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.

Hart, Elsie (Tuttle)

Elsie Hart (Tuttle)  Death Claims Mrs. John Hart   Was pioneer resident of Niles   The funeral will be held Saturday. Mrs. John H. Hart a pioneer and highly esteemed resident of Niles and a sister of Joseph S. Tuttle, died at an early hour this morning (March 12, 1920) at her home in South Fourth street after a prolonged illness from complications arising from her advanced age. Mrs. Hart having attained the age of 87 years.Mrs. Hart was born in Pennsylvania. When a young woman she came to Niles where the greater part of the remaining years of her life were spent. She was married in Niles to Mr. Hart and had she lived until the 27 instant, Mr. and Mrs. Hart would have observed her 60th wedding anniversary. The children born of their union have preceded their mother in death.Besides her husband, and brother, Mrs.

 Hart is survived b another brother, Amos T. Ball of Benton Harbor and a sister, Mrs. Alice J. Hamilton of Battle Creek.The funeral services will be held tomorrow afternoon at 2 o’clock from the home. Rev. J.R. T. Lathrop pastor of the Methodist church of which both Mr. and Mrs. Hart have been identified for many years, will officiate. Burial will occur at Silverbrook Cemetery. 

Hart, Deborah (Barber)

Deborah Hart
June 13, 1841-Aug. 30, 1932

Mrs. Deborah Hart, Niles Resident for past sixty years, dies.

      Mrs. Deborah Hart, 92, a resident of Niles for over 60 years, died this morning Aug. 30, 1932, at 1:15 in her home, 39 S. Fourth Street.  She had lived in the house for more than 40 years.  Her death followed one month of illness.

      Mrs. Hart’s maiden name was Deborah Barber. She was born in Saratoga County, N.Y., on June 13, 1841. She was married to Charles B. Hart in Saratoga County on November 4, 1855.  Four children were born to them of whom three survive their mother. They are Miss Nettie Hart and Alvin Hart of Niles, and Mrs. W. R. Smith of Fergus Falls, Minn.  Another son, Elmer E. Hart, died in Niles in 1870. Mrs. Smith has been in Niles for two weeks on account of her mother’s illness. Mrs. Hart was the last member of her family. Of her grandchildren two reside in Niles. They are Dr. Russell Hart and Mrs. William Huff.

      Mrs. and Mrs. Hart after first coming to Michigan lived for about a years in a farm house located opposite the home of Dr. Clarence Gillette on the Chicago Road. Mr. Hart, died while on a trip to Union, NH in 1891.

      Mrs. Hart had been a member of the Methodist church in Niles ever since she moved here. The funeral services will be held on Thursday afternoon at 2 o’clock in the home. The Rev. Robert Madder, pastor of the Methodist church will officiate. Burial will be made in Silverbrook Cemetery. 

Submitted by family member; publication details unknown.

Hart, Cecil S.

Cecil S. Hart
April 23, 1903-June 28, 1969 

BUCHANAN – Cecil S. Hart, 64, of 1074 Bame Ave., died Saturday June 28, 1969, at 11:50 p.m. in the Buchanan Community Hospital where he had been a patient for one year. Mr. Hart was born April 23, 1903 in Galien. He married Bessie Fulkerth Aug. 15, 1925 in Cassopolis.

He is survived by four sons, Cecil Jr., Niles, William, Niles, Richard, Niles and John, Niles; his mother, Mrs. Robert Taylor, Niles; three daughters, Mrs. George Weiser, Niles, Mrs. Samuel Weiser Jr., Niles and Mrs. Robert Gross, Niles; a brother, Irvin Hart, Joliet, Ill; a sister, Mrs. Neil Peterson, Niles.

Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. Wednesday in the Pifer funeral Home with the Rev. A.J. Martin, former pastor of Coulters Chapel, officiating. Burial will be in the Silverbrook cemetery.Friends may call at the funeral home after 7 p.m. tonight.

Submitted by family member; publication details unknown.

Hart, Bessie (Fulkerth)

Bessie Hart
Jan 1, 1895-Sept. 38, 1984

Services for Bessie Hart, 89, of 1074 Bame Ave, Niles, who died at 10 a.m. Friday at Pawating Hospital, will conducted at 1:30 p.m Wednesday at Pifer-Smith funeral Home. Burial will be in Silverbrook Cemetery. Friends may call from 7 to 9 p.m. Tuesday in the funeral home.

Mrs. Hart was born Jan. 1, 1895 in Berrien County. On Aug. 15, 1925 in Cassopolis, she married Cecil S. Hart, who died in June 1969. Survivors include three daughters, Dorothy Weiser, Fannie Weiser, Doris Gross all of Niles; four sons, Cecil, William and Richard, all of Niles and John of Dowagiac; 25 grandchildren; 27 great-grandchildren; three great-great-grandchildren; three sisters, Maude Davis of Niles, Ellen Malone of Orlando, Fla., and Pauline Smith of Oregon, and a brother, Lynes Fulkerth of Niles.

Submitted by family member; publication details unknown. 

Harrold, Betty June

Betty June Harrold
Feb. 5, 1925-Jan. 30, 1994

Services for Betty June Harrold, 68, of 340 Woodruff St., Niles, who died at 11:23 p.m. Sunday Jan. 30, 1994,  in Pawating Hospital, will be at 11 a.m. Wednesday in Halbritter Funeral Home. Burial will be in Silverbrook Cemetery. Friends may call from 2 to 8 p.m. today in the funeral home.

She was born Feb. 5, 1925, in Niles. On May 24, 1949, she married Donald E. Harrold. He survives with a daughter, Peggy Mantke of Niles; and a sister, Dorothy ``Dutch'' Cochran of Niles.

