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.

VanRiper, Edyth (Gage)

editor Obituaries

Edyth VanRiper
1879-Feb. 2, 1939

Niles Daily Star, Saturday, February 4, 1939, page 1, col. 2, microfilm Niles District Library

Mrs. VanRiper, Native of Niles, Stricken Friday

 

Mrs. Edyth Van Riper, a native of Niles and wife of Dr. Paul Van Riper, died late Friday afternoon in her home in Champion, Marquette county. She was 60 years old.

Her death resulted from complications following a three weeks' illness of pneumonia.

The body will be brought to Niles for funeral services at 3 o'clock Monday afternoon in the Rutherford funeral home. The Rev. Guy W. Simon will officiate with burial in Silverbrook cemetery.

Former Resident

Mrs. Van Riper was the daughter of the late Mr. and Mrs. Arza Gage.  Mr. gage operated a food shop here in the building now occupied by the Tynan and Walsh store. She was a cousin of Mrs. Gordon Bonine, of Cassopolis, whose father was a business associate of Arza Gage.

Both Mrs. Van Riper and her husband were graduates of Niles high school. They were married on Christmas day, 1900, after Dr. Van Riper's graduation from college.  They moved to Champion in northern Michigan where they have resided for nearly 40 years. They have returned to Niles to visit friends here many times since their departure.

Active Socially

Mrs. Van Riper was active in Niles clubs and musical circles and was a member of the Presbyterian church.

Dr. Van Riper is chairman of the Marquette county board of supervisors. Their son, Dr. Charles Van Riper, is head of the speech department of Western State Teachers college in Kalamazoo.  Another son and daughter also survive--Joseph, who is working on his doctor's degree in the University of Michigan, and Mrs. Samuel Dibble, Detroit.


Niles Daily Star, Monday, February 6, 1939, page 2, col. 3, microfilm Niles District Library

SERVE AS PALLBEARERS

Addison VanRiper, L. Stanley Storms, Jerome Wood, Roger Wood, Arthur Stone and Elwood Bonine, Cassopolis, served as pallbearers today for the funeral services of Mrs. Edyth VanRiper, who died Friday in her home in Champion. Rites were conducted in the Rutherford funeral home by the Rev. Guy W. Simon. Burial was in Silverbrook cemetery.


Wagner, William

editor Obituaries

William Wagner
Sept. 26, 1864-Feb. 25, 1939

Niles Daily Star, Saturday, February 25, 1939, page 2, col. 1, microfilm Niles District Library

William Wagner, Ill 3 Months, Taken by Death

 

Ill for three months, William Wagner, a retired farmer and a resident of Niles for the last 12 years, died this morning in the Berrien county hospital.  He was 74 years old.

Mr. Wagner was born in Armstrong county, Pa., Sept 26, 1864. He came to Niles from Ohio, and prior to entering the hospital had made his home at 1107 Oak street.

Surviving are a daughter, Mrs. Roy Lamoneca, Niles; two sons, Carl, Niles, and Jake, Guthrie, Okla.; a brother, Jacob, Niles, and eight grandchildren. Mrs. Wagner died 15 years ago.

Funeral services will be held at 2 o'clock Monday afternoon in the Rutherford funeral home with the Rev. Theodore Laesch of St. Paul's Lutheran church, of which Mr. Wagner was a member, officiating. Burial will be in Silverbrook cemetery.

Friends may call at the funeral home.



Barron, Walter S.

editor Obituaries

Walter S. Barron
Sept. 29, 1878-Feb. 22, 1939

Niles Daily Star, Wednesday, February 22, 1939, page 1, col. 6, microfilm Niles District Library

Walter Barron, Freight Agent 20 years, Dies

Sudden Heart Attack Claims Veteran NYC Employe

 

Walter S. Barron, who had served as freight agent for the New York Central railroad here since 1919, died suddenly at 3 o'clock this morning in his home 109 North Tenth street.  He was 60 years old.

