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.

Shook, Alma Carpenter

Alma Carpenter Shook
Nov. 6, 1890-June 24, 1963


Niles Daily Star, Tuesday, June 25, 1963, page 2, col. 1, microfilm Niles District Library


Mrs. Alma Carpenter Shook, 72, of 932 S. 13th St., died at 10:45 a.m. Monday in Pawating Hospital after an illness of two months. She was admitted to the hospital Sunday.

Mrs. Shook was born Nov. 6, 1890,  in Cass County. She lived most of her life in Niles. She was a Gold Star Mother and a member of the Niles Order of the Eastern Star.

Her husband, John, died in 1961.

Surviving are: a daughter, Mrs. Wilbur Adams of Cincinnati; a sister, Mrs. Louise Moneysmith, Niles; a brother, Carl Carpenter, also of Niles, and a granddaughter.

Funeral services will be at 2 p.m. Wednesday in the Kiger Funeral Home. The Rev. Maurice McKean, pastor of the First Methodist Church, will officiate. Burial in Silverbrook Cemetery.

Friends may visit the Kiger Funeral Home.

 

Shull, Sandra Sue

Sandra Sue Shull
May 5, 1950-Jan. 24, 1953


Niles Daily Star, Monday, January 26, 1953, page 2, col. 2, microfilm Niles District Library

Funeral services were held at 2 p.m. today in the Seventh-day Adventist Church for Sandra Sue Shull, two-year-old daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Vivian Shull, 519 Eagle street, who died Saturday afternoon in Pawating Hospital following a three-day illness. Elder S.E. Wight of Emmanuel Missionary College at Berrien Springs officiated and burial was in Silverbrook Cemetery. A sister, Julie Jo, at home also survives.

Siebarth, Anna

Anna Siebarth
Sept. 21, 1908-Dec. 31, 1989


Niles Daily Star, Tuesday, January 2, 1990, page 2, col. 3-4, microfilm Niles District Library


Anna Siebarth, 81 of Luther, Mi. died Sunday at 7:45 p.m. at Butterworth Hospital in Grand Rapids following an extended illness.

She was born Sept. 21, 1908 in Hammond, Ind.

Mrs. Siebarth was divorced and had been a homemaker.

Survivors include daughter, Lorraine Christner of Watervliet and James K. Siebarth of Luther; five grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.

Services and visitation are not offered.

Arrangements were made by Pifer-Smith Funeral Home of Niles.

 

 

Smith, Homer F.

Homer F. Smith
April 29, 1899-March 28, 1980


Niles Daily Star, Monday, March 31, 1980, page 2, col. 1, microfilm Niles District Library

NILES--Funeral services for Homer F. Smith, 80, of 1911 E. Ontario St., were to be at 10:30 a.m. today at the Pifer-Smith Funeral Home with the Rev. William Mack of the Bertrand Church of the Nazarene officiating.

Burial was to follow for Mr. Smith at Silverbrook Cemetery.

He was born April 29, 1899 in Louisville, Ky., and had lived here since 1944, coming from South Bend.

He died at 9:30 a.m. Friday at Michigan Skilled Center.  Mr. Smith was a World War I Army veteran and a retired employee of the Studebaker Corporation.

Survivors include three daughters, Mrs. Ray (Helen) Shanklin of Union, Mrs. Marjorie Fox of South Bend, and Mrs. Gordon (Margaret) Ward of Bosque Farm, N.M.; and five grandchildren.

 

Southworth, Caroline Church

Caroline Southworth
Oct. 20, 1869-Feb. 7, 1939

Niles Daily, Tuesday, February 7, 1939, page 1, col. 6, microfilm Niles District Library

DAUGHTER OF NILES PIONEERS STRICKEN

Miss Caroline Southworth, Last Member of Her Family, Dies.

 

Miss Caroline Church Southworth, 69, a native of Niles and daughter of a prominent pioneer family, died at 1 o'clock this morning in the home of D.R. Garnhart, 251 Bond street.

