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.

Black, Lowell K. Pastor

Vickie Caison Obituaries

Pastor Lowell Kenneth Black, 43, of Parkside Lane, Niles, Mich. and Pastor of First Church of Christ-Christian, Niles died at 5:15 p.m. Friday, Jan. 10, 2003 in Lakeland Medical Center-Niles, suddenly, but of natural causes.

He was born on Dec. 29, 1959 in Danville, Ill. to Robert S. and Ruth M. (Haxton) Black Jr., and graduated from Danville High School and Lincoln (Ill.) Christian College. He was ordained through the Second Christian Church, Danville and served as a Youth Pastor in Newburgh, Ind. for nine years prior to accepting the Senior Pastor position at First Church of Christ-Christian, Niles.

Lowell had always been active in athletics, having participated in the Fellowship of Christian Athletes in both high school and college, and coaching the Soccer team at Lincoln College. He had coached his son's Little League Baseball team in Niles and was currently training for the Chicago Marathon.

In Niles, Pastor Black was a member of the First Church of Christ-Christian; member and past-president of Niles Area Ministerial Alliance, volunteer chaplain at Lakeland Medical Center-Niles, a participant in Promise Keepers and DeColores Ministries of Southwest Michigan, and very active as a parent volunteer at Granger (Ind.) Christian School.

On Sept. 22, 1984 in Evansville, Ind. he married the former Cynthia Faye Gholson, who survives. Also surviving are their children, Brittanie Kaye Marie Black and Logan Michael Pearce Black, both at home; his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Robert Black, Jr. of Danville; Cindy's parents, Mr. and Mrs. Jerry Gholson of Evansville; his brothers, James Black of Danville, Dennis Black of Covington, Ind., Karl Black of Saint Joseph, Ill.; and sister, Joetta Lee of Owensboro, Ky.; and several nieces and nephews.

Funeral Services for Pastor Lowell K. Black will be at 1 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 14, 2003 in the First Church of Christ-Christian with Pastor David L. Clark of Central Christian Church, Beloit, Wis. Officiating. Committal services will follow in Silverbrook Cemetery, Niles.

The family will receive friends in the church today, Monday from 2 to 4 and 6 to 8 p.m. A trust fund for Brittanie and Logan Black has been established at Berrien Teachers' Credit Union, Niles. Arrangements were made at Halbritter Funeral Home, Niles.

 

Bennett, Stella C.

Vickie Caison Obituaries

Stella C. Bennett

Sept. 18, 1919-Nov. 20, 1994

 

Stella C. Bennett, 75, of 2835 Copp Road, died at 8 a.m. Sunday Nov. 20, 1994,  in St. Joseph's Medical Center, South Bend, after an illness. Mrs. Bennett was born Sept. 18, 1919. She married Robert C. Million, who died Oct. 16, 1963. On Jan. 28, 1967, she married Andrew Bennett. He died Sept. 14, 1994. Surviving are a daughter, Roberta Ziolkowski of South Bend; two sons, Larry L. Million of Niles and Ronald Satkoski of Niles; six grandchildren; four great-grandchildren; and a sister, Sophia Padgett of Niles.

Services will be at 11 a.m. Wednesday in Halbritter Funeral Home. Burial will be in Silverbrook Cemetery. Friends may call from 6 to 8 p.m. Tuesday in the funeral home.

Submitted by family member; publication details unknown

 

Bender, Darl K.

Vickie Caison Obituaries
 Darl K. Bender, 67, of Big Rapids, Mich., formerly of Niles, died Thursday Feb. 11, 1999,  in his home after an illness. He was born Aug. 20, 1931.  Survivors include a daughter, Linda Quist of Niles; a son, Richard of Niles; three sisters, Doris Jaynes of Niles, and Clara Keeler and Yvonne Ravish, both of Winterhaven, Fla.; and two brothers, Gerald of Big Rapids and Bob of Midland, Mich. Graveside services will be at 2 p.m. Monday at Silverbrook Cemetery. There will be no visitation. The Halbritter Funeral Home is handling arrangements.

Barron, Frank W.

Vickie Caison Obituaries

Frank W. Barron
May 20, 1907-Sept. 23, 1994

Frank W. Barron, 87, of 745 Colony, died of natural causes Sept. 23, 1994, in Lee Memorial Hospital, Dowagiac. Mr. Barron retired from National-Standard Co. He was born May 20, 1907, in Hastings, Mich., and moved to Niles in 1916, from Albion, Mich. On June 7, 1930, in Niles, he married Jean S. Scott. She died Jan. 15, 1977. Surviving are a daughter, Georgina Dunham of Niles; three grandchildren; and a great-granddaughter. He was a member of Trinity Episcopal Church, St. Joseph Valley Masonic Lodge 4, Elks Lodge and Saladin Temple, Grand Rapids.

Services will be at 11 a.m. Tuesday in the church. Burial will be in Silverbrook Cemetery. There will be no visitation. Memorial contributions may be made to the church. Halbritter Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

Submitted by family member; publication details unknown

Badgero, Robert

Vickie Caison Obituaries

Robert J. Badgero
April 20, 1924-May 31,2001

Mr. Robert J. "Jack" Badgero, 77, of Davis Street, Niles, Mich., died after an extended illness at 3:35 a.m. Thursday, May 31, 2001, in the Cardinal Nursing & Rehabilitation Center, South Bend, Ind.

