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.

Miller, Bertha (Reum) 1897-1955

Bertha Miller
Oct. 25, 1897-April 4, 1955

Niles Daily Star (Niles, Berrien Co., MI), Monday, April 4, 1955, page 2, col. 1, microfilm Niles District Library

Mrs. Bertha Miller, 57, of rural route two, [Leet Road] Niles, died at 10?15 a.m. today in Pawating Hospital of a gunshot wound in her right temple. Cass County Coroner Adam Greenawalt of Cassopolis, ruled the death a suicide.

Niles State Police were called to the Miller home at 8:05 today after Mrs. Miller's husband, Joseph, found her slumped over a dresser in the bedroom. Police said she apparently stood in front of a mirror, placed the gun, a 32 caliber revolver, to her right temple and pulled the trigger. The bullet entered her head, came out on the other side, hit the mirror and bounced 10 feet in back of her.

Her husband told state police that she had been in ill health and was despondent.

Mrs. Miller was born Oct. 25, in Milton Township and had lived in this vicinity all her life. Surviving besides her husband are: her mother, Mrs. Bertha Reum, of Niles; a son, Joseph, of Niles; two grandchildren, and a sister, Mrs. Mervin Morris, of Niles.

Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. Thursday in the Pifer Funeral Home here with the Rev. H. A. Meussling, pastor of St. John's Evangelical and Reformed Church, officiating. Burial will be in Silverbrook Cemetery. Friends may call at the funeral home beginning Tuesday evening.

Needles, May V. Miller (Shockley) 1874-1955

May V. Miller
Feb. 4, 1874-April 19, 1955

Niles Daily Star (Niles, Berrien Co., MI), Wednesday, April 20, 1955, page 2, col. 5, microfilm Niles District Library

Mrs. May V. Miller, 81, 118 North 10th Street, died at 8:15 p.m. Tuesday at the home of her daughter, Mrs. Henry Strauss, 922 Regent Street. She had been ill for some time.

Mrs. Miller was born Feb. 4, 1874, in Milton Township, Cass County and had lived in this vicinity most of her life. She was a member of the First Methodist Church here and a member of the adult Bible class of the church.

Surviving besides her daughter are: a grandson, and three sisters, Mrs. Anna Bachman, Mrs. Lew Leach and Mrs. Elizabeth Huff, all of Niles.

Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. Friday in the Pifer Funeral Home here with the Rev. L. George Beacock, officiating. Burial will be in Silverbrook Cemetery. Friends may call at the funeral home.

 

Note: May V. Shockley m. Wm. Needles (1860-1912), 1912 m. Lewis Miller. Burial is with first husband Wm. Needles.

Mitchell, Harold A. 1907-1975

Harold A. Mitchell
Nov. 15, 1907-Dec. 4, 1975

Niles Daily Star (Niles, Berrien Co., MI), Friday, December 4, 1975, page 2, col. 3, microfilm Niles District Library

NILES—Harold A. Mitchell, 68, of 412 S. St. Joseph, died at 1:45 p.m. Thursday at Kalamazoo State Hospital after an extended illness.

A retired National-Standard Co. employe, Mr. Mitchell was a past commander of LaRue Messenger Post of the American Legion. He was a Navy veteran of World War II and a member of the Disabled American Veterans.

Born here Nov. 15, 1907, Mrs. Mitchell lived in this area all his life. On Aug. 22, 1929, at South Bend, he married the former Stephanie Pataszkiewicz, who survives.

Also surviving are two daughters, Mrs. Ronald Martin and Mrs. Terry Williams, both of Niles; a brother, Guy of Niles, and six grandchildren.

Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. Monday at the Halbritter Funeral Home. The Rev. Fred T. Smith of the South Niles Community Church will officiate and burial will be in Silverbrook Cemetery.

Friends may call at the funeral home from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m. Sunday. Memorials may be made to the Michigan Diabetes Assn.

Mitchell, Infant son 1930

Baby Mitchell
July 1, 1930-July 1, 1930

Niles Daily Star (Niles, Berrien Co., MI), Tuesday, July 1, 1930, page 4, col. 3, microfilm Niles District Library

Niles News in Brief: DEATH BABY MITCHELL

A boy born this morning to Mr. and Mrs. Harold Mitchell of Dowagiac at Pawating hospital, lived but a short time. Burial will be made in Silver Brook cemetery tomorrow afternoon. Mr. Mitchell is employed in Niles.