Miss Southworth had been in ill health for the last year and a half.  Early this winter she closed her home at 522 Oak street and had since been rooming at the Garnharts. Her death occurred at 1 o'clock this morning.

An active member of the Presbyterian church and of the Ladies of the G.A.R., the two interests had claimed her attention in her later years.

She was the only child of the late David A. and Harriette Allen Southworth. She was born in Niles and was educated in the Niles schools.

Mrs. Lewis B. Sinclair, Highland Park, Ill., a cousin, is her only surviving relative.

The Rev. Guy W. Simon of the First Presbyterian church, will officiate at the funeral services Thursday afternoon at 2 in the Rutherford Funeral home. Burial will be in Silverbrook cemetery.

Friends may call at the funeral home prior to the services.


Niles Daily, Wednesday, February 8, 1939, page 2, col. 3, microfilm Niles District Library


Funeral services for Miss Caroline Church Southworth, 69, lifelong resident of Niles, will be held at 2 o'clock Thursday afternoon in the Rutherford funeral home. The Rev. Guy W. Simon of the First Presbyterian church, of which Miss Southworth was a member, will officiate. Burial will be in Silverbrook cemetery.

Stapleton, Arch J.

Arch J. Stapleton
Feb. 10, 1930-Nov. 24, 1987

Niles Daily, Friday, November 27, 1987, page 2, col. 1-2, microfilm Niles District Library


Arch J. "Jeff" Stapleton, 57, 315 S. Fourth St., Niles, died at 9:45 p.m. Tuesday at Memorial Hospital, South Bend, Ind., following an extended illness.

He was a retired employee of French Paper Company in Niles and a Korean War veteran of the U.S. Army.

Stapleton was born Feb. 10, 1930, in Tallahoma, Tenn., and lived in Niles since 1950, coming from Tennessee.

On June 22, 1953, in Roseland, Ind., he married Janet C. Russell, who survives.

Also surviving are: three sons, Ronney of Illinois, Roger of Clovis, Calif., and John of Mishawaka, Ind.; four daughters, Robin Butterworth, Sandra Monroe and Sylvia Stapleton, all of Niles, and Diane Hight of South Bend; a brother, John Bryant of Muncie, Ind.; and seven grandchildren.

Funeral services are 11 a.m. Monday, at Halbritter Funeral Home with Rev. Lloyd J. Murphy, Chaplain at Pawating Hospital, officiating. Burial will be in Silverbrook Cemetery, Niles.

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

 

Note:  Same obit was published in Niles Daily Star on Wednesday, February 26, 1987, but said that Mr. Stapleton was veteran of WWII rather than Korean War as is stated in the corrected version above.

 

Steimley, Bessie E.

Bessie E. Steimley
Oct. 26, 1885-Jan. 24, 1954


Niles Daily, Monday, January 25, 1954, page 2, col. 5, microfilm Niles District Library

Mrs. Bessie E. Steimley, 68, of 612 North Twelfth street, died at 5 a.m. Sunday at her home.

Mrs. Steimley was born Oct. 26, 1885, in Dowagiac and came to Niles from there 35 years ago. She was a member of the First Methodist Church here and the Philathea class and treasurer of the Woman's Society of Christian Service.

Surviving are: her husband, Frank E.; two sisters, Mrs. Thelma Gerold, Calumet City, Ill., and Mrs. Lulu Carr, Henderson, Nev., and a brother, Earl Clendenen, Dowagiac.

Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. Tuesday in the Kiger Funeral Home with the Rev. L. George Beacock, pastor of the First Methodist Church, officiating. Burial will be in Silverbrook Cemetery. Friends may call at the funeral home.

All members of the Philathea class at the Methodist Church are asked to meet at the Kiger Funeral Home at 1:30 p.m Tuesday to attend the rites for Mrs. Steimley.