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.

Bowen, Charles A.

Charles A. Bowen
Aug. 9, 1883-Feb. 3, 1950

Niles Daily Star, Saturday, February 4, 1950, page 2, microfilm Niles District Library

Charles A. Bowen, 66, of 709 Hickory Street, died at 5:20 p.m. in Pawating hospital, after an illness of one week.

Surviving are a wife, Alene; two daughters, Mrs. Edward Mus (illegible text) Wilfred Wright, of Niles; four grandchildren; three step-children, Mrs. Eugene Rothgeb, of New Haven, Ind., Mrs. Collins Barnes, of Niles, and Robert Hand, of Niles; one step-grandchild, one brother, William Bowan, of Ithaca, Ind., and a sister, Mrs. Gordon Stanglemier of Danville, Ill.

Bowen was born in Ithaca, Ind., on Aug. 9, 1883, and came here from Michigan City, Ind., about25 years ago. He was a conductor on the railroad for 37 years.

Friends may call at the Pifer funeral home. Funeral arrangements are incomplete, and will be announced later.

He was a member of the Order of Railroad Conductors and the Eagles’ lodge here.

Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. Monday at Pifer’s funeral home. Burial will be in Silverbrook cemetery.

Line, Eva

Eva Line
Nov. 17, 1894-Jan. 19, 1950

Niles Daily Star, Friday, January 20, 1950, page 2, microfilm Niles District Library

Mrs. Eva Line, 1110 Lake Street, died at 1:40 p.m. Thursday in the Berrien Center hospital after an illness of three weeks.

Surviving are her mother, Mrs. Anna Exner, of Niles and her sisters, Mrs. Cora Schumacker, Miss Sadie Exner and Mrs. Alfred Asmus, all of Niles.

Mrs. Line was born in Niles on Nov. 17, 1894, and lived here all her life.

Friends may call at the Pifer funeral home where services will be conducted at 2p.m. Saturday by the Rev. Harold W. Hohman, of St. John’s Evangelical and Reformed church. Burial will be in Silverbrook cemetery.

 

 

Miller, John F.

John F. Miller
Feb. 11, 1865-Jan. 11, 1950

Niles Daily Star, Berrien Co., MI. Wednesday, January 11, 1950; page 2, col. 2, microfilm Niles District Library

John F. Miller, 84 of 24 South State Street, died at 6:30 a.m. today in Pawating hospital after an illness of 10 days. He was admitted to the hospital Jan. 1.

A former employee of the French Paper Mill, Miller was born Feb.11, 1865, in Niles and lived here all his life. He is survived by a sister, Mrs. Eva Flynn, 24 South State Street.

Friends may call at the Kiger Funeral Home where services will be held at 2 p.m. Friday. The Rev. Percy Jones, rector of the Trinity Episcopal Church, will officiate and burial will be in Silverbrook Cemetery.

 

Wernicke, Amalie

Mrs. Amalie Wernicke
Jan. 6, 1869-Jan. 26, 1950

Niles Daily Star, Friday, January 27, 1950, page 2, col. 2, microfilm Niles District Library

(Illegible text) Market Street, died at 11:45 p.m. yesterday in her home after an illness, (illegible text) husband, Charles, preceded her in death, having died in 1934.

Surviving are their children, Mrs. Lucy Lee, of Akron, Ohio; Robert Wernicke, of Elkhart, Ind.; Mrs. Esther Park, of Niles; Miss Elsie Wernicke, of Niles, and eight grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.

Mrs. Wernicke was born in Germany on Jan 6, 1869 and moved to Niles from Roscommon in 1916.

Friends may call at the Pifer funeral home. Services will be conducted at 2 p.m. Monday at the First Evangelical United Brethren church by the Rev. G.A. Steebs. Burial will be in Silverbrook cemetery.

Cantwell, Linda L. (Newman)

Linda L. Cantwell
April 8, 1948-August 12, 2014

Linda L. Cantwell, age 66 years of Lowell, Michigan died at 2:47 a.m. on Tuesday, August 12, 2014 at Metro Health Hospital in Wyoming, Michigan following an extended illness.

She was born on April 8, 1948 in Lansing, Michigan to Richard E. and Delores Jean (Martin) Newman. She graduated from Farmington Hills (Michigan) Northern High School, and has lived in Fishers, Indiana and Lowell most of her life.

