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.

Whitney, Eda Jane (Spennetta)

Eda Jane Whitney
Sept. 17, 1876-April 5, 1943


Niles Daily Star, Tuesday, April 5, 1943, page 2, col. 2, microfilm Niles District Library


EDA WHITNEY, 66, STRICKEN

 

Mrs. Eda Jane Whitney, 66, lifelong resident of Berrien County, died suddenly of a heart attack Monday in her home, 816 Grant street.

Surviving is her husband, Rufus Whitney, to whom she was married Nov. 26, 1893, in Hills Corners. She was born Sept. 17, 1876, in Buchanan township.

She also leaves three daughters and a son, Mrs. Fred VanDyke and Mrs. James Hargreaves, both of Niles; Mrs. Donald Kirkendall, Frankfort, Ind., and Gerald Whitney, Detroit. Surviving with them is a brother, Jefferson Spennetta, Orange, Calif., 16 grandchildren and 16 great-grandchildren.

Friends may call in the Price and Kiger funeral home until Friday morning when rites will be conducted at 11 in the First Evangelical church. The Rev. A. C. DeVries will officiate with burial in Silverbrook cemetery.

 

Burge, Gertrude

Gertrude Burge
Dec. 28, 1871-Jan. 27, 1943


Niles Daily Star, Wednesday, January 27, 1943, page 2, col. 8, microfilm Niles District Library

GERTRUDE BURGE, 71, DIES IN SLEEP

 

Mrs. Gertrude Burge, 71, a Niles resident 50 years, died early this morning in her home at 436 North Fifiteenth street. Although she had been in ill health, her death, blamed on a heart attack, came unexpectedly as she slept.

Born in Berrien Springs Dec. 28, 1871, she was married there Nov. 24, 1891, to William E. Burge, who survives.

Also surviving are four children, Mrs. Ruth Hayes, Kenneth and Earl Burge, Niles, and Lauris Burge, Conaga Park, Calif.; three sisters, Mrs. Addie Repine, Niles, Mrs. Bertha Robinson, Berrien Springs, and Mrs. Ida Munroe, Burlington, Wash.; a brother, Perry Sumners, Berrien Springs; 12 grandchildren and four great grandchildren.

 

Rites Friday.

She was a member of the Daughters of America lodge.

Friends may call at the Pifer funeral home, where the service will be conducted Friday afternoon at 2:30.  The Rev. J. Kenneth Hoffmaster, pastor of the Methodist church, will officiate.

 

Freshley, Mae (Clark)

Mae Freshley
May 14, 1887-Feb. 21, 1943

Niles Daily Star, Monday, February 22, 1943, page 2, col. 7, microfilm Niles District Library


Mae Freshley, 55, Niles Ex-Resident, Dies; Rites Today

 

Mrs. Mae Freshley, 55, a Niles resident many years, died Sunday morning at 5:20 in her home in Wolcottville where she suffered a stroke at the breakfast table Saturday morning.

Mrs. Freshley's husband, the Rev. W.H. Freshley, pastor of the Wolcottville Evangelical church is recuperating in Pawating hospital from a major operation he underwent here Thursday.

The former Mae Clark, Mrs. Freshley was born in Niles May 14, 1887 and lived here until her marriage April 28, 1934. Surviving are a brother, John Clark,and a sister, Miss Agnes Clark, both of Niles.

Funeral Rites Today

Funeral services were conducted this afternoon at 2 in the Wolcottville church with the Rev. D.A. Kaley, South Bend, district superintendent, officiating.

Attending from Niles with the brother and sister, who went to Wolcottville Saturday, were Mrs. John Clark, Mrs. Robert Bretschneider, Mrs. Fred Wolf and W.S. Wright.

The body will be brought to Niles for burial services Tuesday afternoon at 2:30 in Silverbrook cemetery. Mr. Kaley will officiate assisted by the Rev. A.C. DeVries, pastor of the Niles Evangelical church.

 

 

 

Kernin, Minnie

Minnie Kernin
Dec. 2,1870-Feb. 18, 1943

Niles Daily Star, Thursday, February 18, 1943, page 2, col. 6, microfilm Niles District Library

MINNIE KERNIN, 72, TAKEN BY DEATH

 

Mrs. Minnie Kernin, 72, resident of Niles since 1926, died this morning at 1:15 in the Quick convalescent home on Cherry lane, north of the city. She had been ill three years and, in serious condition, the last six months.

