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.

Smith, Stafford

editor Obituaries

Stafford Smith
Jan. 1892—June 19, 1944

Niles Daily Star, Tuesday, June 20, 1944, page 2, col. 5, microfilm Niles District Library

Stafford Smith, Native of Niles, Dies in Virginia

Stafford Smith, 52, died Monday in Hot Springs, Va., where he had been convalescing from a two-year illness.

A son of Mrs. Carmi R. Smith, 801 East Main street, and the late Mr. Smith, he was a graduate of the Niles high school, Northwestern university and Harvard law school.

For the last 20 years he had been assistant general counsel for the Socony-Vacuum Oil company, New York, and lived at Larchmont, N.Y.

Besides his mother, he is survived by his widow and a brother, Reginald Smith, Albion.  Funeral arrangements are incomplete.

 

Niles Daily Star, Wednesday, June 21, 1944, page 2, col. 3, microfilm Niles District Library

Stafford Smith Services Set in New York, Niles

Funeral services will be held at 2:30 Thursday in Christ church, New York, for Stafford Smith, 52, who died Monday at Hot Springs, Va., after an illness of two years.

The body will be brought to Niles where a short service will be held Friday afternoon at 2:30 in the home of is mother, Mrs. Carmi R. Smith, 801 eat Main street.  Burial will be in the mausoleum at Silverbrook cemetery.

 

Niles Daily Star, Saturday, June 24, 1944, page 2, col. 7, microfilm Niles District Library

Stafford Smith Funeral Held in Mother's Home

Funeral services for Stafford Smith, 52, who died in Hot Springs, Va., Monday after an illness of about a year, were held here Friday afternoon in the home of his mother, Mrs. Carmi Smith, 603 East Main street.  Burial was in the mausoleum at Silverbrook cemetery.

For 30 years Smith, whose home was in Larchmont, N..Y., served on the legal staff of the Socony-Vacuum Oil company.  He was senior counsel of the former company.

Smith, who was born in Niles, was a graduate of Niles high school. In 1913 he was graduated from Northwestern university with honor, and in 1916 from Harvard  law school where he was editor of The Law Review.

Prominent in Law Groups

He was a member of several law groups. . .[illegible]. .. Law club, Harvard club, Larchmont Yacht club, Downtown association, Son of the Revolution and Sigma Chi fraternity. He served on the board of Christs church, and chairman of the Self-Insurers association.

Surviving are the widow, Mrs. Elizabeth Smith, who he married in 1939; his mother, Mrs. Carmi Smith, and a brother, C. Reginald Smith, Albion.

 

Sterling, Henry

editor Obituaries

Henry Sterling
Feb. 17, 1871-Oct. 22, 1944

Niles Daily Star, Monday, October 23, 1944, page 2, col. 5, microfilm Niles District Library

Conduct Services Tuesday for Henry Sterling

Henry Sterling, 73, of 609 Front street, died Sunday morning at 6 in the Quick Convalescent home after a nine months illness.

Born in Niles Feb. 17, 1871, Sterling spent most of his life here. He was employed by The Kawneer Company.

Surviving is a half-brother, Harry Cummings, Portland, Ore.

Friends may call at the Pifer funeral home where services will be conducted Tuesday afternoon at 2 by the Rev. G.A. Steeby, pastor  of the First Evangelical church.  Burial will be in Silverbrook.

Trask, Eleanor

editor Obituaries

Eleanor Trask
Sept. 11, 1884-Jan. 1, 1945

Niles Daily Star, Tuesday, January 2, 1945, page 2, col. 7, microfilm Niles District Library

Hold Rites Here for Sister of Mrs. William White

The sister of Mrs. William White, Yankee street, Miss Eleanor Trask, 60, of St. Johns, died Monday in the Clinton Memorial hospital.

She was born in Pewamo Sept. 11, 1884, and had lived in St. Johns for 15 years.

Surviving besides the sister, are three brothers, Maurice P. Trask, Alma; Harper H. Trask, Pontiac, and Richard G. Trask, Aberdeen, Wash.

Funeral services will be conducted n the Episcopal church in Niles at 3 p.m. , Wednesday by the Rev. Harry L. Nicholson. Friends may call at the Price and Kiger funeral home before 2 p.m. Wednesday when the body will be taken to the church where it will lie in state until the service. Burial will be in Silverbrook cemetery.

Treiber, David P.

editor Obituaries

David P. Treiber
Aug. 24, 1863-Dec. 31, 1944

Niles Daily Star, Tuesday, January 2, 1945, page 2, col. 4, microfilm Niles District Library

RITES WEDNESDAY FOR D.P. TREIBER, PIONEER RESIDENT

Funeral services for David P. Treiber, 81, of Route 3, a pioneer resident of Niles, will be conducted Wednesday at 2 p.m. in St. John's Evangelical church by the Rev. Theo Eisen.

Treiber died Saturday at 10:30 p.m. in the farm home in which he was born Aug. 24, 1863. He had been ill two days.

He was a member of the St. John's Evangelical church.

Survivors are a brother, Frank Treiber, Niles and five sisters, Mrs. Sarah Rice, Mrs. Clara P. Hulce, and Louise, Emma and Jennie Treiber, all of Niles.

Friends may call at the Pifer funeral home until noon Wednesday when the body will be taken to the church where it will lie in state until time of the funeral.  Burial will be in Silverbrook cemetery.

VanLue, Francis A.

editor Obituaries

Francis A. VanLue
Dec. 2, 1863-May 26, 1938

Niles Daily Star, Friday, May 27, 1938, page 2, col. 5, microfilm Niles District Library

F.A. VanLue, 77, Resident of Niles 25 years, is Dead

Francis A. VanLue, 77, a resident of Niles for 35 years, died at 11:45 o'clock Thursday night in the home of his son, Emorick, who lives on the Bonner farm, Barron lake. Death resulted from a lingering illness.