As a young mother, Linda enjoyed supporting the school and scouting activities of her daughters. Her interest in children led her to operate a daycare center for several years. More recently, she has participated in a Bible Study of the Impact Church in Lowell, enjoyed yardwork and gardening, and reading, especially the novels of James Patterson. She has also enjoyed exercising her mind through a variety of computer game challenges.

Linda was previously married to Dennis Cantwell. She was preceded in death by her parents, Richard and Delores Newman.

Surviving family includes her daughters, Jennifer (& Akiko Tamamuri) of Japan and Rebecca (& Chris) Harris of Otsego, Michigan; grandchildren Christopher Richard Harris, Jr, Isabelle Grace Harris, and Aubrey Faith Harris; Linda’s brother, Rich Newman of Angola, Indiana and his children, Andrea and Aaron, and their children Tyler and Addison, and Mitchell and Connor.

Services for Linda Cantwell will be at 10:00 a.m. on Friday, August 22, 2014 at the graveside in Silverbrook Cemetery in Niles, Michigan with the Rev. Fran Lane-Lawrence of First Presbyterian Church in Niles officiating.

Contributions in memory of Linda may be made to the Weekday Preschool of First Presbyterian Church in Niles. 

(This memorial provided by: HALBRITTER FUNERAL SERVICES)

Davis, Kenneth E.

Kenneth E Davis 
January 11, 1936 - August 6, 2014 


Kenneth E Davis came into this world on Jan 11, 1936. He passed on August 6, 2014, in Christus St. Patricks Hospital in Lake Charles, LA. His wife Patsy and sister in law, Betty were by his side until the end. For almost the last five years, he made his home in DeRidder, LA. Kenneth was a member of Shiloh Baptist Church in DeRidder, He will be missed by all that have ever met him. Funeral services will be held at 12 p.m. on Tuesday, August 12, 2014 at Hoven Funeral Home, Buchanan with Bill Gibson of the Church of Christ in Dowagiac officiating, Burial will follow at Silverbrook Cemetery, Niles. Viewing will be two hours prior to the service from 10 a.m. – 12 p.m. Kenny loved to hunt, fish, play the guitar and sing country music. He shot Archery for many years and won Michigan State in 1968. Ken retired from Manchester Tank at the age of 62 after working there for 15 years. He was a man of many things. Ken married Phyllis, his first wife in 1953 and they had six children. In later years, he married his second wife Dorothy in 1985 and they had one child. In 2009 he married his third and last love, Patsy Spotts. He is preceded in death by his wife Phyllis in 2013; second wife, Dorothy in 2006; son, Edward in 2010; daughter Theresa in 2008; mother, Bessie, father, Harold; five brothers, Lyle, Marion, Harold, Charles, and Jack and six sisters, Margaret, Shirley, Helen, Elma, Dorothy and Mary. Ken is survived by his third wife, Patsy Spotts-Davis of DeRidder, LA; children, Kristi Davis of Breman, IN, Dawn Brewer of Bremen, IN, Richard Brewer of South Bend, IN, Debbie Sied of Howard City, MI, Diane Davis of Niles, MI, Sally Hunt of Cassopolis, MI, Linda Pierson of Niles, MI and Kenneth Lee Davis of Niles, MI; step-children, Allen Spotts of DeRidder, LA, Richard Spotts of Mausery, OH, and Rhonda Lewis of Harrisburg, PA; many gradchildren, great grandchildren, nieces and nephews, too many to name.

Dickeson, Richard Ernest

Richard Ernest Dickeson, of Niles
Aug. 4, 1937 — March 24, 2014

Niles Daily Star, Published 8:53am Thursday, July 31, 2014

Richard Dickeson
Richard Dickeson

A brief Committal Service for Richard Ernest Dickeson, 76, will be held at Silverbrook Cemetery (near the Bell Tower) in Niles, on his birthday, Aug. 4, at 1 p.m. Monday. Dickeson was born in Niles in 1937, to the late Ernest and Sara College Dickeson. He served in the US Army in Germany, and worked for 36 years at National Standard Co. of Niles until he retired as the plant manager in Corbin, Ky. Dick had committed his heart to Jesus, and was a member of Adriel Baptist Church.

Survivors include his wife of 55 years, Bobbie Jo Dickeson, Dawson Springs, Ky., a son, Mike Dickeson, Denver, Colo., a daughter, Jill Schoeplein, St. Joseph, Mi., a sister, Shirley Hanke, Brandon, Florida, and six grandchildren.

Dickeson died March 24th, 2014 in the hospital near where they lived in Ky., and a Memorial service was conducted, but his wishes were to be buried next to his parents in Niles. All are welcome.