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.

Whitaker, Weldon W.

Welton W. Whitaker
Feb. 2, 1993-Dec. 23, 1998


Niles Daily Star, Monday, December 28, 1998, page 2, col. 1, microfilm Niles District Library

Funeral services for Welton W. "Welty" Whitaker, 5, 414 1/2 East Division Street, Dowagiac, will be Thursday at 1 p.m. at First United Methodist Church, Dowagiac, by the Rev. Terry L. Neumayer of Diamond Dove Missionary Church. Neumayer is Chaplain of the Cass County Sheriff's Department.

Burial will follow at Silverbrook Cemetery, Niles.

Whitaker died Wednesday morning at his home of injuries from a house fire.

He was born Feb. 2, 1993, in Berrien Center. He had lived in Dowagiac all his life.

He was attending kindergarten at Lincoln Elementary School, Dowagiac.

Surviving family includes his parents, Lora and and Wendell Whitaker of Dowagiac; two brothers, Austin Wade Whitaker and Xavier Robert Whitaker of Dowagiac; grandparents, Larry and Debra Trussell of Dowagiac, Wade Whitaker of Bangor and May Millrick of Grand Junction, and great-grandparents, Helen Trussell and Welton Whitaker of Dowagiaac.

Friends may call Monday from 6 - 8 p.m. at Halbritter Funeral Home, Niles.

Memorial contributions may be made to a charity of the donor's choice.

 

Green, Lena Dell

Lena Dell Green
February 19, 1916 - April 30, 1983

Niles Daily Star, Monday, May 2, 1983, page 2, microfilm Niles District Library

Lena Dell Green, 67, of 1222 Merrifield St., Niles, died April 30 at home following a lengthy illness.
She was born Feb. 19, 1916 in Beechgrove, Tenn. and had lived in the area most of her life.

She was a retiree of Franky's Restaurant.

She married Wilburn B. Green on Feb. 14, 1932 in Beechgrove, Tenn.  He survives.

Also surviving are:  two daughters, Mrs. Helen Barnum and Mrs. Linda Mark, both of Niles; a son Bronell R. Green of Niles; two brothers, James Ewell of Tenn., and William Ewell of Tenn.; two sisters, Mrs. Lola Lewis of Tenn., and Mrs. Sara Lewis of Tenn.; seven grandchildren and one great-grandchild.

Services will be held Tuesday, May 3 at 1:30 p.m. at the Pifer-Smith Funeral Home.  The Rev. David Henderson of the Westminster Presbyterian Church will officiate.

Burial will follow at Silverbrook Cemetery.

Friends may call from 2 to 9 p.m. today at the funeral home.

Memorials may be made to the American Diabetes Association.

Green, Wilburn B.

Wilburn B. Green
June 26, 1904 - December 29, 1985

Niles Daily Star, Monday, December 30, 1985, page 2, microfilm Niles District Library

Wilburn B. Green, 81, 1222 Merrifield, Niles, died Sunday, Dec. 29, at 1 p.m. at the Regency Place, South Bend, Ind. after a two-year illness.

He was born June 26, 1904 in Beech Grove, Tenn. and lived in the area since 1944, coming from Tennessee.  He retired in 1969 from Tyler Refrigeration and worked part-time for Franky's Restaurant after his retirement.

He married Lena Dell Ewell on Feb. 14, 1934 in Beech Grove, Tenn.  She died April 30, 1983.

Surviving are: two daughters, Helen Barnum and Linda Mark, both of Niles; a son, Bronell R. Green of Niles; four sisters, Pearl Harrell of Niles, Mrs. Willie Ensey of Murfreesboro, Tenn., Mrs. Era Smith of Bell Buckle, Tenn. and Lera Messick of Beech Grove, Tenn.; a brother, Cecile Green of Bradyville, Tenn.; seven grandchildren and a great-grandchild.

Services are Tuesday, Dec. 31 at 3:30 p.m. at the Pifer-Smith Funeral Home.  Rev. David Henderson of Westminster Presbyterian Church will officiate.  Burial will follow at Silverbrook Cemetery.  Friends may call after 7 p.m. Monday.

Moody, Tyree H.

Tyree H. Moody, 77, of Niles
March 6, 1936-Sept. 24, 2013

Niles Daily Star, Published 1:09pm Wednesday, September 25, 2013

Tyree H. Moody, 77 years old of Niles, Michigan went to be with the Lord, Tuesday September 24, 2013, at home surrounded by his family, following an illness.

