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.

Elder, Lawrence P.

Lawrence P. Elder
Aug. 17, 1870-March 8, 1959


Niles Daily Star, Monday, March 9, 1959, page 2, col. 4, microfilm Niles District Library


Lawrence P. Elder, 88, of 1327 Oak Street, a member of the Niles Police Department for 26 years prior to his retirement in 1948, died at 1:45 p.m. Sunday in Pawating Hospital where he he had been admitted as a patient Friday. He had been in failing health for some time.

Mr. Elder was born Aug. 17, 1870, in Warsaw, Ind., and came to Niles from there in 1900. He was a life member of Trinity Episcopal Church and a member of the Fraternal Order of Police. His wife preceded in death in 1948.

He was a veteran life member of Buchanan Odd Fellows Lodge No. 75 and a long-time member of the New Century Rebekah Lodge No. 351 of Niles.

Surviving are: two daughters, Mrs. Dorothy Parsons, of Niles, and Mrs. Percy Garl, of Edwardsburg, and two grandchildren.

Funeral services will be held at 10:30 a.m. Thursday in Trinity Episcopal Church with the rector, the Rev. John G. Carlton, officiating.  Burial will be in Silverbrook Cemetery. Friends may call at the Pifer Funeral Home beginning Tuesday evening.

 

Estabrook, Garnet Florence

Garnet Florence Estabrook
Dec. 6, 1902-Jan. 9, 1990


Niles Daily Star, Wednesday, January 10, 1990, page 2, col. 3, microfilm Niles District Library

Services for Garnet Florence Estabrook, 87, of Medco Center, 1950 Ridgedale Road, South Bend, Ind., are Thursday at 1:30 p.m. at Pifer-Smith Funeral Home.

Burial will follow at Silverbrook Cemetery.

She died Tuesday, Jan. 8, at Medco Center in South Bend, Ind. following a long illness.

Mrs. Estabrook was affiliated with the Jehovah's Witness Church and a member of the Royal Neighbors.

She was born Dec. 6, 1902 in Michigan City, Ind.

On Oct. 11, 1924, she married Floyd Estabrook in Chicago who preceded her in death May 8, 1956.

Survivors include two daughters, Betty J. Tarqueno of Tinley Park, Ill. and Ilene F. White, of Mishawaka, Ind.; five grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren.

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

 

Evans, Edith

Edith Evans
June 16, 1880-March 9, 1959


Niles Daily Star, Tuesday, March 10, 1959, page 2, col. 4, microfilm Niles District Library


Mrs. Edith Evans, 78, of 334 South Fourth Street, died at 4 p.m. Monday in her home following an extended period of failing health.

Mrs. Evans was born June 16, 1880, in Downing Town, Ind., and came to Niles from LaFayette, Ind., in 1929. Her husband, Albert, preceded her in death a number of years ago. Surviving are: a son, John Evans, of Niles; a daughter, Mrs. Jean Carroll, of Phoenix, Ariz., and four grandchildren.

Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. Thursday in the Pifer Funeral Home with the Rev. John P. MacLachlan, pastor of the First Presbyterian Church, officiating. Burial will be in Silverbrook Cemetery. Friends may call at the funeral home.

 

Exner, Dora C.

Dora C. Exner
May 25, 1904-Nov. 19, 1987


Niles Daily Star, Thursday, November 19, 1987, page 2, col. 6, microfilm Niles District Library

Dora C. Exner, 83, 1019 Ontario Road, Niles, died at 1 a.m. today  at Silverbrook Manor, Niles, following an extended illness.

She was retired from Niles Waste Paper Company and a member of St. John's United  Church of Christ, Niles.

Exner was born May 25, 1904, in Walkerton, Ind., and moved to Niles in 1910, coming from Indiana.

On Sept. 14, 1929, in Niles, she married Herman F. Exner, who died July 11, 1956.

Survivors include: a son, Herman J. of Niles; a daughter, Jeanette Harker of Niles; two brothers, Richard and Albert Kale, both of Niles; two sisters, Helen Hogan of South Bend, Ind., and Hazel Kohlhardt of Sarasota, Fla.; three grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren.

