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.

Dittmer, Christian 1844-1930

Christian Dittmer
July 22, 1844-February 26, 1930

Niles Daily Star (Niles, Berrien Co., MI), Thursday, February 27, 1930, page 4, col. 1, microfilm Niles District Library

Niles News in Brief:  FUNERAL CHRISTIAN DITTMER

Funeral services for Christian Dittmer will be held on Friday afternoon at 2 o’clock in the Troost and Augustine chapel. The Rev. G.W. Webbink pastor of St. John’s Evangelical church will officiate. Burial will be made in Silverbrook Cemetery where Mrs. Dittmer was buried on Feb. 1. The same friends who served as pallbearers at her funeral will be the pallbearers at his funeral. Mr. Dittmer was born in Saxony Germany on July 22, 1844. He came to the United States when he was 18 years old. He was married on April 13, 1869 to Eva Maria Vetter. He is survived by a daughter, Melinda. Mr. Dittmer died early Wednesday [Feb. 26, 1930]. He had lived on a farm southwest of Niles on the river road for 57 years continuously.

 

Dittmar, Robert L.

Robert L. Dittmar
May 30, 1921-July 22, 1994

Robert L. Dittmar, 73, of 803 S. 15th St., died about 6 a.m. Friday, July 22, 1994,  in his home of an illness. Mr. Dittmar retired from Williams Home Center. He was born May 30, 1921, in Niles and was a lifelong resident. On Sept. 25, 1942, in St. Joseph, he married Pauline H. Williams. She survives with a daughter, Barbara Ramsby of Centreville; four grandchildren; three great-grandchildren; his mother, Elizabeth A. Dittmar of Niles; and a brother, James H. of Niles. Mr. Dittmar was a member of Niles Elks Lodge 1322. He was an Army Air Force veteran of World War II.

Services will be at 2 p.m. Monday in Halbritter Funeral Home. Burial will be in Silverbrook Cemetery where American Legion Post 26 will conduct memorial services. Friends may call one hour prior to services Monday in the funeral home. Memorial contributions may be made to Berrien County Cancer Service.

Submitted by family member; publication details unknown 

Dittmar, Pauline

Pauline H. Dittmar
April 17, 1924-December 14, 2004

Pauline H. Dittmar, 80, of South 15th Street, died Tuesday, Dec. 14, 2004, in Memorial Hospital, South Bend, after an illness. Survivors include a daughter, Barbara Ramsby of Centreville, Va.; and a brother, Pete Williams of Niles. Graveside services will be 11 a.m. Tuesday at Silverbrook Cemetery. There will be no visitation. Halbritter Funeral Home is handling arrangements.  She was born April 17, 1924.

Submitted by family member; publication details unknown 

Dittmar, Loren G.

Loren G. Dittmar
October 1905-September 1973

NILES – Loren G. Dittmar, 68, of 917 Maple St., died Saturday in the Paul Stephen Nursing Home after an extended illness.

A die setter of the Kawneer Corp for 45 years, Mr. Dittmar was born in October 1905 in Niles and had lived here all his life.  He first married the former Florence Hoffman who died in 1926.  His second wife, the former Auanella Bradstetter died in 1968.

Mr. Dittmar is survived by a daughter, Mrs. Lloyd Judy of Buchanan; a brother, Walter Dittmar of Elkhart; and three grandchildren.

Funeral services will be held at 1:30 p.m. Wednesday in the Pifer Funeral Home, with the Rev. Robert Hudson of the church of Christ of Buchanan officiating. Burial will be at Silverbrook Cemetery.

Friends may call after 3 p.m. today in the funeral home.

Published Sept. 4, 1973

[Buried Sept. 5, 1973 in Nw-51,17,8]

 

Dittmar, James H.

James H. Dittmar
June 5, 1924-Oct. 9, 2004

James H. Dittmar 80, of South 15th Street, Niles, died Saturday in West Woods of Niles after an illness. He was born June 5, 1924. There will be no services or visitation. Halbritter Funeral Home is handling arrangements.

Submitted by family member; publication details unknown

Dittmer, Helen M.

Helen M. Dittmer
May 23, 1890-Nov. 25, 1973

NILES – Helen Mae Dittmer, 83, of 1138 Shady Shores Drive, died at 12 a.m. Sunday in Pawating Hospital after an illness of two days.

Mrs. Dittmer was born May 23, 1890 in Valparaiso, Ind., and had lived here since 1920. Her husband, Herman C. died in 1941.

Survivors include a daughter, Mrs. Evelyn Borst of Kalamazoo; a brother, John Andrew Groff of Mishawaka; three grandchildren and 10 great-grandchildren. Funeral services will be held at 1:30 p.m. Tuesday in the Pifer Chapel of the Swem-Smith Funeral Home with the Rev. John Wyngarden of the First Presbyterian Church officiating. Burial will be in Silverbrook Cemetery.

Friends may call after tonight in the funeral chapel.

Published 11/26/1973, newspaper unknown

[Buried 11/27/1973 in GM-C, 1891]

Dittmar, Gertrude M. (Worm)

Gertrude M. Dittmar
June 5, 1903 – April 7, 1977

Husband Clifford E.

Funeral Home – Halbritter

Burial in Silverbrook Cemetery on April 13, 1977  [New-58,12,8]

Published 4/8/1977