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.

Ehlenfeldt, Ruth (King)

Ruth King Ehlenfeldt
December 3, 1907-February 27, 2006


Niles Daily Star, Friday, March 3, 2006, page 2, col. 1, microfilm Niles District Library


Ruth "Ruthie" King-Ehlenfeldt, 98, of Bertrand Road, Niles, died at 5:30 p.m. on Monday, Feb. 27, at Memorial Hospital.

Funeral services will be at 2 p.m. on Monday, March 6, at Hoven Funeral Home, in Buchanan with Pastor Willis Brock officiating.  Burial will be at Sivlerbrook Cemetery. The family will receive friends at 1 p.m. on Monday, Feb. 27[sic], one hour prior to the funeral.

Arrangements were by Hoven Funeral Home, in Buchanan.

 

Andrews, Fred

Fred Andrews
April 15, 1875-Nov. 24, 1942


Niles Daily Star, Wednesday, November 25, 1942, page 1, col. 7, microfilm Niles District Library


FRED ANDREWS TAKEN BY DEATH

 

Fred Andrews, 67, who was active in Niles church and Scouting activities for many years, died Tuesday night in the Berrien county hospital. He had been ill several years.

A native of Flint, where he was born April 15, 1875, Andrews served as Niles Scoutmaster and commissioner for 22 years before his retirement.

An employe of the Nation[sic] Printing and Engraving company 30 years, he resigned as assistant superintendent several years ago. Mr. Andrews was long an active member of the First Presbyterian church, where he served as elder 24 years, and of the Modern Woodmen of America.

Rites Friday

Surviving are his widow, Mrs. Gertrude Andrews, Los Angeles, Calif., and a sister and three brothers, Edna, Bert, Joshua and Ephriam Andrews, all of Flint.

Friends may call at the Price and Kiger funeral chapel where the service will be conducted Friday afternoon at 2. The Rev. Guy W. Simon, pastor of the First Presbyterian church, will officiate. Burial will be in Silverbrook cemetery.

 

Bachman, Walter Lyle

Walter Lyle Bachman
June 8, 1910-June 28, 1991


Niles Daily Star, Saturday, June 29, 1991, page 2, col. 7-8, microfilm Niles District Library


Funeral services for Walter Lyle Bachman, 81, 1514 S. Bond St., Niles, are Monday at 11 a.m. at Halbritter Funeral Home in Niles by the Rev. Arnold O. Schaap of Edwardsburg.

Burial will follow in Silverbrook Cemetery, Niles.

Bachman died Friday at 11:15 a.m. at Pawating Hospital in Niles, following an extended illness.

He was born June 8, 1910, in Niles and lived here all his life. On July 23, 1929, in South Bend, Ind., he married Maxine M. VanSkiver, who survives.

Bachman was a retired employee of the Bendix Corp. and was a member of Local 9 of the United Auto Workers.

Other survivors include a son, Larry L. Bachman of New York City; and two sisters, Joan Spenner of Niles and Ruth Abrew of Miami.

Friends may call from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m. Sunday at Halbritter Funeral Home.

Memorial contributions may be made to Niles Community Library.

 

Bloodgood, Grace C.

Grace C. Bloodgood
Dec. 28, 1888-Dec. 30, 1942


Niles Daily Star, Wednesday, December 30, 1942, page 2, col. 7, microfilm Niles District Library


GRACE BLOODGOOD TAKEN BY DEATH

 

Mrs. Grace C. Bloodgood, 54, of Barron lake, died this morning at 6:15 in Pawating hospital after an illness of 10 days.

A resident of the Barron lake community 10 years, she came here from Harvey, Ill., where she was married July 6, 1906, to Vivian C. Bloodgood, who survives. She was born Dec. 28, 1888, in Saginaw.

Surviving with her husband are two daughters, Mrs. Carl Hossfeld, Niles, and Mrs. Alex Clark, Harvey; two sisters, Mrs. Elsie Bauer, Thornton, Ill., and Mrs. Ethel Jaquays, Kalamazoo; a brother, Joseph Mann, Flint; a cousin, Mrs. Lillie Stubbs, Barron lake,and five grandchildren. She was a member of the Barron lake Neighbor club.

