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.

Haslett, Donald C.

Donald C. Haslett
Feb. 15, 1912-Feb. 16, 2002

Donald C. Haslett, 90, of Oak Ridge Drive, South Bend, Ind., died at 10:30 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 16, 2002, in the Saint Joseph Regional Medical Center.

He was born on Feb. 15, 1912, in Baraboo, Wis., to Claude L. and Mattie (Royer) Haslett. He was preceded in death by his sister, Evelyn Rahn, and by his brother, Hubert H. Haslett.

Upon graduation from Acme Institute of Tool & Die, Don was employed by several tool-and-die companies. He retired as a tool engineer from Weldun Engineering in Bridgman, Mich.

On May 25, 1946, in Niles, Mich., he married Audrey Shilling, who survives. He is also survived by a daughter, Marcia Haslett, and a son, Dave Haslett, both of South Bend; his brother-in-law, Albert Rahn of Seminole, Fla.; his sister-in-law, Eleanor Haslett of Niles; and by a brother-in-law, John E. (Patricia) Shilling of Niles.

Friends may call from 5 to 7 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 21, in the Palmer Funeral Home, 2528 Mishawaka Avenue, South Bend.

Private interment services will be at Silverbrook Cemetery, Niles.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Hospice of St. Joseph County, 111 Sunnybrook Court, South Bend, IN 46637; to the American Lung Association, 319 S. Main Street, South Bend, IN 46601; or to the National Parkinson's Foundation, 1501 N.W. Ninth Avenue, Bob Hope Road, Miami, FL 33136.

Submitted by family member; publication details unknown.

Haslett, Claude L.

Claude L. Haslett
Nov. 14, 1888-June 2, 1981

Claude L. Haslett, 90, of 1625 Howard, Niles, died at 9 p.m. on Tuesday, June 2, 1981, in Berrien county and was a lifetime resident of the are. Haslett was a retired farmer.  On December 5, 1909 he married Mattie L. Royer in Buchanan. She preceded him in death on March 5, 1974.

One son survives him Donald C. Haslett of South Bend. 

Funeral services will be held Saturday at 1 p.m. at the Halbritter funeral Home of Niles. The officiating minister will be the Rev. William J. Fuerstenau of the first Presbyterian Church. The burial will take place at the Silverbrook Cemetery.  Friends may call on Friday from 2 to 4 and from 7 to 9 p.m. in the Halbritter Funeral Home. Memorials may be given to the Michigan Heart Association or the Niles Community Library.

Submitted by family member; publication details unknown. 

Haslett, Audrey L.

Audrey L. Haslett, 87, formerly of River Park, Twyckenham Hills and Wooded Estates in South Bend, passed away at 4:45 a.m. Saturday, February 24, 2007, in Miller's Merry Manor, New Carlisle. Audrey worked in the office at the Bendix Corporation prior to raising her family. Audrey was born on April 21, 1919, in Knox, IN, to the late Benjamin and Ann (Swoboda) Shilling and had lived in this area most of her life, except from 1970 to 1977 when she resided in Stevensville, MI.

On May 25, 1946, in Niles, MI, she married Donald C. Haslett, who preceded in death on February 16, 2002.

Survivors include one daughter, Marcia Haslett and Dave Haslett, both of South Bend; two sisters-in-law, Patricia Shilling and Eleanor Haslett-Edwards, both of Niles, MI; and cousins, nieces and nephews.

Audrey is preceded in death by a sister-in-law, Evelyn Rahn; a brother, John E. Shilling; and two brothers-in-law, Albert Rahn and Hubert Haslett.

Cremation will take place and there will be no services. Burial will be held at Silverbrook Cemetery, Niles, MI.

Audrey graduated from Central High School, class of 1937. Her hobbies included gardening and yard work, reading, big band music and dancing. She also enjoyed traditional rughooking.

In memory of Audrey L. Haslett, contributions may be made to the Northern Indiana Food Bank, 702 Chapin Street, South Bend, IN 46601 or the Center for the Homeless, 813 South Michigan St. South Bend, IN 46601.

Hartman, James Granville

Sergeant-Major James Granville Hartman, U.S. Marine Corps, retired, 80, of Federal Court, Niles, Mich., died following an extended illness at 9:20 a.m. Monday, Sept. 1,  2003,in Lakeland Medical Center, Niles.

He was born on June 20, 1923, in Nashville, Tenn., to John Eldridge and Mary Leotis (Peay) Hartman. Immediately following graduation from high school he enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps. He served full-time active duty for 30 years, and was retired in 1971.

