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.

Magrane, Ettie

Ettie Magrane
Oct.13, 1861-Dec. 10, 1936

Niles Daily Star, Friday, December 11, 1936, page 1, col. 3, microfilm Niles District Library

Mrs. Ettie Magrane, Lifelong Resident of Niles, Succumbs

Mrs. Ellie Magrane, 75, a lifelong resident of Niles, died at her home 654 North Seventh street, at 6:15 o'clock this morning. She had been ill since Sunday.


Born in Niles on Oct. 13, 1851, Mrs. Magrane is survived by one daughter, Miss Emma Magrane, Ludlow, Ill., and one son, Dr. H.J. Magrane, Mishawaka; also two grandchildren.


Funeral services are incomplete but friends may call at the Price and Kiger funeral home to view the body.

Ingleright, James R.

James R. Ingleright
March 13, 1938-July 2, 1979

Niles Daily Star, Tuesday, July 3, 1979, page 1, col. 1-2, microfilm Niles District Library

Former Niles man died in accident


Niles—A former Niles resident died Monday afternoon of injuries he suffered in a one-car accident north of Argos, Ind.
James R. Ingleright, 41, of Knox, Ind., died at the scene of the accident at 2:30 p.m. He was a former salesman for Honeywell Corporation, South Bend.


Surviving are his father, Howard S., Niles; three sons, Gregory, Naples, Italy, Jeffrey, Twenty-nine Palms, Calif., and Douglas, Knox; a daughter, Michelle, Coloma; a brother, Dennis, South Bend, and a sister, Mrs. James (Shirley) Shearer of Niles.


Funeral services will be 2 p.m Thursday at the Halbritter Funeral Home with the Rev. Arnold O. Schaap of Edwardsburg officiating. Burial will be in Silverbrook Cemetery. Friends may call at the funeral home after 5 p.m. Wednesday.

Crandall, May Lilly

May Lilly Crandall
Sept. 8, 1855-Oct. 19, 1936

Niles Daily Star, Monday, October 19, 1936, page 1, col. 7, microfilm Niles District Library

Mrs. M.L. Crandall, Formerly of Niles, Stricken in Elkhart

Mrs. May Lilly Crandall, 81, former Niles resident, died at the home of her daughter, Mrs. Felicia Stewart, in Elkhart, at 8:30 o'clock this morning. The body was brought to the Rutherford mortuary this morning.

Born in Oshkosh, Wis., Sept. 1855, Mrs. Crandall was the mother of ten children, six sons and and four daughters. All of her sons served with the Untied States Army during the World war.

Besides Mrs. Stewart, at whose home she died, Mrs. Crandall is survived by her sons, H. Walter, David, Kirk and Andrew, all of Niles; J. Willie, Buchanan, and Charles A., Bridgeport, Mich.; also two daughters, Mrs. Mary Leslie, Waco, Tex., and Mrs. Ada Atha, Davenport, Ia. Another daughter, Mrs. Lula Meyers died during the flu epidemic a few years ago.

Funeral arrangements are incomplete, but friends may view the body at the Rutherford funeral home.

 

Niles Daily Star, Tuesday, October 20, 1936, page 2, col. 2, microfilm Niles District Library

Niles News in Brief: CRANDALL RITES THURSDAY

The six sons, all World war veterans, of Mrs. May Lilly Crandall, 81, who died Monday at the home of her daughter, Mrs. Felicia Stewart, in Elkhart, will be the pallbearers at Mrs. Crandall's funeral to be held at 2 o'clock Thursday afternoon at the Rutherford chapel. Captain George Sager, of the Salvation Army, will conduct the services. Friends may call at the funeral home to view the body.

 

Niles Daily Star, Wednesday, October 21, 1936, page 2, col. 1, microfilm Niles District Library

Niles News in Brief: CRANDALL RITES THURSDAY

Final rites for Mrs. May Lilly Crandall, 81, who died Monday at the home of her daughter in Elkhart, will be conducted at the Rutherford chapel at 2 o'clock Thursday afternoon by Captain George Sager, of the Salvation army.  Burial will be in Silverbrook cemetery. Mrs. Crandall's six sons will serve as pallbearers.

Domer, Lawrence

Lawrence Domer
Aug. 20, 1900-Nov. 24, 1936

Niles Daily Star, Tuesday, November 24, 1936, page 1, col. 1, microfilm Niles District Library

Niles Man Killed in Crossing Crash Early Today
LAWRENCE DOMER, 36, DRIVES CAR ON TRACK AT NINTH AND WAYNE
Joseph Douglas, His Companion, Sustains Slight Injuries;
Both Tyler Employes

Lawrence Domer, 36, Niles factory worker and father of four children, was killed instantly at 5:45 o'clock this morning when his light sedan was struck by a south bound Michigan Central freight train at the Ninth and Wayne streets crossing.

The crossing on which the tragedy took place is not protected by crossing signals or barriers. Clear vision of the tracks is also hampered by factory buildings on both sides of the railroad right-of-way.

At the time of the fatal crash Domer was accompanied by his next door neighbor, Joseph Douglas. Douglas escaped the tragedy with only a small laceration on his lip.

Employed at Tyler

Both men were employes of the Tyler Sales-Fixture company and were on their way to work when the accident occurred.

According to Engineer E.T. Rowe and Fireman E.F. Brown, both of Elkhart, the train was travelling[sic] between five and eight miles an hour. The car, which was proceeding east, was about half way across the crossing when struck.