Apparently in good health Mr. Barron had carried out his duties as usual on Tuesday. He was stricken with a heart attack a few minutes prior to his death.

Prominent Railman

Widely known in railroad circles, Mr. Barron had been employed by the New York Central system for 45 years. He came to Niles from Albion where he had held a similar position with the company.

Active in Masonic circles he was a member of St. Joseph Valley lodge No. 4, F. and A.M., St. Joseph Valley chapter No. 2, R.A.M., and the Eastern Star. He also belonged to the Trinity Episcopal church.

Mr. Barron was born in San Francisco Sept. 29, 1878, the son of the late Mr.and Mrs. M.V. Barron. He started his railroad career at the age of 15.

Service Friday

Surviving are the widow, Verna; three sons, Kennneth, Lansing; Rex, Niles; and Frank, Cheboygan; also a daughter, Mrs. Robert Long, Niles.

Funeral services will be held at 2 o'clock Friday afternoon in the Trinity Episcopal church with the Rev. Harry L. Nicholson, Officiating.  Burial will be in Silverbrook cemetery.

Friends may call at the Price and Kiger funeral home.

Niles Daily Star, Thursday, February 23, 1939, page 2, col. 1, microfilm Niles District Library

Services Friday for Walter Barron, Veteran Rail Man

 

The Rev. Harry L. Nicholson will conduct funeral services for Walter S. Barron, veteran Niles Railroad employe, at 2 o'clock Friday afernoon in Trinity Episcopal church.

Burial will be in Silverbrook cemetery.  Mayor William H. Corbett, E.A. Wolford, Edward Hunter, Milo Loomis, Harry Coles and Charles Dine, Decatur, will serve as pallbearers.

Friends may call at the Price and Kiger funeral home until noon Friday. The body will then be taken to the church where it will lie in state from 12:30 o'clock until the hour of the funeral.

 

Fay, Fred W.

editor Obituaries

Fred W. Fay
Aug. 27, 1858-Feb. 18, 1939

Niles Daily Star, Monday, February 20, 1939, page 2, col. 1, microfilm Niles District Library

Fred W. Fay, 80, Resident of Niles 30 Years, Stricken

 

Funeral services for Fred W. Fay, who died Saturday night in the home of his son, Clifton, 623 Sycamore street, will be held at 2 o'clock Thursday afternoon in the Price and Kiger funeral home with the Rev. T.O. Lee of the first Methodist church will officiate. Burial will be in Silverbrook cemetery.

Mr. Fay was born in Elmira, N.Y., Aug. 27, 1858. He had lived in Niles for 30 years, and had worked as a monument maker.  His wife, the former Ida Knott, who he married in Cromwell, Iowa, died several years ago.

Bronchial pneumonia was the cause of his death. He had been ill since Thanksgiving day.

He is survived by one daughter, Mrs. Bessie Otteson, Niles; four sons, William, Clifton and Claude, Niles, and Lloyd, Mansfield, O.; one sister, Mrs. Nettie Latterman, Addison,N.Y.; also 17 grandchildren and four great grandchildren.

Friends may call at the Price and Kiger funeral home.


Niles Daily Star, Tuesday, February 21, 1939, page 2, col. 3, microfilm Niles District Library

FAY SERVICES HELD

The Rev. T.O. Lee conducted funeral services for Fred W. Fay at 2 o'clock this afternoon in the Price and Kiger funeral home. Burial was in Silverbrook cemetery.  Mr. Fay died Saturday night in the home of his son, Clifton, 623 Sycamore street.  Mrs. Lottie Gardner, Addison, N.Y., is a half-sister of Mr. Fay.