As a Marine, he served in combat in World War II, the Korean Conflict and the Vietnam era. He was awarded many decorations, medals and commendations including the Purple Heart for injuries suffered in combat. He was promoted to the enlisted man's highest rank, sergeant-major, in 1966.

In retirement, SgtMaj Hartman volunteered with the Niles City Police Department Auxiliary and served as chief of the auxiliary. He was a life member of and past commandant of the Saint Joseph Valley Detachment of the Marine Corps League.

He was first married to Jewel Grizzard. On May 26, 1988, in Las Vegas, Nev., he was married to the former Doris M. (Stoerkel) Thomas, who survives. He is also survived by a son, Kenneth Hartman of Hope, Alaska; a stepson, Michael C. Thomas of Niles; granddaughters, Cassandra and Melissa Thomas; and by a brother, T. Raymond Hartman of Nashville.

He was preceded in death by a brother, who died in childhood.

Funeral services for SgtMaj James G. Hartman will be at 10 a.m. Tuesday, Sept. 9, in the Halbritter Funeral Home, Niles, with the Rev. Carl W. Bassett of Saint Paul's Lutheran Church, Niles, officiating. Committal services will follow at Silverbrook Cemetery, Niles. Full military honors will be provided by the funeral detail of the Bravo Company, Sixth Engineering Security Battalion, U.S. Marine Corps, South Bend, Ind. Additional honors will be provided by the Niles City Police Department.

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

Contributions in memory of SgtMaj Hartman may be made to the Saint Joseph Valley Detachment of the Marine Corps League.

Hartman, Donald Henry

Donald Henry Hartman, 77,Niles, died at 7:20 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 17, 2006,  in Lakeland Hospital. Survivors include his wife, Kay Margaret (Shepardson); two sons, Mark Hartman of Niles and Steven Hartman of Glendale, CA; two daughters, Shelley Bell of Koontz Lake and Karen Treadway of Lawrenceville, GA; and six grandchildren. Services will be at 11 a.m. Friday in Hoven Funeral Home, Buchanan, where friends may call from 5 to 8 p.m. Thursday. Burial will be at Silverbrook Cemetery.

 

Hartline, Victoria F. (Fleck)

 Victoria F. Hartline, 84, 309 Sherwood Street, Three Oaks, and formerly of Niles, died at 8:45 a.m. Sunday at Pawating Hospital.Born Sept. 27, 1901, in Omaha, Neb. She was a lifetime area resident and retired from simplicity Pattern, Niles, in 1958 after 26 years as a presser.She is survived by one son, Donald Hartline of Marcellus; a daughter, Jeanette Carpenter of thee Oaks; two sisters, Francis Krone of Florida and Mildred Baker of Buchanan; a brother, Vincent Fleck of Three Oaks, 11 grandchildren; 17 great-grandchildren; and great-great-grandchild.She was preceded in death by a daughter, Delores Buysse.Services are 2 p.m. Wednesday in the Connelly-Noble Funeral Home, Three Oaks. Burial will be at Silverbrook Cemetery, Niles. Friends may call from 7 to 9 p.m. today and 2 to 5 and 7 to 9 p.m. Tuesday in the funeral home.

Hartline, Florence (Siemon)

Florence R. Hartline
April 24, 1915-Sept. 15, 1997

Niles Daily Star, Wednesday, September 17, 1997, page 2, col. 2, microfilm Niles District Library

Florence R. Hartline
1915 – 1997 
Former store clerk.

Funeral services for Florence R. Hartline, 82, 1603 Michigan, Niles, are Friday at 10:30 a.m. at Pifer-Smith funeral Home, Niles. Burial will follow at Silverbrook Cemetery, Niles.

Mrs. Hartline died Monday evening at Lakeland Medical Center, Niles, of natural causes.

She was born April 24, 1915, in Baroda.

On Jan. 28, 1933 in Baroda she married Charles A. Hartline, who preceded her in death, Nov. 23, 1991.

Mrs. Hartline was a member of First Baptist Church, Niles.

She was a former clerk at J.C. Penney and G.L. Perry.

Survivors include a daughter, Francis Smith of Chicago, Ill.; two sons, LeRoy Hartline of Ocala, Fla., and Kenneth Hartline of Chattanooga, Tenn; nine grandchildren, 19 great-grandchildren; nine great-grandchildren; two sisters, Eleanor Balla of Bridgman and Deloris Iwin of Sun City West, Ariz.; and a brother, Floyd Siemon of Bridgman.

Friends may call Thursday from 2 to 4 and 6 to 8 pm in Pifer-Smith Funeral Home, Niles.