The father of nine children, Mr. VanLue was born in Fulton county, Ind., and moved to Niles from South Bend. His wife, the former Elizabeth Pettit, whom he married in Rochester, Ind., Dec. 16, 1882, died eight years ago.

Surviving are the four sons, Emorick, Barron lake; John, Roseland, Ind.; William, Niles, and Harry, Granger, ind.; five daughters, Mrs. W.E. Quick, R. 5, South Bend; Mrs. Odie Keesey, Akron, Ind.; Mrs. Emma Cochran, Los Angeles, Calif.; Mrs. O.W. Smith, Roseland, and Mrs. Verlin Williams, Niles; also a brother Hollis, Rochester, Ind., and 61 grandchildren and 26 great-grandchildren.

Funeral services will be held at 2 o'clock Saturday afternoon in the Emorick VanLue home. The Rev. Harold Botteron, South Bend, will officiate. Burial will be in Silverbrook cemetery.

 

Niles Daily Star, Saturday, May 28, 1938, page 2, col. 2, microfilm Niles District Library

VANLUE SERVICES

The Rev. Harold Betteron, South Bend, conducted funeral services at 2 o'clock this afternoon for Francis A. VanLue, 77, Services were held in the home of Mr. VanLue's son, Emorick, Barron lake.  A resident of Niles for the last 25 years, Mr. VanLue died Thursday night following a lingering illness. Burial was in Silverbrook cemetery.

Note:  DOB from Death record

 

VanGilder, Alginon S.

editor Obituaries

Alginon S. Van Gilder
Aug. 2, 1879-Oct. 22, 1944

Niles Daily Star, Monday, October 23, 1944, page 2, col. 6, microfilm Niles District Library

A.S. VANGILDER, 65, DIES SUNDAY

Alginon S. Van Gilder, 65, died from a cerebral hemorrhage Sunday morning at 9 in his home at 1104 Ferry street. He had been in poor health 10 years, and seriously ill two months.

A plumber, Van Gilder was born in Warsaw, Ind., Aug. 2, 1879, and came to Niles from Plymouth, Ind., 40 years ago. He was married in Niles Jan. 6, 1907 to Minnie Luke.

Surviving are the widow; three daughters, Mrs. Zelda Hay, Mishawaka, and Mrs. Macel Parker and Mrs. Mae Dean Cox, Niles; three sons, Wayne and Ronald J. Van Guilder, Niles and Stanley Van Gilder, fireman second class in the army in California; a sister, Mrs. Jennie Murry, Plymouth, Mich., and five brothers, Joshua, Frank, Charles and Harry Van Gilder, all of Niles, and Levi Van Gilder, Michigan City, Ind.

Friends may call at the Rutherford funeral home.

 

Niles Daily Star, Tuesday, October 24, 1944, page 2, col. 2, microfilm Niles District Library

VAN GILDER RITES

Funeral services for Alginon S. Van Gilder, 65, of 1104 Ferry Street, will be conducted in the Rutherford funeral home Thursday afternoon at 2 by the Rev. Theo Eisen, pastor of the St. John's Evangelical church. Burial will be in Silverbrook cemetery.  Surviving are the widow; six children, Mrs. Macel Parker, Mrs. Mae Dean Cox, Wayne and Ronald J. Van Gilder, all of Niles; Mrs. Zelda Hay, Mishawaka, and Stanley Van Gilder, fireman second class, in California; five brothers, Joshua, Frank, Charles and Harry Van Gilder, Plymouth, Ind., and Levi Van Gilder, Michigan City, and a sister, Mrs. Jennie Murry, Plymouth, Mich.

 

Niles Daily Star, Wednesday, October 25, 1944, page 2, col. 2, microfilm Niles District Library

VAN GILDER SERVICES

The Rev. Theo Eisen will conduct funeral services for Alginon S. Van Gilder, 65, of 1104 Ferry street, Thursday afternoon at 2 in the Rutherford funeral home. Burial will be in Silverbrook cemetery.  Pallbearers are Al Feest, Harry Fischer, George Geideman, Kenneth Hay, Don Cox and Russell Ogren.

Vandenburg, Grover C.

editor Obituaries

Grover C. Vandenburg
Feb. 8, 1884-Oct. 3, 1944

Niles Daily Star, Wednesday, October 4, 1944, page 2, col. 8, microfilm Niles District Library

G.C. VANDENBURG DEAD AT AGE 60

Four years of illness ended Tuesday night in death to Grover C. Vandenburg, 60, of Berrien Springs, in the North Shore convalescent home, Benton Harbor.

Vandenburg was a retired farmer, born in Berrien township Feb. 28, 1884, and lived in the community all his life.

He is survived by the widow, Eva; two children, Mrs. Lawrence Kesterke, Eau Claire, and Harold Vandenburg, Berrien Springs; five grandchildren; a sister, Lena Vandenburg, Niles, and three brothers, Frank Henry and Lester Vandenburg, all of Niles.

Friends may call at the Price and Kiger funeral chapel where services will be Friday at 2:30 p.m., with the Rev. Hubert Karl, pastor of the Berrien Center Community church, officiating. Burial will be in Silverbrook cemetery.

 

Niles Daily Star, Friday, October 6, 1944, page 2, col. 3, microfilm Niles District Library

VANDENBURG RITES

Funeral services for Grover C. Vandenburg, 60, of Berrien Springs, were conducted in the Price and Kiger funeral chapel this afternoon at 2:30, followed by burial in Silverbrook cemetery. Pallbearers were Forest, Vernon and Fred Vandenburg, William Forbes, Otto Nelson and William Schlosser. Vandenburg died Tuesday night in Benton Harbor.

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