Hemminger, Delia May

editor Obituaries

Delia May Hemminger
Aug. 17, 1869-Feb. 14, 1939

Niles Daily Star, Wednesday, February 15, 1939, page 2, col. 7, microfilm Niles District Library

Mrs. Hemminger, Life Resident of Berrien, Cass Dies

 

Mrs. Delia May Hemminger, life-long, resident of Cass and Berrien counties, died at 6:30 o'clock Tuesday night in the Berrien Center hospital. She had been ill for the last three months.

Mrs. Hemminger was born five miles east of Niles in Cass county, Aug. 17, 1869. Prior to entering the hospital she had made her home with her son, Clarence, 105 Market street.

Her husband Cyrus, to whom she was married in Goshen, Ind., in 883, died several years ago.

Surviving, beside her son, are three sisters, Mrs. Ida Bigelow and Mrs. Mae B. Tuttle, Niles, Mrs. Anna McOmber, Cadillac, also five grandchildren, Mrs. Earl Litrell, and Clarence, William, Richard and Robert Hemminger, all of Niles.

Funeral services will be held at 2:30 o'clock Friday afternoon in the Price and Kiger funeral home with William Putnam officiating. Burial will be in Silverbrook cemetery.

Friends may call at the funeral home.

 

Willard, Benjamin F.

editor Obituaries

Benjamin F. Willard
1851-Feb. 4, 1939

Niles Daily Star, Monday, February 6, 1939, page 2, col. 6, microfilm Niles District Library

B.F. WILLARD, 87, DIES IN SOUTH BEND

Former Niles Harness Maker to be Buried Here Tuesday

 

Funeral services for Benjamin F. Willard, former Niles resident who died late Saturday afternoon in his South Bend home, will be held at 2:30 o'clock Tuesday afternoon in the Rutherford funeral home.

Services will be conducted by the Rev. T.O. Lee of the First Methodist church. Burial will be in Silverbrook cemetery.

A retired harness maker, Mr. Willard was 87 years old. Prior to moving to South Bend 35 years ago as a Studebaker employe, he had operated a harness store here with Charles Kelley.

Mr. Willard was married to the former Angeline Ribble, a member of one of Niles' pioneer families. They celebrated their 54th wedding anniversary last December.

Surviving, besides the widow, are one son, Warren, Buchanan; two daughters, Mrs. George Geiger, Milwaukee, Wisc., and Mrs. Charles J. Ray, South Bend; also four grandchildren.

Friends may call at the Rutherford funeral home.


Niles Daily Star, Tuesday, February 7, 1939, page 2, col. 2, microfilm Niles District Library

WILLARD SERVICES

Funeral services for Benjamin F. Willard, former Niles resident who died Saturday in his South Bend home, were held at 2:30 o'clock this afternoon in the Rutherford funeral home. The Rev. T.O. Lee officiated with burial in Silverbrook cemetery.  Oscar Johnson, Niles; Frank Ribble and Harry Reddick, South Bend; Walter Mulhagen, Mishawaka; James Rundberg, State Line; and Roy Pierce, Buchanan, served as pallbearers.

Willard, Edwin F.

editor Obituaries

Edwin F. Willard
Oct. 11, 1927-Sept. 22, 2005

Niles Daily Star, Published online 8:49pm Friday, September 23, 2005

Edwin F. Willard, 77, of Fort Street, Niles, died at 3:30 a.m., Thursday, Sept. 22, 2005, at his home, following an extended illness.

Funeral services will be at 10 a.m. Monday, Sept. 26, at Halbritter Funeral Home, Niles. The Rev. Ronald Smith of Niles will officiate. Friends may call from 2-4 p.m. Sunday at the funeral home.

Burial will take place at the Silverbrook Cemetery, in Niles. There will be a flag presentation and "taps" following the services at the graveside, done by the American Legion Post No. 26, Niles.

Memorial contributions may be made to Cass and Van Buren County Hospice Care of Southwestern Michigan.

Arrangements are by Halbritter Funeral Home, Niles.

 

Bottom Menu 1

Bottom Menu 2

Bottom Menu 4