Submitted by family member; publication details unknown. 

Harroff, Jeanne Carolyn

Jeanne Carolyn Harroff
March 3, 1933-Oct. 31, 2004


Niles Daily Star, Tuesday, November 2, 2004, page 2, col. 2, microfilm Niles District Library

Funeral services for Jeanne C. Harroff, 71 of South Third St., Niles, are 11 a.m. Thursday, at Halbritter Funeral Home, Niles, by the Rev. Dr. Ronald H. Wakeman of First Presbyterian Church.

Harroff died Sunday, Oct. 31, unexpectedly of natural causes.

Burial will be in Silverbrook Cemetery, Niles.

Harroff was born March 31, 1933, in Niles. She graduated from Niles High School in 1947.

On May 5, 1956, in the First Presbyterian Church, Niles, she married James D. Harroff, who preceded her in death.

Harroff was employed for several years as Secretary at Niles High School. She was a member of the First Presbyterian Church in Niles.

A long-time resident of Effie Lane, she served as a Howard Township Trustee, on the Zoning Board, and the township's Liaison to SMCAS. She was a also a member of the Southwestern Michigan Running Club, and the Friday  Night Book Club.

Survivors include three sons, Jeffrey Harroff of South Bend, Ind., Jonathan Harroff of Edwardsburg, and Jerry Patrick Harroff; and four grandchildren.

Harroff was preceded in death by one son, Jay Clark Harroff.

Visitation will be Wednesday, from 6 to 8 p.m., at the funeral home.

Memorial contributions may be made to the Niles District Library.


also Submitted by family member; publication details unknown:

Mrs. Jeanne Carolyn Harroff, 71, of South Third Street, Niles, Mich., died Sunday morning, Oct. 31,  2004, in her home. Death was unexpected but of natural causes.

She was born on March 31, 1933, in Niles, to Robert and Maybelle (Vetter) Moody, and lived in Niles all of her life. She graduated from Niles High School in 1947. As longtime resident of Effie Lane, she served as a trustee to Howard Township, served on the Zoning Board and as the township's liaison to SMCAS. She was also employed for several years by Niles Community Schools as secretary at Niles High School.

Mrs. Harroff was a member of First Presbyterian Church, Niles, and of the Southwestern Michigan Running Club and the Friday Night Book Club.

On May 5, 1956, at First Presbyterian Church, Niles, she was married to James D. Harroff, who preceded her in death on April 19, 2000. She was also preceded in death by a son, Jay Clark Harroff, who died at birth in 1969.

Surviving family includes her sons, Jeffrey (Robin) Harroff of South Bend, Ind., Jonathan (Marcia) Harroff of Edwardsburg, Mich., and Jerry Patrick Harroff of Los Angeles, Calif.; and four grandchildren, Jennifer Harroff, Justin Harroff, Lindsay Harroff and Jacob Harroff.

The funeral service for Jeanne C. Harroff will be at 11 a.m. Thursday, Nov. 4, in the Halbritter Funeral Home, Niles, with the Rev. Dr. Ronald H. Wakeman of First Presbyterian Church, Niles, officiating. Committal services will follow at Silverbrook Cemetery, Niles.

The family will receive friends from 6 to 8 p.m. today in the funeral home.

Contributions in memory of Mrs. Harroff may be made to the Niles District Library.


Harroff, James D.

James D. Harroff
Jan. 16, 1931-April 19, 2000

James D. Harroff, 69, of Effie Lane, Niles, Mich., died following a brief illness at 5:30 p.m. on Wednesday, April 19, 2000, in Memorial Hospital, South Bend, Ind.

He was born on Jan. 16, 1931, in Niles, to Clarence R. and Marion Eva (Starke) Harroff and was a lifelong resident of Niles, graduating from Niles High School in 1949. He also graduated from Acme Tool & Design, South Bend. He retired in 1997 from Custom Form, Elkhart, Ind., and was formerly employed with National-Standard Company, Niles.

Mr. Harroff was a member of First Presbyterian Church, Niles, and volunteered as a leader of the church's Troop 71 of Boy Scouts of America. He also volunteered as a coach for Howard Township Little League and Babe Ruth in Niles, and was a member of the Loyal Order of Moose Lodge #449, Buchanan.

He was a veteran of the Korean Conflict, serving in the U.S. Army, and was a member of the American Legion Post, Coldwater, Mich.

On May 5, 1956, in the First Presbyterian Church, he married the former Jeanne Carolyn Moody, who survives. He is also survived by their sons, Jeffrey (Robin) Harroff of South Bend, Jonathan (Marcia) Harroff of Edwardsburg, Mich., and Jerry Patrick Harroff of Los Angeles, Calif.; grandchildren, Jennifer and Justin Harroff of South bend, and Lindsay and Jacob Harroff of Edwardsburg, Mich.; his sister, Barbara Stevens of Clearwater, Kan.; and brothers, Gale (Barbara) Harroff of Nashua, N.H., and Carl (Judy) Harroff of Hammond, Ind.

He was preceded in death by a son, Jay Clark Harroff, who died at birth in 1969.

Funeral services will be at 1 p.m. today in the Halbritter Funeral Home, Niles, with the Reverend Doctor Ronald H. Wakeman of First Presbyterian Church, officiating. Committal services will be at Silverbrook Cemetery, Niles, concluding with a Veteran's Flag Presentation and Taps by John McLaughlin, Commander of American Legion Post 26, Niles.

The family received friends from 6 to 8 p.m. on Friday, April 21, in the funeral home.

Memorial contributions may be made to the Foundation of First Presbyterian Church, Niles.

Submitted by family member; publication details unknown.