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.

Swanson, John Jerrold

editor Obituaries

John Jerrold Swanson
Jan. 18, 1914-July 25, 1934

Niles Daily Star, Wednesday, July 25, 1934, page 1, col. 1, microfilm Niles District Library

'Jerry' Swanson, 19, Dies; Ill One Year

John Jerrold Swanson, 19, son of Mrs. William Lee, 522 North Second street, died at his home at 5 o'clock Wednesday morning after more than a year's illness.

He was born in Bay City, Mich., January 18, 1914, and came to Niles with his parents 14 years ago.

Surviving besides his mother are two brothers, Russell and Wayne, one sister, Patricia, his step-father, William Lee, all of Niles.

Funeral rites will be held at 2:30 o'clock Friday afternoon at the Price and Kiger funeral home. The Rev. Guy W. Simon, pastor of the First Presbyterian church will officiate.  Interment will be at Silverbrook cemetery.

 

Niles Daily Star, Friday, July 27, 1934, page 2, col. 3, microfilm Niles District Library

HOLD SWANSON RITES

Funeral rites for John Jerrold Swanson, 19, son of Mrs. William Lee, 522 North Second street, who died at his home Wednesday morning after a long illness, were held at 2:30 o'clock this afternoon at the Price & Kiger funeral home with the Rev. Guy W. Simon, pastor of the First Presbyterian church, officiating.  Burial was made in Silverbrook cemetery.

Homer Pierce, Harry Swartz, Arthur Kane, Allen Brewer, John Holloway, and Charles Luke were pallbearers.

 

Niles Daily Star, Saturday, July 28, 1934, page 2, col. 2, microfilm Niles District Library

HERE FOR FUNERAL

Relatives from out of town who were here for the funeral services for Jerrold Swanson, who died at his home Wednesday morning, were Mr. and Mrs. William Thompson, Birmingham, Mich.; Mr. and Mrs. Frank LaFever, Mrs. and Mrs. Mendell Fair and son, Bay City; Mrs. Julia Donahue, Mr. and Mrs. Herman Critea and daughter, Ruth; and Mrs. Ethel Donahue, Flint, Mich.

Thornton, Leo L.

editor Obituaries

Leo L. Thornton
Sept. 21, 1890-July 20, 1968

Niles Daily Star, Monday, July 22, 1968, page 12, col. 3, microfilm Niles District Library

Thornton founder dies Saturday at Pawating

Leo L. Thornton, 77, of 322 Parkway, founder of the Thornton Electric Co. in Niles, died at 5:10 pm. Saturday at Pawating Hospital after a long illness.

Mr. Thornton was a member of the Niles Lions Club and the St. Joseph Valley No. 4 F&AM.

Mr. Thornton was born Sept. 21, 1890 in Deckerville, Mich. He came to Niles from Northern Michigan and had lived here for 57 years.

His survivors include his wife, Anna, four sons, Ward, Lee, Gerald, and Jack, all of Niels; and one daughter, Mrs. James (Nancy) Evans of Twin Falls, Idaho; 15 grandchildren; five great-grandchildren; several nieces and nephews; one brother, Kenneth Thornton of Traverse City and one sister, Mrs. Jewel Ritchie of San Carlo, Calif.

Funeral services will be held in the Pifer Funeral Home at 2 p.m. Tuesday. Officiating will be Rev. Ray Cunningham of the First Baptist church. Burial will be in the Silverbrook Cemetery, where a Masonic committal service will be conducted.

Friends may call at the funeral home.

 

Tittle, Wilburn K.

editor Obituaries

Wilburn K. Tittle
Feb. 18, 1934-Aug. 29, 1968

Niles Daily Star, Thursday, August 29, 1968, page 1, col. 1-2, microfilm Niles District Library

Milburn Tittle

South Bend crash claims Niles man

 

South Bend—A Niles man was killed early today when his auto left Portage Road, about a mile north of here and flipped over several times.

The victim was identified by Indiana State Police as Milburn[sic] K. Tittle, 34, of 2423 Dick St., who was manager of the DX Service Station at 11th and Main Streets.

He was pronounced dead on arrival at 2:30 a.m. at South Bend's Memorial Hospital by a deputy coroner.

Troopers said the Tittle auto was traveling south on Portage when the accident occurred. Evidence at the accident scene showed that the scar skidded and fishtailed for 210 feet before leaving the road.

When the auto struck a large rock, officers said it flipped over several times, coming to rest about 100 feet from where it left the pavement.

Funeral services will be held at 10 a.m. Saturday in the Pifer Funeral Home,with Mr. Gary F. Johnson of the Church of Christ officiating.  Friends may call after 7 p.m. today and burial will be in Silverbrook Cemetery.

