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.

Piper, Dorothy

Dorothy Piper
Dec. 14, 1917-Dec. 9, 1963

Niles Daily Star, Tuesday, December 10, 1963, page 2, col. 4, microfilm Niles District Library

Mrs. Dorothy Piper, 45, of 401 N. 4th St., died at 8:25 p.m. Monday in Pawating Hospital, where she had been a patient five days. She had been ill three and a half months.

Mrs. Piper, an employe the last 10 years with the Rifenberg Insurance Agency was born Dec. 17, 1917, in Wabash, Ind. She came to Niles from Benton Harbor in 1940.

Survivors include her husband, Varus B.; her mother, Mrs. Herbert Harlan, Niles; and a sister, Mrs. John DeKoek, Kalamazoo.

She was a member of St. Mary's Catholic church.

Funeral services will be conducted at 10 a.m. Friday in her church. The Rev. Cletus M. Rose, pastor, will officiate. Burial will be in Silverbrook Cemetery.

The Rosary will be recited at 7:30 p.m Thursday in the Pifer Funeral Home. Friends will be received at the funeral home after 3 p.m. Wednesday.

Millar, Almena Senith

Almena Senith Millar
Nov. 23, 1864-Aug. 17, 1943

Niles Daily Star, Tuesday, August 17, 1963, page 2, col. 7, microfilm Niles District Library

Almena Miller, 78, Dies During Visit; Funeral Thursday

Miss Almena Senith Millar, 78, . . .[illegible] . . Saturday to visit in the home of her sister-in-law, Mrs. Edith Millar, 1358 Broadway, died here this morning after a 48-hour illness.

A native of Berrien county, Miss Millar was born Nov. 23, 1864. Since 1909 she had lived in Kalamazoo, where she taught for many years in the public schools . . .[illegible] . .. sity of Chicago, and studied at Kalamazoo college and the Western Michigan College of Eduction, Kalamazoo.

Surviving with Mrs. Millar is another sister-in-law, Mrs. Hope Millar, California, and five nephews, Frank, Ansel, and Northrup . . .[illegible] . . .and Ernest [illegible] North Liberty, Ind.

Friends may call Wednesday night in the Price and Kiger funeral home. Services will be conducted Thursday afternoon at 2 in the First Baptist church. The Rev. Wiley, pastor of the Kalamazoo church of which she was a member, and the Rev. Floyd W. Johnston will officiate with burial in Silverbrook cemetery.

 

Mochour, Charles A.

Charles A. Mochour
Sept. 20, 1885-Sept. 19, 1963

Niles Daily Star, Thursday, September 19, 1963, page 2, col. 4, microfilm Niles District Library

Charles A. Mochour, 77, of 410 Vernon St., died at 12:30 a.m. Today in Pawating Hospital. He had been ill four days.

Mr. Mochour, who retired from service as a machinist at the Garden City Fan company in 1951, was born Sept. 20, 1885 in Leipsic, Ohio. He came to Niles from that city in 1905. His wife, Emma, died in 19662.

Surviving are two sons, George W. and Herman C., both of Niles; two daughters, Mrs. George Wideman, Niles, and Mrs. Ann L. Dryer, Edwardsburg; a brother, Gus, Niles; five grandchildren and two great granddaughters.

Funeral services will be conducted at 2 p.m. Sunday in the Kiger Funeral Home. The Rev. Robert Hardy, pastor of the Edwardsburg Community church, will officiate. Burial will be in Silverbrook Cemetery.

Friends are being received at the funeral home.

Olson, Frederick

Frederick Olson
Nov. 23, 1847-June 15, 1927

Niles Daily Star, Wednesday, June 15, 1927, page 4 col. 3, microfilm Niles District Library

FREDERICK OLSON, 79, TAKEN AFTER STROKE

HOWARD TOWNSHIP FARMER DIED EARLY THIS MORNING AT HIS HOME

Frederick Olson, 79, resident of Howard township for more than 50 years, and a highly respected farmer, died this morning at 4 o'clock at his home three miles east of Barron lake. Mr. Olson suffered a stroke of paralysis two weeks ago and no hope for his recovery had since been held.

