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.

Delibac, May

 

May Delibac
Jan. 9, 1869-Dec. 4, 1943

Niles Daily Star, Monday, December 6, 1943, page 2, col. 5, microfilm Niles District Library

MAY DELIBAC, 74, STRICKEN SATURDAY

Mrs. May Delibac, 74, died in the home of her daughter, Mrs. Salisbury, 745 Maple street, at 9:45 Saturday night after an illness of six months.

She was born Jan. 9, 1869, in Watseka, Ill., and came to Niles from Minnesota 20 years ago. Her first marriage was to Dr. M.M. Turtle. In 1901 she was married to Mose Delibac, who died in 1938.

Survivors are two daughters, Mrs. Salisbury, Niles, and Mrs. George Moon, Tampa, Fla.; a son, Edward Turtle, Tampa, Fla.; two stepsons, Willie Delibac, Buchanan, and Walter Delibac, Chicago Heights, Ill.; nine grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.

Friends may call at the Rutherford funeral home where services will be conducted at 3:30 Tuesday afternoon by the Rev.J. Kenneth Hoffmaster. Burial will be in Silverbrook cemetery.

Niles Daily Star, Monday, December 6, 1943, page 2, col. 2, microfilm Niles District Library

To Attend Rites

Members of the Veterans of Foreign Wars auxiliary are asked to meet at the Rutherford funeral home Tuesday at 3:15 for the service for Mrs. May Delibac, according to Mrs. Roy Gagne, president.

Niles Daily Star, Tuesday, December 7, 1943, page 2, col. 2, microfilm Niles District Library

Delibac Rites

Funeral services for Mrs. May Delibac, who died Saturday night, were conducted this afternoon in the Rutherford funeral home by the Rev. H.K. Hoffmaster. Burial was in Silverbrook cemetery. Pallbearers were Walter Johnson, Roy Gagne, Frank Wolken, George Dayhuff, Lawrence Atkinson and Gerald Goodnow.

 

Davis, Isaac E.

Isaac E. Davis
Jan. 24, 1931-Nov. 15, 1963

Niles Daily Star, Saturday, November 16, 1963, page 2, col. 1, microfilm Niles District Library

Isaac E. Davis, 32, of 1021 Ferry St., died at 6 p.m. Friday in Memorial Hospital, South Bend, where he had been admitted three hours earlier. He had been ill six months.

Mr. Davis, an auto mechanic at Joe Hayden's Fordland, was born Jan. 24, 1931, In Niles, and lived his lifetime here. He married Geneva Hamilton Nov. 22, 1952, in South Bend. She survives.

Other survivors include his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Elisha Davis, Niles; five daughters, Terri, Belinda, Gena, Valrae and Tracy, all at home; seven sisters, The Misses Evelyn, Florence, Nancy and Debra Davis, and Mrs. Eric Doty, all of Niles; Mrs. William Webb, Sacramento, Calif.; and Mrs. Laurence Graham, South Bend; and five brothers, Paul, Niles, Joseph, Elkhart, Thomas, St. Louis, Mo., Walter, Sacramento, Calif., and John, serving with the U.S. Army at Fort Knox, Ky.

He was a Korean War veteran and a member of Mount Calvary Baptist Church.

Funeral services will be conducted at 2 p.m. Tuesday in his church. The Rev. Theodis Hadley, Pastor, will officiate. Military graveside rites will follow in Silverbrook Cemetery.

Friends are being received at the Kiger funeral home.

 

Daugherty, Ira

Ira Daugherty
Jan. 26, 1890-March 18, 1943

Niles Daily Star, Thursday, March 18, 1943, page 1, col. 3, microfilm Niles District Library

IRA DAUGHERTY SUCCUMBS; SECOND VICTIM OF CRASH

Succumbing to injuries suffered in the accident that took the life of his nephew, Ira Daughterty, 53, of 1134 East Cedar street, South Bend, died this morning at 5:45 in Pawating hospital.

Daugherty, whose death raised the county's 1943 traffic toll to two, had failed to regain consciousness since the car driven by Donald Schrader, 20, rolled over on the old Niles-South Bend highway at 2:30 Monday morning. Schrader died instantly.

The uncle suffered concussions of the head and a dislocated left shoulder.

Third occupant of the car, Russell Tom Hath, 936 Pine street, who escaped injury, was inducted into the marine corps Wednesday in Kalamazoo. He also was a nephew of Daugherty.

Surviving are Daugherty's wife, Melita; a sister, Mrs. Samuel Johnston, Niles, moth[sic] of the Schrader youth, and two brothers, Albert and Jack Daugherty, both of Niles.

War Veteran

He also leaves five step-children, Mary, Dorothy, Ruth and Arthur Smaltz, South Bend, and Rudy Smaltz, stationed with the army in Virginia. Daugherty was born in Williams county, Ohio, Jan. 26, 1890, and was a veteran of World war I during which he served in France and was gassed and wounded.

Friends may call in the Price and Kiger funeral home Friday night. The funeral is set for Saturday afternoon at 3 in the First Evangelical church. The Rev. A.C. DeVries will officiate and burial will be in Silverbrook cemetery.

Rites for Schrader will be conducted Friday afternoon at 2 in the First Evangelical church with burial in Silverbrook cemetery.

 

Niles Daily Star, Saturday, March 20, 1943, page 1, col. 6, microfilm Niles District Library

Crash Victims Buried in Rites 24 Hours Apart

Final rites for Ira Daugherty, South Bend, Niles crash victim, were conducted this afternoon at 3 in the First Evangelical church where the funeral for his nephew, Donald Schrader, Niles, was conducted 24 hours earlier.

The Rev. A.C. DeVries, pastor of the church, officiated at both services and burial is in Silverbrook cemetery.

