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.

Crippen, Glen Oliver

Glen Oliver Crippen
Oct. 9, 1896-May 21, 1944

Niles Daily Star, Tuesday, May 23, 1944, page 2, col. 4, microfilm Niles District Library

GLEN CRIPPEN, 47, FOUND DEAD IN BED

Glen Oliver Crippen, 47, was found dead in his home at Barron lake Monday afternoon at 3  by a friend.  The time of death was placed at sometime Sunday morning and was believed to have been caused by a heart attack.

He was born in Buchanan Oct. 9, 1896, and had lived in the vicinity of Niles for  40 years.  He was employed as a pressman by the Simplicity Pattern company at the time of his death.

Surviving are a daughter, Mrs. Donald Harger, Niles; a son, Sgt. Richard Oliver Crippen, stationed with the army at a camp near Almagordo, N.M., and his father B.E. Crippen, South Bend.

Friends may call at the Price and Kiger funeral home where services will be conducted Thursday afternoon at 2 by the Rev. Harry L. Nicholson, rector of Trinity Episcopal church.  Burial will be in Silverbrook cemetery.

Crippen was a member of the Eagles lodge and the Loyal Order of  . [illegible].

 

Niles Daily Star, Thursday, May 25, 1944, page 2, col. 2, microfilm Niles District Library

Services for Glen Oliver Crippen, 47, who was found dead in his home at Barron lake Monday afternoon after a heart attack believed to have occurred Sunday, were conducted in the Price and Kiger funeral home this afternoon at 2 by the Rev. Harry L. Nicholson, rector of Trinity Episcopal church. Burial was in Silverbrook cemetery. Pallbearers were Howard Scanlan, A.B. Michelson, Jacob Arkems, L.B. Guyott, I.R. Haley and Reggie McIntyre.

Emert, Irvin A.

Irvin Emert
July 13, 1874-May 22, 1944

Niles Daily Star, Friday, May 26, 1944, page 2, col. 8, microfilm Niles District Library

FIND IRVIN EMERT, DEAD THREE DAYS

Irvin A. Emert, 69, was found dead Thursday night at 8 in the home of his former wife, Mrs. C. F. Strait, on US 31, just outside the south city limits of Niles.  He was found sitting in a chair n the bedroom. Death was believed to have been caused by a heart attack Monday.

Neighbor children had gone to the home to buy some eggs Wednesday night, and received no answer to their knock.  They went over again Thursday night and heard the radio, but again no one came to the door when the knocked. They called their parents, and a neighbor, David Brady, who entered the house and found the body and notified state police.

Two Daughters

Surviving are the former wife, Mrs. Strait, who has been visiting a daughter in Kalamazoo several days, and two daughters, Mrs, Neil Boers, Kalamazoo, and Mrs. J.W. Wolfston, Birmingham, Mich.

Emert was born July 13, 1874.  Funeral arrangements have not yet been made, but the body will lie in the Pifer funeral home. The casket will not be opened.

Emert was born in Dayton, Ohio, July 13, 1874, and came to Niles from Dayton, a year and nine months ago.

The body is in the Pifer funeral home.  The casket will not be opened.

Funeral services will be conducted Saturday morning at 10 in Silverbrook cemetery by the Rev. Harry L. Nicholson, rector of Trinity Episcopal church.

Griffith, Leonore (Moody)

Leonore Griffith
Sept. 9, 1874-April 13, 1944

Niles Daily Star, Tuesday, April 18, 1944, page 2, col. 5, microfilm Niles District Library

LEONORE GRIFFITH STRICKEN TODAY

Mrs. Leonore Griffith, 69, died in her home at 416 South St. Joseph avenue, Monday afternoon at 5:50. She had been in poor health two months.

She was born in Niles Sept. 9, 1874, and lived here all her life.

Surviving are a daughter, Mrs. Walter Otteson, at home; two sons, Harry J. Griffith, Benton Harbor, and William H. Griffith, Wilmar, Calif.; seven sisters and Brothers, Mrs. Alma Bishop, Cassopolis; Mrs. Elmer, Cochran, Niles; Claude, Albert, Mark and Robert Moody, all of Niles; and Arthur Moody, Rockford, Ill., and eight grandchildren.

Her husband, William C. Griffith, died April 3, 1936.

Services will be conducted in the Pifer funeral home Thursday afternoon at 3:30 by the Rev. J. Kenneth Hoffmaster, and burial will be in Silverbrook cemetery.

Mrs. Griffith was a member of the G.A.R.

McBride, Mary

Mary McBride, 56
Died April 13, 1944

Niles Daily Star, Friday, April 14, 1944, page 1, col. 6, microfilm Niles District Library

MARY MCBRIDE, 56, TEACHER 31 YEARS, DIES IN THEATER

Miss Mary McBride, 56, of 516 North Second street, a teacher  in the Niles' grade schools for 31 years, died of a heart attack at 8:15 Thursday night while sitting beside her sister, Grace, in the Ready Theater.

. . .[Illegible]. . . She was graduated from the Niles high school in 1906, and received her teacher's certificate two years later from Western State Teachers' college, Kalamazoo.

Miss McBride attended seven summer school sessions at Western State Teachers college,and the University of Chicago during the summers of 1922-1925.