The impact swung the car to the south against the side of the train and it is believed that Domer's head was crushed between the side of the coal car and his how automobile. Whether or not he attempted to jump from this car or was dragged out by the train is not known. His body was dragged about 45 feet south of the crossing.

Lived Here Nine Years

Donner, who lived with his family about one and one-half miles north of Niles on Pucker street, moved her about nine years ago from Baker, N.D., where he was born Aug. 20, 1900.

Besides his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Walter Domer, Baker, N.D., he leaves his wife, Elsa; four children, Warren, 15, Alpha, 12, Verlin, 10, and Phyllis Ann, 8; also one brother, Ralph of York, N.D. And two sisters, Mrs. Orville Knote, Baker,and Mrs. Okey Norman, Esmond, N.D.

Funeral arrangements are incomplete.

Justice Thomas Farrell will conduct an inquest at 2 o'clock this afternoon at the Turner and Pifer funeral home.

Niles Daily Star, Friday, November 27, 1936, page 2, col. 1, microfilm Niles District Library

Niles News In Brief: DOMER SERVICES TODAY

Funeral services for Lawrence Domer, 36, Niles factory worker who was killed Tuesday morning by a Michigan Central freight train at Ninth and Wayne streets, were conducted at 2 o'clock this afternoon in the Turner and Pifer chapel by the Rev. Dewey Rowe, Bryan, O. Alfred Boyer, Joseph Douglas, John Bailey, Wilbur Dickeson, Gerald Tyler and Jacob Boersema served as pallbearers. Burial was in Silverbrook cemetery. Fellow employes at Tyler Sales-Fixture plant contributed funds for the purchase of a lot in Silverbrook cemetery.

 

Krassow, Albert Lewis

Albert Lewis Krassow
Sept. 23, 1920-Feb. 26, 1978

Niles Daily Star, Monday, February 27, 1978, page 2, col. 5, microfilm Niles District Library

NILES—Albert Lewis Krassow, 57, of 1282 Airport Road, died at 8:05 a.m. Sunday at Pawating Hospital, following an illness of eight months.

A car inspector for ConRail, he was a veteran of the U.S. Army, having served in World War II. He was a member of the Missionary Church of Niles.

Mr. Krassow was born Sept. 23, 1920 in Three Oaks, and had lived his lifetime in the area.

On Oct. 27, 1946 in Angola, Ind., he married Louise York, who survives.

Also surviving are three sons, Thomasa and James, both of Niles, and Scott at home; two daughters, Mrs. Jerry (Marilynn) Farmer of California, and Mrs. Michael (Julane) Linley of Niles; a brother, Richard, of Niles; a sisters[sic], Mrs. Lois Karns of Niles; and seven grandchildren.

Funeral services will be at 1:30 p.m. Wednesday at the Pifer Chapel of the Swem-Smith Funeral Home with the Rev. K.W. Phipps of the First Missionary Church of Niles officiating. Burial will be in Silverbrook Cemetery.

Friends may call after 2 p.m Tuesday at the funeral home.

Ellinger, Virginia L. (Crum)

Virginia L. Ellinger
May 31, 1922-Feb. 24, 1978

Niles Daily Star, Monday, February 27, 1978, page 2, col. 6, microfilm Niles District Library

NILES—Virginia L. Ellinger, 55, of 2049 S. 13th St., died at 10 p.m. Friday at Osteopathic Hospital, South Bend.

A waitress, she was born May 31, 1922 in South Whitney, Ind., and had lived here for four years, coming from Osceola, Ind.

Her husband, Wayne Ellinger, died in 1968.

Survivors include her father, Earl Miles Crum, of New Concord, Ky.; three sons, Loren, LaVern and LeRoy Weber, all of Mishawaka; two daughters, Lucy Osgood and Kathy Ellinger, both of Niles; a sister, Mrs. Ethel Oles of Niles; two brothers, Jay Crum of Elkhart, Ind., and Alan Crum of New Concord, Ky.; 10 grandchildren and one great-grandchild.

Funeral services will be at 10 a.m. Wednesday at the Pifer Chapel of the Swem-Smith Funeral Home with the Rev. Lloyd Linden of the Elkhart Baptist church officiating. Burial will be in Silverbrook Cemetery.

Friends may call after 7 p.m. Tuesday at the funeral home.

Falkenburg, Elizabeth

Elizabeth Falkenburg
Feb. 23, 1864-Oct. 10, 1936


Niles Daily Star, Monday, October 12, 1936, page 2, col. 5, microfilm Niles District Library

Falkenburg Service Tuesday Afternoon

Funeral services for Mrs. Elizabeth Falkenberg, 72, who died at the home of her daughter, Mrs. Hazel Curtis, 1335 North Front street, at 1 o'clock Saturday afternoon will be conducted by the Rev. Theo Eisen at 2 o'clock Tuesday afternoon at the home. Burial will be in Silverbrook cemetery.

Born in Chicago Feb. 23, 1864, Mrs. Falkenberg had resided in Niles for a number of years. Besides Mrs. Curtis, she is survived by one other daughter, Mrs. Agnes Wick, Wabash, Ind.; also three sons, Loren, Prescott, Ariz., and Thomas and Bernard of Niles.

 

Niles Daily Star, Tuesday, October 13, 1936, page 2, col. 1, microfilm Niles District Library

Niles News In Brief: FALKENBURG RITES TODAY

Funeral services or Mrs. Elizabeth Falkenburg, 72, who died Saturday afternoon, were conducted at the home of her daughter, 1335 Front street, at 2 o'clock this afternoon by the Rev. Theo Eisen. Burial was in Silverbrook cemtery.