Born in Germany Dec. 2, 1870, Mrs. Kernin came to the United States 54 years ago. She moved to Niles from Detroit.

Surviving are three daughters, Mrs. lola Dunivan, Niles, and Mrs. Louise Lewis and Mrs. Pauline Martiny, both of Detroit. She also leaves five grandchildren.

Friends may call at the Pifer funeral home where the service will be conducted Saturday afternoon at 2:30.  The Rev. Theo Eisen, pastor of St. John's Evangelical church, will officiate.  Burial will be in Silverbrook cemetery.

 

McBride, Thomas Dale

Thomas Dale McBride
Jan. 9, 1943-Jan. 11, 1943


Niles Daily Star, Monday, January 11, 1943, page 2, col. 5, microfilm Niles District Library

McBride Baby Dies; Services Tuesday

 

Thomas Dale McBride, two-day-old son of Mr. and Mrs. Dale F. McBride, 624 Clark street, died this morning at 10 in Epworth hospital, South Bend. He was born Jan. 9.

Funeral services will be conducted in the home at 2 Tuesday afternoon with burial in Silverbrook cemetery.

Surviving with the parents are a brother, Buddy William McBride and the grandparents, Mr.and Mrs. Vernon McBride, Niles, and Mr. and Mrs. D.O. Brown, South Bend.

 

Oberg, Adale

Adale Oberg
Died Feb. 17, 1943


Niles Daily Star, Wednesday, February 17, 1943, page 2, col. 5, microfilm Niles District Library

Adale Oberg, 41, Here Five Weeks, Taken by Death

 

Mrs. Adale Oberg, 49, of 41 South Third street, died this morning at 10 in Pawating hospital after a three weeks' illness of pneumonia.

Surviving Mrs. Oberg is her husband, Fred Oberg, with whom she moved to Niles only five weeks ago from Cassopolis. She also leaves two brothers and two sisters, all of whom live in Sweden.

Friends may call at the Rutherford funeral home.

 

Rhoutsong, Carl N.

Carl N. Rhoutsong
March 5, 1896-Jan. 23, 1943


Niles Daily Star, Saturday, January 23, 1943, page 2, col. 6, microfilm Niles District Library

CARL RHOUTSONG, 46, BPW LINEMAN, DIES

 

Carl N. Rhoutsong, 46, of 846 Brown avenue, a lineman for the board of public works, died this morning in the veterans' hospital, Dearborn, after an illness of several months of complications.

His death took the second board of public works employe within a week.  Burial rites were conducted this afternoon at 3 in Fountain Grove cemetery, Bryan, O., for Ray Straight, assistant superintendent of the board.

Born March 5, 1896 in LaGrange, Ind., Rhoutsong had been a resident of Niles many years. He first was employed by the city in 1927, left several years later, and returned as lineman in 1940.

Among immediate survivors is his wife, Mrs. Cleo Rhoutsong. Funeral services will be completed when the body arrives at the Pifer funeral home tonight.


Niles Daily Star, Monday, January 25, 1943, page 2, col. 7, microfilm Niles District Library

Carl Rhoutsong Funeral Set for Tuesday at 2:30

 

Funeral services for Carl N. Rhoutsong, 846 Brown avenue, board of public works lineman, will be conducted Tuesday afternoon at 2:30 in the Pifer funeral home. The Rev. Harry L. Nicholson will officiate.

Rhoutsong, a veteran of World war I, died Saturday morning in the veterans' hospital at Dearborn after an illness of 11 weeks. Members of the American Legion post firing squad will participate in burial rites in Silverbrook cemetery and fellow Eagles lodgemen will serve as pallbearers.

Born March 15, 1896 in LaGrange county, Indiana, Rhoutsong came to Niles from Goshen 15 years ago.

Survivors

Surviving with his wife, Mrs. Devere Rhoutsong, are two children by a former marriage, Mrs. Betty Jane Drummond, White Pigeon, and Jack Rhoutsong, South Bend; a granddaughter, Mary Lue Drummond, White Pigeon; two sisters, Mrs. Louis Housfeld, Elkhart, and Mrs. Joseph Moffott, Detroit, and two brothers, Albert Rhoutsong, Goshen, and Burton Rhoutsong, Au Gres, Mich.

Friends may call at the Pifer funeral home.