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.

Probst, Frank E.

Frank E. Probst
Dec. 28, 1900-Feb. 24, 1951

Niles Daily Star,  Saturday, February 25, 1951; page 2, col. 5, microfilm, Niles District Library

Frank E. Probst, 50, of 1118 Maple street, died at 6 a.m. Friday in Veterans hospital at Excelsior Springs, Mo.  He had been ill one month.  Probst was born in South Bend on December 28, 1900.

Surviving are: his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Frank X. Probst, of Niles; four brothers; George, Joseph, Fred, and Raymond, all of Niles; and a sister, Mrs. Raymond Claeys, (illegible) funeral home where full military services will be conducted at 10:30 a.m. Monday by the American Legion.  Burial will be in Silverbrook cemetery.

 

Jones, Roland Jewett

R. Jewett Jones
1885-1950

Niles Daily Star, Friday, October 13, 1950; page 2, col. 3, microfilm, Niles District Library(from K. Alton)

Burial services for R. Jewett Jones of St. Louis, Mo., were to be held at the family lot in Silverbrook cemetery this afternoon.  He was born in Niles, but moved away many years ago.

 

Clark, Harry V.

Harry V. Clark
July 19, 1881-Feb. 23, 1951

Niles Daily Star, Friday, February 23, 1951; page 2, col. 5, microfilm, Niles District Library (from K. Alton)

Harry V. Clark, of 216 North Eighth street, died at 7:25 a.m. today in his home.  He had been ill for the past five years.

Surviving are his widow, Clara B. Clark, three brothers, Bernard and J.L. Clark, of Niles, and Alfred Clark of Carp Lake, and a sister, Mrs. Joseph Chmiel, of Niles.  

Also surviving are several nieces and nephews among whom are Clark Bonfoey and Mrs. B. W. Challis, both of Niles, who were raised by Mr. and Mrs. Clark.

Clark, who was born on July 19, 1881, in Pittsford, came here from Hillsdale when he was 10 years old.  He was a member of the Knights of Columbus, and was a barber.

Friends may call at the Pifer funeral home.  Services will be conducted at 9 a.m. Monday at St. Mary’s Catholic church, and burial will be in Silverbrook cemetery.

 

Bennett, Albert

Albert Bennett
Dec. 14, 1876-Feb. 10, 1951

Niles Daily Star, Monday, February 12, 1951; page 2, col. 7, microfilm, Niles District Library(from K. Alton)

Albert Bennett, 74, of rural route five, died at 6:15 p.m. Saturday in Kalamazoo, Mich., after an illness of several years.  He was born Dec. 14, 1876, in Berrien township, and was a lifelong resident of the Bertrand community.  

He leaves his widow, Emma; two daughters, Mrs. Frank Tharp, of Niles, and Mrs. Joseph Nyikes of Edwardsburg; three sons, Andrew of Niles, and Lee and Bert, both of South Bend; a sister, Mrs. Cory Dutton, of Pomona, Cal.; and seven grandchildren.

Friends may call at the Kiger funeral home where services will be conducted at 2 p.m. Tuesday.  The Rev. Orlen Njus, of the Bertrand Community church, will officiate.  Burial will be in Silverbrook cemetery.

 

Abbott, Mildred L.

Mildred Louise Abbott
July 11, 1928-July 23, 2012

ABBOTT, MILDRED LOUISE Mildred Louise Abbott age 84 of Grand Rapids, MI died Monday, July 23, 2012 at Heartland of Greenview in Grand Rapids surrounded by her loving family. Mildred was born on July 11, 1928 in Bloomingdale, MI. to the late Lovell and Marjorie (Stockwell) Cook. She married Benny W. Abbott on April 23, 1950 in Grand Rapids. They owned Abbott Pharmacy in Grand Rapids for 35+ years. He preceded her in death in May of 2001. Mildred is survived by: Two Sons: Danny Abbott of Jenison and Ronny (Melanie) Abbott of Grand Rapids; One Daughter: Sally (Tim) Hendges of Ravenna; Seven Grandchildren and four and a half Great Grandchildren; One Sister: Margaret (Don) Mead of Kalamazoo. Mildred is preceded in death in addition to parents and husband by her sister and brother in-law: Myrtle and Richard Goff. Cremation has taken place and burial will take place in Niles, Michigan.  Memorials may be directed to Hospice or Diabetes Association . Go to: http://www.throopfhravenna.comto sign the online guestbook. The Throop Funeral Home of Ravenna is in charge of funeral arrangements.

