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.

Thompson, Lillian L.

Lillian L. Thompson
Sept. 11, 1902-Nov. 24, 1980


Niles Daily Star, Tuesday, November 25, 1980, page 2, col. 6, microfilm Niles District Library


Lillian L. Thompson, 78, of 2423 Dick St., Niles, died at 2:35 p.m. Monday at Memorial Hospital in South Bend following a brief illness.

She was born Sept 11, 1902 in Grayson County, Va. and had lived here since 1925.

She was married on Dec. 18, 1920 in Jonesboro, Ind. to William F. Thompson who died in 1978.

Survivors include four sons, Robert E., Roy H., and Lowell, all of Niles, and Raymond F. of Dowagiac; a daughter, Mrs. Virginia Harwood, Niles; a brother, Thomas Coomes of Payson, Ariz.; two sisters, Mrs. Nellie Hazelrigg of Paris, Ill., and Mrs. Mary Stoms of Hagerstown, Ind.; 15 grandchildren and 13 great-grandchildren.

Funeral services will be held at 11 am. Saturday at the Halbritter Funeral Home. The Rev. Arnold O. Schaap of Edwardsburg will officiate.

Burial will be in Silverbrook Cemetery.

Friends may call from 2 to 4 p.m. and from 7 to 9 p.m. Friday at the Halbritter Funeral Home.

The family suggests that memorials be given to the Berrien County Cancer Service.

 

Vogelsang, Maude

Maude Vogelsang
March 23, 1876-March 22, 1945


Niles Daily Star, Friday, March 23, 1945, page 2, col. 1, microfilm Niles District Library

Mrs. Vogelsang, Life Resident of Niles, Dies

 

Mrs. Maude Vogelsang, 68, a life-long resident of the Niles community, died at [?] p.m. Thursday in the Quick Convalescent home, Niles. She had been in poor health for seven years.

She was born in Cass county March 28, 1876.  Her husband, Charles Vogelsang, died July 18,1920.

Surviving are three daughters, Mrs. Pearl Peltier, San Francisco, Calif., and Mrs. Bessie Walker and Viola Vogelsang, Niles; two sons, Arthur and John Vogelsang, Niles; six grandchildren, and a brother, Arthur Goodrich, Dowagiac.

Friends may call at the Pifer funeral home where rites will be conducted Monday at 2 p.m.  Burial will be in Silverbrook cemetery.

 

Yung, Carl

Carl Yung
April 17, 1862-Sept. 3, 1928

Niles Daily Star, Tuesday, September 4, 1928, page 1, col. 2, microfilm Niles District Library


CARL YUNG PASSES AWAY AT BEESON FARM HOME

Tennant for Ten years on Old Estate is Taken by Death

 

Carl Yung, 66, a well-known farmer of Niles township, died at 4:45 Monday morning at his home one-half mile south of the Niles city limits on the Beeson farm. He had been sick with a complication of diseases for 15 days.

Mr. Yung was born in Germany on April 17, 1862.  He came to the United States in 1887. For the last 10 years he had lived on the Beeson farm.  He is survived by a widow, who also was born in Germany, and by three children, Raymond, at home, Mrs. William Kromer, of Niles, and Herman, of Baroda. One son born to the couple preceded his father in death.  A sister, Mrs. Henry Schneider, two brothers, one in Germany, and one in Canada, and eight grandchildren also survive.

The funeral services will be held on Thursday afternoon at 1:30 at the home and at 2 o'clock in St. John's church. Rev. G.W. Webbink, the pastor, will officiate. Burial will take place in Silver Brook cemetery.

 

Hatfield, Milton

Milton Hatfield
Apr. 2, 1847-May 11, 1926


Niles Daily Star, Wednesday, May 12, 1926, page 4, col. 4, microfilm Niles District Library

NILES MAN DIES IN SOUTH BEND

Milton Hatfield Will Be Buried Here Friday

 

Milton Hatfield, a former well known and highly respected resident of Niles, died last evening at the home of his son, Lloyd, in South Bend. His death followed a prolonged illness. The body was brought to Niles this morning and taken to  the Troost and Augustine Undertaking parlors. The funeral services will b held Friday afternoon at 2 o'clock at the First Baptist church, of which Mr. Hatfield was for many years a pominent[sic] member and officer. Burial will be made in the family lot in Silver Brook cemetery.

Mr. Hatfield was a son of Nathan and Emily Rowe Hatfield. He was born April 2, 1847 on a farm near Portage Prairie, where he spent his early boyhood with three brothers and five sisters. Later he moved to a farm north of Niles which was the family home for many years until he retired from farming and moved to Niles.