Moody
Moody

He was born on March 6, 1936 in Trenton, Tennessee to Alvin and Kathrine (Brown) Moody. He has lived in Niles since 1956, moving to the area with his wife, the former Annie LaFaye “Faye” McAlister, just two weeks after their wedding in Corinth, Mississippi. Tyree was employed by the former Tyler Refrigeration for forty-three years, before retiring in 2000. In 1968, he began working as a reserve officer for the Buchanan Police Department and the Berrien County Sheriff Department, and was a member of the National Guard in both Tennessee and Michigan. Tyree was Constable of the First Ward for 2 terms in the city of Niles. He also owned the former Standard Service Station at Fulkerson & Eleventh Streets, worked as a security guard at the Niles Library, and he had a gun and snow plowing business.

Tyree had been a member of Bethel Baptist Church in Niles since 1956. He was also very active in Freemasonry as a member of the Saint Joseph Valley Lodge #4, F.& A.M., the 32ndº Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite Valley of South Bend, the Saladin Temple of Grand Rapids, President of the Niles Shrine Club and member of the South Bend Shrine Club, and a member of the Orak Temple Shrine Center of Michigan City. He joined the Masons in 1967, and became a Shriner and Scottish Rites in 1977. Tyree became a lifetime member of the Blue Lodge of the Saint Joseph Valley #4 in 1976. He was a 32nd° Mason of the Valley of South Bend Scottish Rite. He was a member of the Saladin Temple in Grand Rapids. In 2012, he was Mason of the year. He was the current President of the Niles Shrine Club, and a member of the Orak Temple, and of the South Bend Shrine Club. Tyree was a part of the transport team from Niles and South Bend Shrine Clubs that drove children to the Shriner’s Hospital and the Burn Centers, and he enjoyed performing with the Berrien County Shriners’mini bikes parade team.

He enjoyed hunting and fishing and was a member of the Bend of the River Conservation Club.

In addition to his wife, Faye, surviving family includes his daughters Carol (& Chris) King and Jodie (& Trent) Nichols, all of Niles; grandchildren Angie (& Toby) Mann, Amy (& Andy) Chodzinski, Autumn and Amber Moody; and great-grandchildren Blake and Kyle Mann; brother Acie (& Pat) Moody, sister Hazel Farley, sister Gladys (& William) Gordon, and sister-in-law Wanda Hall, all of Tennessee.

Tyree was preceded in death by James Moody, Geneva Hassel, John Moody, Archie Moody, Marie Runyan, Norman Moody, Ruby Moody, and Mary Ann Moody.

Funeral Services for Tyree Moody will be held at 2:00p.m. on Friday, September 27, 2013 at Bethel Baptist Church in Niles with Rev. Randy Pearman of the church, and Pastor Garland Rhodes of Portage Road General Baptist Church, officiating. Interment will follow at Silverbrook Cemetery, Niles.

The family will receive relatives and friends from 4-8:00p.m. on Thursday, September 26, 2013 at the Halbritter Funeral Home and will conclude with the Masonic Funeral Rites beginning at 8:00p.m. by the Saint Joseph Valley Lodge #4, F. & A.M.

Contributions in memory of Tyree may be made to Bethel Baptist Church in Niles or to the Shriners Hospitals for Children.

www.halbritterfunerals.com

Renbarger, Betty Ann (Klug)

Betty Ann Renbarger, 76
April 15, 1936-Nov. 29, 2012

Niles Daily Star, Published 6:23pm Sunday, December 2, 2012

Betty Ann Renbarger, 76, of Baldwin Drive, Niles, died on Thursday, Nov.29, 2012, at her home following an extended illness. She was born April 15, 1936, in Berrien Springs to Harry and Tillie (Hebner) Klug.

Renbarger

Betty owned and operated The Sandpiper Beauty Salon, from which she retired in 2008. Betty enjoyed sewing craft, her flower garden, bird watching and boating.  She was a NASCAR fan; #24.

Betty is survived by daughter Julie Miars, of Niles, a son, Jeff Renbarger, of Plano, Texas, grandchildren, Jessica (Chris) Millar, Melissa (Jim) Kennedy, Rebecca (Rodney) Leneway, Brian (Tara) Renbarger, Kelly Good, Kyle Davey and Marsia Davey; and 11 great-grandchildren. She is also survived by a sister, Edna Mitchell, of Fountain; brothers, Herman (Thelma) Klug, of Buchanan, and Emil (Yvonne) Klug of Statesville, N.C., a daughter-in-law, Marti (Young-Renbarger) Vicari, of Niles; and a special friend, Earl Dean Williams, of Niles.