Mr. Olson was born in Borgunda, Sweden, on November 23, 1847. He came to the United States when he was 26 years of age, on June 15, 1872.

He was married on May 26, 1887 to Miss Jennie Perkins, of Howard township, who survives. Their golden wedding aniversary[sic] last month was the occasion for a family gathering which both Mr. and Mrs. Olson thoroughly enjoyed and which will long be a happy memory for the children and grand children present.

Throughout his life he engaged in farming. For 34 years he had lived on the farm on which he died. Four children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Olson and these survive with the widow. They are Mrs. Charles Garrett, Mrs. Ambrose Lamberton, Mrs. Archie Fowler and Charles Olson, all of Niles. Nine grandchildren also survive.

The funeral services will be held on Friday afternoon at the home at 2:30. Rev. O.R. Grattan, pastor of the Methodist church will officiate. Burial will take place in Silver Brook cemetery.

 

Olson, Katheryn

Katheryn Olson
July 15, 1885-Nov. 17, 1963

Niles Daily Star, Monday, November 18, 1963, page 2, col. 3, microfilm Niles District Library

Funeral services for Mrs. Katheryn Olson, 78, of Freeport, Ill., formerly of Cass County, will be conducted at 2 p.m. Wednesday in the Kiger Funeral Home. The Rev. Richard Fraser, Pastor of St. John's United Church of Christ (Evangelical and Reformed) will officiate. Burial will be in Silverbrook Cemetery.

She died at 4 p.m. Sunday in Freeport General Hospital, following a two-day illness.

Mrs. Olson was born July 15, 1885, in Cass County. She moved to Freeport five years ago. Her husband, Charles, died in 1938.

Surviving are two daughters, Mrs. Lee Cousins, Niles, and Mrs. M.D. Gravenstein, Freeport; four grandchildren, and two great-grandchildren.

Friends will be received at the funeral home Tuesday evening.

 

Sanford, Alvin C.

Alvin C. Sanford
Nov. 19, 1878 -Oct. 17, 1943

Niles Daily Star, Monday, October 18, 1943, page 2, col. 6, microfilm Niles District Library

ALVIN SANFORD, RAILROADER, DIES

Alvin C. Sanford, 64, a New York Central railroad engineer, died suddenly Sunday afternoon at 4 in his home, 636 North Sixth street.

Born in Fall River, Mass., he came here 30 years ago and would have retired Nov. 19.

He was a member of the Knights of Pythias and Elks lodges, the St. John's Brotherhood, Spanish war veterans post and the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers.

Surviving are his widow, Elizabeth; a son, Joseph, Brooklyn, N..Y.; two grandchildren; and two sister, Mrs. Fanny Almy, Fall River, and Mrs. Susie Ally, Boston.

Friends may call at the Pifer funeral home where services will be conducted Wednesday afteroon at 2 by the Rev. Theo Eisen, pastor of the St. John's church. Burial will be in Silverbrook cemetery.

 

Sater, Susanna Marie

Susanna Marie Sater
Sept. 21, 1963-Sept. 21, 1963

Niles Daily Star, Monday, September 23, 1963, page 2, col. 4, microfilm Niles District Library

Committal rites were conducted Saturday afternoon in Silverbrook Cemetery for Susanna Marie Sater, stillborn infant daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Richard Sater, 3017 Church St., The Rev. A.C. Marialke, pastor of the Assembly of God Church, officiated.

The infant was stillborn Saturday morning in South Bend Osteopathic Hospital.

Other survivors include five brothers, Bruce, Ralph, Richard, Jeffrey and John, and two sisters, Ramona, Deborah, all at home; and the grandparents, Charles Ewing, South Bend, and Mrs. Grace Smothermon, Niles.