Mohr, Vernon Lee 1949-1949

Vernon Lee Mohr
Aug. 30, 1949-Aug. 30, 1949

Niles Daily Star (Niles, Berrien Co., MI), Wednesday, August 31, 1949, page 2, col. 1, microfilm Niles District Library

INFANT SON DIES

Vernon Lee Mohr, born prematurely at 12:30 p.m Tuesday in Pawating hospital, died at 6:22 p.m. yesterday.

His parents, Mr. and Mrs. Amos J. Mohr, of Tipton, Ia., were travelling through the city when Mrs. Mohr became ill and was taken to the hospital.

Burial will be in Silverbrook cemetery this afternoon at 4, and graveside services will be conducted by the Rev. T.M. Greenhoe, pastor of the First Presbyterian church.

Arrangements are in charge of the Pifer funeral home.

Mould, Lawrence W. 1930-1949

Cpl. Lawrence W. Mould
Feb. 1, 1930-Sept. 24, 1949

Niles Daily Star (Niles, Berrien Co., MI), Monday, September 26, 1949, page 1, col. 6-7, microfilm Niles District Library

Niles Soldier, 19 Dies in Nebraska Jeep Crash

Cpl. Mould Was Son of Mr. and Mrs. Reginald Mould, 61 S. Third St.

A 19-year-old Niles youth and his companion, both corporals in the air force met a violent death Saturday when the jeep in which they were riding left the highway near Orofino, Neb., and plunged 40 feet tot he bottom of a canyon.

Based at Omaha Field

Killed were Cpl. Lawrence W. Mould, of Niles, and Cpl. Albert O. Moreau, also 19, of Pawtucket, R.I. They were based at Offutt air field, near Omaha.

Cpl. Mould was the son of Mr. and Mrs. Reginald W. Mould, of 61 South Third street, Niles. He had graduated from Niles High school in June, 1948, and enlisted in the air force Sept. 2, 1948.

The body was scheduled to arrive in Niles at 12:48 p.m. today, according to word received earlier.

Survivors Are Named

He was born in Niles on Feb. 1, 1930. Besides his parents, he is survived by his grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. Ambrose Mould, of Niles; two uncles, Arthur Mould of Niles and Sidney Mould of South Bend; two aunts, Miss Lillian Mould and Mrs. Earl L. Belding, both of Niles; and a cousin, Mrs. Avery Haynes of Niles.

Cpl. Mould was a member of . . .[illegible]

Funeral Rites Tomorrow

The body will be taken to the Kiger funeral home on arrival. Services will be conducted at the Episcopal church at 2 p.m. Tuesday by the pastor, the Rev. Percy D. Jones. Burial will be in Silverbrook cemetery with full military rites.

 

Niles Daily Star (Niles, Berrien Co., MI), Monday, September 26, 1949, page 2, col. 5, microfilm Niles District Library

ATTEND MOULD RITES

Out0of-town relatives and friends attending the funeral of Cpl. Lawrence W. Mould yesterday were Mrs. Mathews Kearns, Walnut, Ill.; Mr. and Mrs. Archie Markillie, Parchment, Mich.; Mrs. Garnet Williams, Kalamazoo; Mr. and Mrs. Everett Hood, Grand Rapids; Mrs. Clinton Jackson, Chicago; Mrs. Gene Jorgensen, Glenview, Ill. Also attending were Mr. and Mrs Arthur Muir and Mr. William Clark, Evanston, Ill., and Mr. and Mrs. William Suthard, Benton Harbor.

Murphy, Emma A. 1889-1971

Emma A. Murphy
Dec. 24, 1889-April 23, 1971

Niles Daily Star (Niles, Berrien Co., MI), Saturday, April 24 1971, page 2, col. 4, microfilm Niles District Library

NILES--Emma A. Murphy, 81, of 103 Market St., died at 5:20 p.m. Friday in Pawating Hospital. She had been in Ill health for several years.

Mrs. Murphy was born Dec. 24, 1889 in Niles and was a life long resident of this area.

She is survived by a daughter, Mrs. Wilbur (Bernice) Shanafelt, South Bend; two sisters, Mrs. Ruth Frizzell and Mrs. Dorothy Schumbacher, both of Niles; two grandchildren and six great-grandchildren.

Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m Monday in the Halbritter Funeral Home, with the Rev. John R. Wyngarden, pastor of the First Presbyterian Church, officiating. Burial will follow in Silverbrook Cemetery.

Friends may call after 7 p.m. today at the funeral home.