Funeral services are 10 a.m. Saturday at Halbritter Funeral Home with Rev. Louie Schweppe of St. John's Church of Christ officiating. Burial will be in Silverbrook Cemetery.

Friends may call from 2 to 4  and 7 to 9 p.m. Friday at Halbritter Funeral Home. Memorial contributions may be made to the Berrien County Cancer Service or St. John's church.

 

 

Exner, Louis F.

Louis F. Exner
Oct. 13, 1870-Jan. 28, 1953


Niles Daily Star, Thursday, January 29, 1953, page 2, col. 2, microfilm Niles District Library

Louis F. Exner, 82, of 639 North Thirteenth street, died suddenly at 8 p.m. Wednesday at his home.

He was born in Niles on Oct. 13, 1870, and was a lifelong resident of the city. He was a member of St. John's Evangelical and Reformed Church. His wife, Emma, died in 1908.

Surviving are: two daughters, Mrs. Albert Strang and Mrs. Gertrude Garland, both of Niles, a son, Henry, Niles; two brothers, August of Niles and George of Buchanan; six grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.

Friends may call at the residence. The body will lie in state from 1 to 2 p.m. Saturday  at St. John's Evangelical and Reformed Church where services will be held at 2 p.m. Saturday. The Rev. Herbert Meussling, pastor, will officiate and burial will be in Silverbrook Cemetery.


Niles Daily Star, Friday, January 30, 1953, page 2, col. 2, microfilm Niles District Library

WILL ATTEND RITES

Mothers of World War II are requested to meet at 1:45 p.m. Saturday at St. John's Evangelical and Reformed Church to attend rites for Louis F. Exner.

Fay, Freeda (Wedel)

Freeda Fay (Wedel)
Jan. 18, 1894-Jan. 25, 1959


Niles Daily Star, Monday, January 26, 1959, page 2, col. 5, microfilm Niles District Library


Mrs. Freeda Fay, 65, of Kalamazoo, formerly of Niles, died at 1:30 am. Sunday in a Kalamazoo hospital following an illness of two weeks.

Mrs. Fay was born Jan. 18, 1894, in Niles and had lived here and in Kalamazoo. Surviving are: four daughters, Mrs. Roy Hambley, Mrs. LaVern Bolle and Mrs. Wesley Marshall, all of Niles, and Mrs. David Jones,  of New Buffalo; nine grandchildren, and two brothers, Carl Wedel and Julius Wedel, both of Niles.

Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. Tuesday in the Kiger-Halbritter Funeral Home here with the Rev. Herbert Meussling, pastor of St. John's United Church of Christ [Evangelical and Reformed] of which she had been a member, officiating. Burial will be in Silverbrook Cemetery. Friends may call at the funeral home.

 

Fitz, Clarence

Clarence Fitz
Oct. 25, 1896-Jan. 22, 1959


Niles Daily Star, Friday, January 23, 1959, page 2, col. 4, microfilm Niles District Library


Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. Sunday in the Pifer Funeral Home here for Clarence Fitz, 62, of 52250 Oakand Avenue, South Bend, form Niles community resident who died at 10 a.m. (EST) Thursday on arrival at Memorial Hospital, South Bend.  The Rev. Orlen Njus, pastor of the Bertrand Bible Church, will officiate and burial will be in Silverbrook Cemetery.

Mr. Fitz, who had been ill for the past six weeks, was born Oct. 25, 1896, in Pulaski County, Ind., and had lived 33 years in the Bertrand area, moving eight years ago to his present address. He had bee an assembly line employe of the Studebaker-Packard Corp.

Surviving are: the widow, Sarah; three daughters, Mrs. Pauline Kruz and Mrs. Raymond Pegan, both of Niles, and Mrs. Charles Bakeman, of Kalamazoo; three sons, Lester Fitz, with the United Sates Air Force at Wells Lake, Wis., Robert Fitz, of Niles, and Lloyd Fitz, at home; eight grandchildren; two brothers, Lloyd Fitz, of Francisville, Ind., and Ora Fitz, of Battle Ground, Ind., and a sister, Mrs. Irene Bell, of Logansport Ind.

Friends may call at the funeral home beginning this evening.