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.

King, Thelma

editor Obituaries
Mrs. Thelma King
July 23, 1916-January 5, 1956

    Mrs. Thelma King, 39, of 1420 South 13th Street, died at 2:30 p.m., Thursday in Pawating Hospital following a  brief illness.
    Mrs. King was born July 23, 1916,  in Knoxville, Tenn., and came to Niles seven years ago from Nashville, Tenn.  She was employed at the Surges Engineering Company here.
    Surviving are her father, Edgar Wells, of Knoxville, Tenn.; her husband, Lonan; seven children, Dorothy Jean, James, Gilbert, Marybelle, Lois Elizabeth, Richard Franklin and Lonan Halsey, all at home and Mrs. Fred Willis, of South Bend; three grandchildren; three sisters, Mrs. Louise Johns and Mrs. Gladys Thorne, both of Rossville, Ga., and Mrs. Dorothy Johnson, of Hendersville, Ky., and a brother, Fred Brannon, of Rossville.
    Funeral services will be held at 3:30 p.m., Saturday in the Pifer Funeral Home here with the Rev. Roayal David, pastor of the Church of the Nazarene, officiating.  Burial will be in Silverbrook Cemetery.  Friends may call at the funeral home.

Niles Daily Star, Friday, January 6, 1956, page 2, col. 4, microfilm Niles District Library.

Stevens, Harry D.

editor Obituaries
Harry D. Stevens
April 2, 1869-January 6, 1956

    BUCHANAN -- Harry D. Stevens, 86, retired area farmer, died at 5:30 p.m., Friday in his home on rural route two, Buchanan.
    Stevens was born April 2, 1869, in Buda, Ill., and moved to this area in 1906 from Stuart, Ia.
    Surviving are: three sons, Edward and Ray Stevens, both of Niles, and M/Sgt. William Stevens, stationed at Arlington, Tex.; four daughters, Mrs. R.J. Terry, of Flint, Mrs. Clyde Penwell and Mrs. Vernal Shreve, both of Buchanan, and Mrs. Robert Poulson, of Niles; two step-daughters, Mrs. Clarence Walter, of Niles, and Mrs. James Graham, of Berrien Springs; two step-sons, Burton Burgoyne, of Berrien Springs, and K.P. Burgoyne, of Battle Creek; 17 grandchildren, and 22 great-grandchildren.
    Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. Monday in the Pifer Funeral Home here with Dr. T.M. Greenhoe, pastor of the First Presbyterian Church, officiating.  Burial will be in Silverbrook Cemetery.  Friends may call at the funeral home.

Niles Daily Star, Saturday, January 7, 1956, page 2, col. 5, microfilm Niles District Library.

Low, Mary Jane

editor Obituaries
Mrs. Mary Jane Low
March  3, 1895-January 8, 1956

    Mrs. Mary Jane Agnes Low, 60, of 1813 Bell Road, died Sunday in St. Joseph Hospital in South Bend after a six weeks illness
    She was born March 3, 1895, in Bathgate, N.D., and married Willis W. Low on March 11, 1918 in Richmond, Va.  He survives.
    Survivors are her mother, Mrs. Sarah Healey, Burlington, N.D.; her husband, Willis Sr., three sons, Willis Jr., Joseph and Calvin, all of Niles, three daughters, Mrs., Verda Hyde, Mrs. Louise Keihn and Mrs. Jane Lewis, all of Niles, five granchildren[sic] and four sisters, Mrs. Edith Heath of LaPorte, Ind., Mrs. Josie Sommer of Seattle, Wash., Mrs. Annabell Lux of Burlington, J.D. and Mrs. Ida Berard of Red Falls, Minn.
    Services will be held at 2 p.m., Wednesday in the Kiger Funeral Home with the Rev. Orlen Njus of Bertrand Bible Church officiating. Burial will be in the Silverbrook Cemetery.

Niles Daily Star, Monday, January 9, 1956, page 2, col. 4, microfilm Niles District Library.