Conducted Kindergarten

Miss McBride was teaching kindergarten prior to her death, dividing the day between the Southside school and the Third ward school, since the first of the year.  She had taught in Lacey school, and the Fourth Ward school since 1938.

Surviving are two sisters, Grace and Anna McBride, and a brother, W. Wirt McBride, . .[illegible].. second street.

She was a lifelong member of the Presbyterian church and the Rebekah lodge.

Friends may call at the Price and Kiger funeral home. Funeral services will be conducted Monday afternoon at 3:30 in the Presbyterian church by Dr. G.W. Simon. Burial will be in Silverbrook cemetery.

 

Niles Daily Star, Monday, April 17, 1944, page 2, col. 6, microfilm Niles District Library

Mary McBride, Teacher 31 Years, Buried Today

Funeral services for Miss Mary McBride, 56, grade school teacher in the Niles grade schools for 31 years and who died of a heart attack Thursday night, were conducted this afternoon at 3:30 in the Presbyterian church.

Pallbearers were Ralph Power, Walter Zabel, Charles Moon, Carl Schmidt, Howard Davis and Roger Hopkins. Burial was in Silverbrook cemetery.

Taking over the kindergarten classes Miss McBride was teaching preceding her death will be Mrs. Frank Barron, who will  teach in the Southside school, and Mrs. Lewis Krell, who will teach the Third ward classes.  Both Mrs. Barron and Mrs. Krell will teach until the end of the school term.

Reum, Lola Mae (Stone)

Lola Mae Reum
July 30, 1879-May 30, 1944

Niles Daily Star, Wednesday, May 31, 1944, page 2, col. 6, microfilm Niles District Library

Lola Mae Reum, South Bend, Dies on Visit to Niles

Mrs. Lola Mae Reum, 64, of South Bend, died suddenly while visiting in the home of her cousin, Miss Florence Fowler, 10 South Fourth street, Tuesday afternoon at 2:30 after a heart attack. She had been in poor health the last five years.

She was born in Niles July 30, 19879, the daughter of John and . . . [illegible] . . .She married Gustave A. Reum in Niles April 18, 1906.

Surviving are the husband and a brother, Charles Stone, Niles.

Friends may call at the Price and Kiger funeral home, where services will be conducted Friday afternoon at 2:30 by the Rev. Robert M. Selle, pastor of St. Paul's Memorial Methodist church of South Bend. Burial will be in Silverbrook cemetery.

Sweeney, James Edward

James Edward Sweeney
Dec. 10, 1943-Jan. 1, 1944

Niles Daily Star, Monday, January 3, 1944, page 2, col. 5, microfilm Niles District Library

Sweeney Baby Dies; Funeral Tuesday

James Edward Sweeney, three -years-old son of Mr. and Mrs. James E. Sweeney, 951 South Eleventh street, died at 9 Saturday night in Pawating hospital after a two-day illness. He was born Dec. 10, 1943, and is survived by his parents and his grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. Claude Cole. The father is with the army at Fort Sill, Okla.

Services will be held at the Rutherford funeral home at 2:30 Tuesday afternoon, conducted by Mrs. D.W. Lynch of South Bend, formerly of the Old Faith Assembly church on Fourth street. Burial will be in Silverbrook cemetery.

 

Note:  Death record confirms date of  birth and date of death.  It appears that the obituary incorrectly says that the child was 3 years old when it should have said 3 weeks old.

Vandenburg, Edward D.

Edward D. Vandenburg
Feb. 20, 1912-April 7, 1944

Niles Daily Star, Friday, April 7, 1944, page 2, col. 1, microfilm Niles District Library

E.D. VANDENBURG TAKEN BY DEATH

Edward D. Vandenburg, 32, of 316 Cedar street, died in the Berrien county hospital this morning at 6:00 after an illness of five years.  This condition became critical three weeks ago. He was born Feb. 20, 1912 in Othello, Wash., and has lived in Niles almost all of his life. Prior to his illness he was employed in the grocery department of the National Tea company.

Surviving are his mother, Mrs. Verne Vandenburg; a son, Thomas; two brothers, Fred and Marion Vandenburg, and a sister, Margaret Vandenburg, all of Niles.

Friends may call in the Rutherford funeral home.

Niles Daily Star, Saturday, April 8, 1944, page 2, col. 3, microfilm Niles District Library

VANDENBURG SERVICE

Funeral for Edward D. Vandenburg, 32, of 316 Cedar street, who died Friday, will be conducted Monday afternoon at 2:30 in the Rutherford funeral home by the Rev. J. Kenneth Hoffmaster, pastor of the First Methodist church.

Niles Daily Star, Monday, April 10, 1944, page 2, col. 2, microfilm Niles District Library

COUSINS ASSIST

Pallbearers for the funeral of Edward D. Vandenburg, 32, of 316 Cedar street, who died Friday were six cousins優onald Walsh, Benton Harbor; Harold Vandenburg, Lawrence Kesterke, Vernon Vandenburg, William Forbes, and William Schlosser, all of Niles. Services were conducted in the Rutherford funeral home by the Rev.  J. Kenneth Hoffmaster. Burial was in Silverbrook cemetery.