Friends may call at the Pifer funeral home. The Rev. J. Kenneth Hoffmaster, pastor of the Methodist church, will officiate at the funeral at 2  Saturday afternoon. Burial will be in Silverbrook cemetery.

 

Bruce, Adelma

Adelma Bruce
Jan. 26, 1906-Aug. 5, 1989


Niles Daily Star, Tuesday, August 8, 1989, page 2, col. 3, microfilm Niles District Library

Adelma Bruce, 83, 1329 Oak St., Niles, died Saturday at 8:20 a.m. at Pawating Hospital in Niles.

She was born Jan. 26, 1906, in Jefferson City, Mo. She married James Bruce, who preceded her in death on July 17, 1961.

Mrs. Bruce was a member of the Niles-Buchanan Senior Citizens Center.  She lived in Berrien County most of her lifetime and was a homemaker.

Survivors include a nephew, William Schmidt, of Rolling Meadows,  Ill.

Services are Thursday at 11 a.m. at Pifer-Smith Funeral Home by the Rev. Clayton Fairo, pastor of the First Presbyterian Church in Niles.

Burial will follow in Silverbrook Cemetery. Friends may call one hour before the service on Thursday.

Memorials may be sent to the Niles-Buchanan Senior Citizens Center.

 

Bybee, Scott Allen

Scott Allen Bybee
June 20, 1960-Feb. 20, 1991

Niles Daily Star, Thursday, June 20, 1991, page 2, col. 7, microfilm Niles District Library

Memorial services for Scott Allen Bybee, 30, of 506 Linwood, Buffalo, N.Y., will be 4 p.m. Saturday at First Church of Christ Christian by the Rev. Russell Ross, pastor.

Burial will be at Silverbrook Cemetery.

Mr. Bybee died Feb. 20 at Niagara Falls, N.Y, the result of a drowning.

He was born June 20, 1960, in Niles, and lived in Buffalo, N.Y. since 1988.

Mr. Bybee was a manager of a Mortgage Co., Buffalo, N.Y.

He was a 1978 graduate of Niles High School and a 1983 graduate of Abilene Christian University, Abilene, Texas.

Survivors include maternal grandparents, Wiley and Edith Mae Wallace of Winter Park, Fla.; paternal grandparents, Edith Mae Bybee of Niles; two sisters, Kim Harris and Cindy Morgan, both of Niles and a brother, Shane Bybee of Niles.

There will be no visitation.

Memorial contributions may be made to First Church of Christ Christian.

Arrangements handled by the Pifer-Smith Funeral Home.

 

Coffey, Janet E.

Janet E. Coffey
April 19, 1933-Feb. 11, 2006


Niles Daily Star, Monday, February 13, 2006, page 2, col. 3, microfilm Niles District Library


Janet E. Coffey, 72, of Rebeca[sic] Lane, Niles, died suddenly of natural causes, at 8:30 am. on Saturday, Feb. 11, at her home.

Funeral services will be held at 1 p.m. on Wednesday, Feb. 15, at Halbritter Funeral Home, in Niles, with Pastor Barbara Wirt of Westminster Presbyterian Church, officiating. Burial will be at Silverbrook Cemetery, in Niles.

Family will receive friends on Tuesday, Feb. 14, from 4 to 7 p.m. at the Funeral Home.

On April 19, 1933,in Plainwell, she was born to Charles B. Crane and Frances M. Boulter and lived in Niles since 1956, coming from Plainwell. She graduated from Plainwell High School, the class of 1951.

After many years of service, she retired from Simplicity Pattern Company. She was a very active member of the Westminster Presbyterian Church, where she served as Deacon and in the Good Grief Group, volunteered at Love Inc. and at Meals on Wheels and was devoted to her family, friends and to strangers.

In Plainwell, she married Dewey O. Coffey, who preceded her in death on May 13, 1981.

Her surviving family includes her sister, Delores L. Cosgrove, of South end, Ind.; her nephews, David (Deena) Cosgrove, of Granger, Ind. and Terry (Holly) Cosgrove, of Montross, Va.; her niece. Susan (Thomas) Collier, of Indianapolis, Ind. and six great-nieces and nephews.

Memorial contributions, in her memory, may be made to the Berrien County Animal Shelter.

Arrangements were by Halbritter Funeral Home, Niles.