Carlson, Edna Marie

editor Obituaries
Mrs. Edna Carlson
Aug. 29, 1904-Jan. 10, 1956

    Mrs. Edna Marie Carlson, 51, of 816 Burns Street, died at 1:15 p.m. Tuesday at Pawating Hospital.
    Mrs. Carlson was born Aug. 29, 1904 in Joliet, Ill., and moved to Niles about 32 years ago.  She was employed as a New York Central Railroad clerk and was a member of the clerk's association.
    Surviving are:  her husband, John L.; her mother, Mrs. Alfred Waite, of Niles; her step-father, Alfred Waite, of Niles; a half-brother, Gordon Waite, of St. Louis, Mo., and two half-sisters, Miss Julane Waite and Mrs. Harvey Milthaler, both of Niles.
    Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. Friday in the Pifer Funeral Home here with Dr. T.M. Greenhoe, pastor of the First Presbyterian Church, officiating.  Burial will be in Silverbrook Cemetery. Friends may call at the funeral home.

Niles Daily Star, Wednesday, January 11, 1956, page 2, col. 4, microfilm Niles District Library.

Reum, Ernest A.

editor Obituaries
Ernest A. Reum
Oct. 27, 1879-January 10, 1956

    Ernest A. Reum, 76, of 918 Lake Street, died suddenly Tuesday in his home.
    Reum was born Oct. 27, 1879 in Germany and came to this country in 1927 and worked for the Kawneer Co., for 18 years before retiring in 1945.
    Survivors are his widow Ernestine, two daughters, Mrs. Berta Stracke of St. Joseph and Mrs. Caroline Thorpe of Auburn, Ind, two[sic] sons, Karl, Arthur and August, all of Niles, William of Bremerton, Wash., and Richard of St. Joseph, 11 grandchildren and one sister, Enna Bohle of Germany.
    Services will be held at 3:30 pm. Friday at the Pifer Funeral Home with the Rev. Theodore Laesch of the St. Paul's Lutheran Church officiating.  Burial will be in Silverbrook Cemetery.

Niles Daily Star, Wednesday, January 11, 1956, page 2, col. 4, microfilm Niles District Library.

Butler, Harry J.

editor Obituaries
Harry J. Butler
July 30, 1886-Jan. 11, 1956

    Harry J. Butler, 69, of 407 Dey Street, died this morning in Pawating Hospital, after a one week illness.
    Butler was born July 30, 1886, in Mattawan, Mich., and has lived here 44 years.  He married Fannie Taylor, Jan. 21, 1908 in Decatur, Mich.  He worked for the Michigan Central Railroad as a telegraph operator before retiring last year.  He was also a member of the Pioneer Association of the Michgan[sic] Central Railroad.
    Survivors are his widow, Fannie, one daughter, Mrs. Camilia Rohrbaugh, of Elkhart, one son, Lynn, of Niles, two grandchildren and three sisters, Mrs. Beulah Sandfort of Detroit, Mrs. Lena Spamm and Mrs. Hazel Reuter, both of Kalamazoo.
    Services will be held at 2 p.m., Friday in the Kiger Funeral Home with the Rev. John W. Hill at the First Evangelical United Brethren Church officiating.  Burial will be in Silverbrook Cemetery.

Niles Daily Star, Wednesday, January 11, 1956, page 2, col. 4, microfilm Niles District Library.

Dux, Bertha Marie

editor Obituaries
Miss Bertha M. Dux
Feb. 3, 1877-January 12, 1956

    Miss Bertha Marie Dux, 78, of 336 Fort Street, died at 8:40 a.m. today in Pawating Hospital following an illness of two weeks.
    Miss Dux was born Feb. 3, 1877, in North Judson, Ind., and moved here about 30 years ago. She was a member of St. Paul's Lutheran Church.
    Surviving are: four sisters, Mrs. J.C. Humphrey and Miss Emma Dux, both of Niles, Mrs. Minnie Swartz, of Logansport, Ind., and Mrs. Pauline Underwood, of Knox, Ind., and two brothers, John, of Kankakee, Ill., and Henry, of Kouts, Ind.
    Funeral services will be held at . .[illegible]. .in the Pifer Funeral Home . . [illegible] . .Theodore Laesch, pastor of St. Paul's, officiating.  Burial will be in Silverbrook Cemetery.  Friends may call at the funeral home beginning Friday afternoon.

Niles Daily Star, Thursday, January 12, 1956, page 2, col. 4, microfilm Niles District Library.

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