Mr. Tittle was born Feb. 18, 1934 in Winston county, Ala. And he came here six years ago from Campbell, Mo.

He is survived by his wife, Pamela, a daughter Mary Jo Ellen, at home; his parents, Mr. and Mrs. R. R. Tittle of Campbell and 11 brothers and sisters, Kermit Tittle, A.G. Tittle, Manley Tittle, T.R. Tittle Jr. and Douglas Tittle, all from Campbell; Allen Dale Tittle, serving with the army in Vietnam; Darrell M. Tittle, Mrs. Brodie Pennington, Mrs. Kenneth Elrod, all of Niles; Mrs. William Mann and Mrs. Joseph Smith, both of Goshen, Ind.

 

Trattles, Olive Winnifred

editor Obituaries

Olive Winnifred Trattles
Nov. 23, 1897-July 17, 1934

Niles Daily Star, Wednesday, July 18, 1934, page 2, col. 3, microfilm Niles District Library

Former Resident Dies

Funeral services for Olive Trattles, former Niles resident who died at her home in Muskegon, will be held at 10:30 Friday morning.  Burial will be made in Silverbrook cemetery, Niles, at 3 o'clock Friday afternoon.

 

Niles Daily Star, Thursday, July 19, 1934, page 1, col. 8, microfilm Niles District Library 

Change in Funeral Hour

A change in the time of the burial services for Olive Trattles, former Niles resident, who died at her home in Muskegon, was made today. Interment will be made in Silverbrook cemetery, Niles, at 3:30 o'clock Friday afternoon instead of 3 o'clock as was previously announced.

 

VanDyke, Helen G.

editor Obituaries

Helen G. VanDyke
March 23, 1915-March 29, 1991

Niles Daily Star, Saturday, March 30, 1991, page 2, col. 1-2, microfilm Niles District Library

Funeral services for Helen G. VanDyke, 76, 725 Maple St., Niles, are Monday at 2 p.m. at First Presbyterian Church in Niles by the Rev. Clayton D. Fairo, pastor.

Burial will follow in Silverbrook Cemetery in Niles.

Mrs. VanDyke died Friday at 9:15 a.m. at St. Joseph's Medical Center in South Bend, Ind., following an extended illness.  Born March 22, 1915, in Michigan City, Ind. She had lived in Niles since 1920.  

On May 31, 1942, in Niles, she married Frederick H. VanDyke, who preceded her in death on March 27, 1978.

She was a member of First Presbyterian Church in Niles, a member of the Pawating Hospital Auxiliary and a member of the Marguerite Guild of the church. 

Mrs. VanDyke was a former employee of Kerr Hardware of Niles and a long-time employee of Paul's Toggery of Niles. 

Friends may call Sunday from 6 to 8 p.m. at Halbritter Funeral Home.

Memorials may be made to First Presbyterian Church  Foundation or Radio Ministry.

Barker, Elijah P.

editor Obituaries

Elijah P. Barker
Oct. 20, 1807-April 25, 1860

Niles Republican, Saturday, April 28, 1860, page 3, col. 4, microfilm Niles District Library

DIED

On the 25th of April, at his residence near Union Park, ELIJAH P. BARKER, in the 52d year of his age.--Chicago Tribune.

His remains were brought to Niles, on Friday for interment.

 

Barker, Frederick Hudson

editor Obituaries

Frederick Hudson Barker
Sept. 2, 1887-March 27, 1919

Niles Daily Sun, Friday, March 28, 1919, page 1, col. 3-4, microfilm Niles District Library

SUDDEN DEATH OF FREDERICK H. BARKER

Body of Former Resident of Niles Will be Brought Here From Rochester, Ind., for Burial

Frederick Hudson Barker, a former resident of the country east of Niles, died suddenly Thursday afternoon at 2 o'clock at Rochester, Ind., after a brief illness with an acute attack of indigestion.  Mrs. Barker was born on the Barker farm east of Niles on the Edwardsburg road, Sept. 2, 1887. He was a son of Mr. and Mrs. Joseph T. Barker. He had but recently received his discharge from military service and was engaging in farming near Rochester.  He is survived by his father, who is at Knox, Ind., by four brothers, two of whom are in Colorado, one in the east and the other, Peres Barker, of Niles.

The body will be brought to Niles tomorrow afternoon at 2 o'clock and taken directly to Silver Brook cemetery for burial where Rev. H.T. Scherer, pastor of the Presbyterian church, will conduct services, Mr. Barker having been a member of the Trube Memorial Presbyterian church at Indianapolis.

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