Daugherty, who died Thursday morning, was the second victim of the automobile accident on the old Niles-South Bend highway in which Schrader was killed instantly early Monday morning.

Emmons, Fred

Fred Emmons
Sept. 23, 1870-Oct. 16, 1943

Niles Daily Star, Monday, October 18, 1943, page 2, col. 8, microfilm Niles District Library

EMMONS FUNERAL SET FOR TUESDAY

Services will be held in the Pifer funeral home Tuesday at 2 for Fred Emmons, 73, of Route 3, who died in Pawating hospital Saturday afternoon.

One of the most prominent farmers of this community, he had lived on his farm north of Niles for 31 years, coming here from Pokagon township where he was born Sept. 24, 1870.

He leaves his widow, Bertha; a son, Homer Emmons, Philadelphia; two grandsons; a sister, Mrs. Grace Tichenor, Santa Monica, Calif.

Friends may call at the funeral home until the funeral Tuesday. Services will be conducted by the Rev. J. Kenneth Hoffmaster, pastor of the Methodist church of which he was an active member. Burial will be in Silverbrook cemetery.

Niles Daily Star, Wednesday, October 20, 1943, page 2, col. 4, microfilm Niles District Library

Emmons Rites Draw Out-of-Town Folks

Services for Fred Emmons, 73, who died in Pawating hospital Saturday aftermoon, were conducted Tuesday afternoon in the Pifer funeral home by Rev. J. Kenneth Hoffmaster.

Those from out-of-town who attended were Mr. and Mrs. John Babbitt, Richland; D.E. Emmons, Jones; Mr. and Mrs. Glenn True, Mrs. Joseph Trowell, Mrs. Harry Ibbotson,and Mrs. Arthur Moulthrop, all of Dowagiac; Mrs. Harry Jackson and daughter, Myrtle, and Mr.and Mrs. Zell Hively, South Bend.

Mrs. Homer Emmons came from Philadelphia to be with her husband, son of Fred Emmons, and to attend the services.

 

 

Exner, Gerald C.

Gerald C. Exner
June 16, 1916-Nov. 16, 1963

Niles Daily Star, Monday, November 18, 1963, page 2, col. 2, microfilm Niles District Library

Funeral services for Gerald C. Exner, 47, of 921 Ferry St., will be conducted at 2 p.m. Tuesday in the Pifer Funeral Home. The Rev. Richard Fraser, pastor of St. John's United Church of Christ (Evangelical and Reformed), will officiate. Military committal rites conducted by the American Legion will follow in Silverbrook Cemetery.

He died suddenly in his home at 4:30 p.m. Saturday.

Mr. Exner was born June 16, 1916, in Niles, and lived his lifetime here. He was employed as an accountant with the National-Standard Company.

Survivors include his widow, Anne; his mother, Mrs. Margaret Exner, Niles; two daughters, Carol Elizabeth and Joanne Marie, both at home; and two sisters, Mrs. Walter Mott, Benton Harbor, and Mrs. Alex Zalai, Niles.

He was a veteran of World War II. His memberships included St. Joseph Valley Lodge No. 4, Free and Accepted masons, the Niles Elks, American Legion Post No. 26, the Auxiliary Police, the 40 et 8, and the presidency of the St. John's Church.

Friends are being received at the funeral home.

All American Legion Auxiliary members are requested to meet outside the Pifer Funeral Home at 1:30 p.m. Tuesday to attend funeral services.

Falkner, Kathleen

Kathleen Falkner
1898-June 30, 1963

Niles Daily Star, Monday, July 1, 1963, page 2, col. 2, microfilm Niles District Library

Mrs. Kathleen Faulkner, 65, of 3003 S. 11th St., died at 2 a.m. Sunday at Pawating Hospital. She had been in the hospital for 10 days and had been ill for three years.

Surviving are her husband, Thomas; a daughter, Audrey Faulkner, Niles; foru sons, William, Niles; Robert, Bangor; and Gordon and Stanley, both of Toronto; a sister, Mrs. Jean Whitlock, Niles; a brother, James McEwainey, Dorset, England; and eight grandchildren.

Funeral services will be at the Fist Presbyterian Church at 2 p.m. Wednesday. The Rev. John MacLachlan, pastor, will officiate. Burial in Silverbrook Cemetery.

Friends may call at the Pifer Funeral Home.

Niles Daily Star, Tuesday, July 2, 1963, page 2, col. 2, microfilm Niles District Library

The correct spelling of Mrs. Kathleen Falkner's name is Falkner, not Faulkner, as reported earlier. Mrs. Falkner, 3003 S. 11th St., died Sunday at Pawating Hospital.

Fedore, Matilda M.

Matilda M. Fedore
Sept. 24, 1882-July 1, 1963

Niles Daily Star, Tuesday, July 2, 1963, page 2, col. 1-2, microfilm Niles District Library

Mrs. Matilda M. Fedore, 80, of 916 Sycamore St., died at 12:30 p.m. Monday at her home. She had been ill for two years.

Mrs. Fedore, a long-time resident, was born Sept. 24, 1882, in Bremen, Germany. She came to the Niles area at an early age.

Her husband, William Fedore Sr., died in 1939.

Surviving are three sons, George, Percy and William Jr., all of Niles; two daughters, Mrs. Fred Meyer, Niles, and Mrs. George Potts, Three Oaks; 10 grandchildren and 13 great-grandchildren.

Funeral services will be held at the Pifer Funeral Home at 4 p.m. Wednesday. The Rev. John MacLachlan, pastor of the First Presbyterian Church, will officiate. Burial will be in Silverbrook Cemetery.

Friends may call at the Pifer Funeral Home.