He was born April 20, 1924, in Mount Pleasant, Mich., to Robert Phillip and B. Flossie (Converse) Badgero, and was graduated from the Ovid (Michigan) High School. He had lived in Niles since 1947, coming from Owosso, Mich.

He was a veteran of World War II, serving in the U.S. Army Air Corps, and was then employed for thirty years by the Ball Band Company, Mishawaka, Ind. (more recently Uniroyal), retiring in 1979. He enjoyed hunting, both locally and in the plains states. He was baptized as a Christian last year through the Church of Christ in Niles.

On July 10, 1951, in LaGrange, Ind., he was married to the former Lena Blanchard, who preceded him in death Aug. 24, 1984. He was also preceded by a sister, Arlene Hartley on Jan. 10, 1991.

Surviving family include his siblings, Bruce and Dorothy Badgero of South Bend, Colleen and Maynard Ricker of South Bend, and George and Nancy Badgero of Granger, Ind.; and by many nieces and nephews.

Services for Mr. Robert Jack Badgero will be at 11 a.m. Thursday, June 7, in the Halbritter Funeral Home, Niles, with Brother William Myers of Willowdale Church of Christ, Elkhart, Ind., officiating. Committal will be at Silverbrook Cemetery, Niles.

Contributions in memory of Jack may be made to Hospice at Home or to Hospice of Saint Joseph County, Ind.

Submitted by family member; publication details unknown

Villwock, Amethyst M. (Scholtes)

Vickie Caison Obituaries

Amy Villwock
February 2, 1916-February 23, 2009

NILES - Mrs. Amethyst M. "Amy" Villwock, age 93 years of Niles died at 12:30 p.m. Monday, Feb. 23, 2009, at her home following a brief illness. She was born on Feb. 2, 1916, in Chicago to William and Grace(Small) Scholtes and had lived in this area most of her life, and as a young lady, served a year as Miss Berrien Springs.

Mrs. Villwock was a member of St. John's United Church of Christ, Niles, and the Niles City Garden Club. Amy was actively involved in the daily activities and chores of the Villwock Farms, and enjoyed taking produce from the farm to farmers' markets, especially at Shipshewana, Ind. She also enjoyed flower gardening around the house, and dancing the polka, but her greatest joy was spending time with her
family.

On June 12, 1937, in Niles she married Clarence H. Villwock, who preceded her in death on Feb. 16, 1993. She was also preceded in death by two brothers, William Scholtes and Edward Scholtes.

Surviving family includes her children, Grace M. (Lewis) Angotti of Carrollton, Ky., Thomas W. (Linda) Villwock of Dowagiac and Donald P. Villwock of Evart, Mich.; grandchildren, Katherine Wilson, Elizabeth
Bell, Melinda Nimtz, Timothy Villwock, Amy Schroeder, Daniel Villwock and Bethany Kuik; and eight great-grandchildren.

The funeral service for Amethyst Villwock will be at 10:30 a.m. Friday, Feb. 27, at St. John's United Church of Christ, Niles, with the Rev. Kyle Gardner of the church officiating. Committal will follow in Silverbrook Cemetery, Niles. The family will receive relatives and friends from 2 to 4 p.m. and 6 to 8 p.m. Thursday at Halbritter Funeral Home, Niles. Contributions in memory of Mrs. Villwock may be made to St. John's United Church of Christ.

Submitted by family member; publication details unknown

Dwight, Audrey Esther

Vickie Caison Obituaries

Audrey Esther Dwight, 93, of Arbor Drive, South Bend, died at 5:23 a.m. Wednesday, Feb. 11, 2009, in West Woods of Niles following a brief illness.

She was born on May 26, 1915, in Tustin, Michigan, to Arthur E. and Jessie H. (Duval) Nelson. She graduated from Niles High School in 1933 and had lived most of her lifetime in Niles. Mrs. Dwight was a veteran of World War II, having served in the United States Navy.

Audrey was a member of Trinity Episcopal Church, Niles. She was also a member of the Order of the Eastern Star and was the first female to join LaRue Messenger American Legion Post #25, Niles.

She loved to travel, enjoyed cooking and playing golf, which she did until 2001. Audrey was city champ at Plym Park in the late 1930s. She will always be remembered for her great sense of humor.

On September 30, 1944, in San Francisco, CA, she married James C. Dwight, who preceded her in death in October 1969.

Audrey is survived by her son, James N. (Pam Weinstein) Dwight of Detroit, MI; daughter, Virginia A. (Richard) Hupp of South Bend, IN; five grandchildren, Erin, Charlie and Robbie Dwight, Kimberly Matthews and Gregory (Karen) Matthews; two great-grandchildren, Rob Sonneborn and Zack Jester.

Mrs. Dwight was also preceded in death by a brother, Arthur Nelson.

The funeral services for Audrey Esther Dwight will be held at 2 p.m. Monday, Feb. 16th, in Trinity Episcopal Church, Niles, with The Reverend James Slack of the church officiating.

Committal services will follow at Silverbrook Cemetery, Niles, where full military honors will be performed by American Legion Post #51, Buchanan, MI.

The family will receive relatives and friends from 2 to 5 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 15th, in the Halbritter Funeral Home, Niles, and one hour prior to services in the church.

Contributions in memory of Audrey may be made to the Trinity Episcopal Church Organ Fund.

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