She was preceded in death by a son, Mike Renbarger, who died Jan. 2, 2009; her husband, Kenneth “Doc” Renbarger; her father, Harry Klug; her mother, Tillie Klug Heyn; and a stepfather, Edgar Heyn.

The family will receive relatives and friends from 2 to 4 p.m. and from 6 to 8 p.m. on Monday, Dec. 3, 2012, at the Halbritter Funeral Home, Niles.

The family will gather privately for services.

A memorial luncheon will be held on Tuesday, Dec. 4, 2012, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Hope Community Church, 2390 Lake St., Niles. Contributions in memory of Betty may be made to Hospice at Home, Buchanan. www.halbritterfunerals.com

Karns, Paul L.

Paul L. Karns, Jr., 76, of Niles
Nov. 4, 1934-Sept. 16, 2013

Niles Daily Star, Published 5:13pm Tuesday, September 17, 2013

Paul L. Karns, Jr., age 76 years of Niles, Michigan died at 9:50 p.m. on Monday, September 16, 2013 at his home following an extended illness.

He was born on November 4, 1934 in South Bend, Indiana to Paul L. and Ethel (Amick) Karns, Sr. He was graduated from Niles High School, and has lived in this area all of his life. He was employed for thirty years at the former Tyler Refrigeration plant in Niles.

Paul was a veteran of the Korean Conflict, serving in the United States Navy. He enjoyed camping, hunting and fishing, and mushroom hunting.

On June 27, 1959 at the Berrien Springs Baptist Church he married the former Opal Jewel Short with whom he celebrated last June the 54th anniversary of their wedding.

Surviving family includes his wife, Opal Karns and their children, Cynthia (& Rex) Davis of Baroda, Michigan, Tammy Lynn (& Walter) Plouhar of Niles, and Timothy Allen Karns of Arkansas; grandchildren Anthony (& Lindsay) Davis, Staff Sergeant Christopher (& Sasha) Davis, U.S.Army, Courtney (& Michael) Williams, Jeremy (& Whitney Pinkowski) Plouhar, April Nichole Karns, Faith Candra Metz, and Jacob; great-grandchildren, Josephine, Makayla, Michael, Matthew, Layla, and Madison; and Paul’s sisters, Norma Palmer of Granger, Indiana, Ann Marie Miltenberger of Niles, Peggy Sernik of Berrien Springs, and many nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by two sisters, Phyllis DeVos and Pat Simonas.

The funeral service for Paul Karns, Jr. will be at 1:00 p.m. on Thursday, September 19, 2013 at the Halbritter Funeral Home in Niles with the Rev. Derek Cromwell of the First Baptist Church of Berrien Springs officiating. Committal will follow at Silverbrook Cemetery and will conclude with Full Military Honors by the United States Navy Honor Guard and American Legion Post #51 of Buchanan.

The family will receive relatives and friends from 6:00 until 8:00 p.m. on Wednesday at the funeral home. Contributions in memory of Paul may be made to the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, 1311 Mamaroneck Avenue, Suite 310, White Plains, NY 10605.

www.halbritterfunerals.com

Bookout, Robert J.

Robert J. Bookout, 97
Aug. 7, 1916-Sept. 14, 2013

Niles Daily Star, Published 2:47pm Monday, September 16, 2013

Robert J. Bookout, 97, of Niles, MI passed away on Saturday, Sept. 14, 2013 at his home.

Robert was born on Aug. 7, 1916 in Hartford City, Ind. to Leonard and Ruth (Hiles) Bookout. He married Virginia Boyle on Dec. 12, 1961

Robert was a U.S. Army Veteran serving in World War II. He founded Bookout Furniture in 1952, and was later joined in the business by his brother Raymond. He sold the business in 1998. Robert was a member of Buchanan Congregation of Jehovah’s Witnesses.

Robert is survived by son; Gary (Carolyn) Bookout of Clearwater, Fla., two daughters; Joyce (Gayle) Simmons of Marion, Ind. and Roberta (Bob) Sanders of Wash., step-daughter; Candi Moore of South Bend, numerous grandchildren, great-grandchildren and great great-grandchildren, two nieces, one nephew and special sister-in-law Donna Weller.

He was preceded in death by his parents, wife Virginia, daughter Rebecca, two step daughters, Robyn and Sherry, and two brothers; Melvin and Raymond.

A funeral service will be held at 3:00 p.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 18, 2013 at the Kingdom Hall of Jehovah’s Witnesses 1107 N. Red Bud Trail, Buchanan, Mich. with visitation from 2-3 p.m. Arrangements have been entrusted to Hoven Funeral Home of Buchanan. Online condolences may be made at www.hovenfunerals.com