was a member of the Knights of Pythias.

Surviving are his wife, Edith (illegible text) Spencer, both of Niles, and Dr. Perry Spencer, of Lansing.

Friends may call at the Kiger funeral home, where the Rev. Percy D. Jones will conduct funeral services at 2 p.m. Monday. Burial will be in Silverbrook cemetery.