Published in Grand Rapids Press on July 26, 2012 

Reese, Judson Wade

J. Wade Reese
May 25 1825-Sept. 23, 1902

Niles Republican II, September 25, 1902; page 7, col. 2, microfilm, Niles District Library (from K. Alton)

J.W. Reese Dead

Died at His Home Today Near Barron Lake.

J. Wade Reese, a pioneer of this section of the county, died this forenoon at 8:15 o’clock at his home near Barron Lake.  Death was due to dropsy and old age, Mr. Reese had been in poor health for about a year, and he had been confined to his bed the last ten days.

The deceased was one of the best known farmers in this vicinity.  He was born in Tioga county, N.Y. 77 years ago, and when nine years old accompanied his parents to South Bend, Ind.  After a residence there of about a year he came to Niles and 53 years ago moved to his present home where he resided continuously.

Mr. Reese was a well-to-do and highly respected farmer and has a wide acquaintance.  He was a conscientious, honest, God-fearing man, and was greatly esteemed by all who knew him.

The deceased leaves a wife and two children, Judson Reese, and Mrs. G. Gordon Huntley.

The funeral services will be held Thursday afternoon at 2 o’clock at his late residence.  Rev. McGee, pastor of the Baptist church of this city, officiating.  The remains will be laid to rest in Silverbrook cemetery.

 

Note: DOB from Michigan Death Record

 

Reese, Judd

Judd Reese
July 17, 1852-June 25, 1931

Niles Daily Star, Friday June 26, 1931; page 1, col 6, microfilm, Niles District Library (From K. Alton)

Judd Reese of Howard Twp. Family dies at Home of His Nephew

Judd Reese, of Yankeetown, Florida, died on Thursday afternoon at 3:30 in the home of his nephew, Eugene Huntly at Barron Lake.  Apparently in his usual good health he had driven to Niles from Yankeetown two weeks ago to be present at the Reese family reunion which was to have been held on July 4 in the home of Mr. and Mrs. Huntly.  He was taken seriously ill 10 days ago and grew steadily weaker until his death.

Mr. Reese, a son of Judson Wade, and Catherine Willard Reese, pioneer residents of Howard township, was born on the farm where death came to him yesterday. He grew to manhood there.  On September 5, 1876 he was married to Ellen Green of Vandalia.  They resided with his parents for a number of years until they purchased and moved to the farm just north of his father’s.  For a number of years they were residents of Niles but because of Mrs. Reese’s health they moved to Yankeetown seven years ago.  She died there in November, 1926.   No children were born to them.

Surviving Mr. Reese are two nieces, Catherine Odell of Cincinnatus, N.Y., and Mrs. Louise Skinner of Detroit, three nephews, Clarence Huntly of Cincinnatus, Winifred Huntly of Roswell, N.M., and Eugene Huntly of Barron Lake.

Mr. Reese’s sister, Mrs. Anna Huntly died on March 30, 1930.

Mr. Reese was a member of the First Baptist church in Niles and had been deeply interested in the little church in Yankeetown during his residence there.  

The funeral services will be held in the Huntly home at 3 o’clock eastern standard time.  Burial will be made in Silverbrook cemetery.  The committal services will be under the auspices of the Berrien County lodge, I.O.O.F. of which Mr. Reese was a member for many years.

 

Note:  DOB from Michigan Deaths