On March 15, 1870, he married Miss Ellen Sampson, of Niles. To this union were born three children, Mrs. Milton Kelsey, of Niles, and Frank and Lloyd Hatfield, of South Bend, who with two brothers, Frank Hatfield, of Seattle, Washington, and Jasper Hatfield of Dowagiac, survive him. Mrs. Hatfield died in Florida March 12, 1923, and since that time Mr. Hatfield had been making his home with his children.


Niles Daily Star, Thursday, May 13, 1926, page 4, col. 1, microfilm Niles District Library

Funeral Tomorrow

The body of Milton Hatfield, who died in South Bend Tuesday evening will be taken to the First Baptist church from the Troost and Augustine undertaking rooms tomorrow at 1 o'clock and may be viewed by friends until the hour of the funeral services, 2 o'clock. Rev. Walter Osborn will conduct the services. Burial will take place in Silver Brook cemetery.

Hawley, William

William Hawley
1867-Jan. 1926


Niles Daily Star, Wednesday, May 5, 1926, page 1, col. 4 & 5, microfilm Niles District Library


HAD PLANNED TO MAKE HOME IN NILES, WIDOW BRINGS HUSBAND'S BODY HERE FOR INTERMENT

 

The body of William Hawley is expected in Niles Friday afternoon . . . [illegible] on Michigan Central train No. 10, according to word received today by Undertaker M. A. Rutherford, and will be taken directly to Silver Brook cemetery for burial. The body will be accompanied by the widow of the deceased, and by friends, Mr. and Mrs. Rothrock.

Mr. and Mrs. Hawley were in Niles on two occasions to visit Mr. and Mrs. M.S. Peters, East Main street, old friends, and became so impressed with Niles as a residence city that they decided when Mr. Hawley should retire from active work they would some[sic] here to spend their remaining days. In January, 1926, Mr. Hawley who had been employed for a  . . . [illegible]. . .for the city of Duluth, while on an inspection trip was overcome with gas. When he failed to return to his office at the time expected a search was made and he was found dead in the basement of a building.  The body has since been in a vault in Duluth.

Mrs. Hawley decided to come to Niles as they had planned, and after closing her business affairs there, expects to leave there Thursday night.  Mr. and Mrs. Rothrock, too, have decided to locate in Niles.  A house on South Fifteenth street has been rented for their occupancy.

 

Higgins, Catherine Eva (Asmus)

Catherine Eva Higgins
Sept. 3, 1864-Feb. 19, 1945


Niles Daily Star, Monday, February 19, 1945, page 2, col. 8, microfilm Niles District Library


Mrs. Higgins, 80, Dies Early Today at Daughter's Home

 

Ill a week, Mrs. Catharine Eva Higgins, 80, died at 3:45 this morning in the home of her daughter, Mrs. Anna Mae Starke, 1535 Lake street.

She was born in Germany Sept. 3, 1864, and spent most  of her life in South Bend.

Surviving are two daughters, Mrs. Martha Barnett, North Hollywood, Calif., and Mrs. Starke; four grandchildren; a great-grandchild; a sister, Mrs. Anna Zimmerman, Niles, and three brothers, William and August Asmus, Niles, and Carl Asmus, Pasadena, Calif.

Friends may call at the family residence where the Rev. Theo Eisen will officiate at services at 2:30 p.m. Wednesday. Burial will be in Silverbrook cemetery.


Niles Daily Star, Wednesday, February 21, 1945, page 2, col. 2, microfilm Niles District Library


HIGGINS' RITES

Funeral services for Mrs. Catherine Eva Higgins, 80, who died Monday morning in the home of her daughter, Mrs. Anna Mae Starke, 1535 Lake street, were conducted today in the residence. The Rev. Theo Eisen officiated at the rites and at burial in Silverbrook cemetery.  Pallbearers were Paul Hastings, Ralph Fickes, Paul Wright, Edwin Hodgson, Bernard Clark and Quincy Cummings.

Higgins, Eva Katherine

Eva Katherine Higgins
Jan. 25, 1897-Nov. 15, 1980


Niles Daily Star, Monday, November 17, 1980, page 2, col. 2-3, microfilm Niles District Library


Mrs. Eva Katherine Higgins, 83, formerly of Niles-Buchanan Rd.,  died at 3:40 p.m. Saturday at her daughter's home in Traverse City following a brief illness.

She was a retired employee of Simplicity Pattern Co. She was a member of Messiah Shrine Number 10 of South Bend.

Mrs. Higgins was born Jan. 25, 1897 in Niles and had moved to Traverse City in 1976. She was married on Feb. 28, 1920 at Niles to Floyd B. Higgins.  He died in 1972.

Survivors include two daughters, Mrs. Herbert (Marian) Boehm of Niles and Mrs. Robert (Barbara) Kromer of Traverse City; a brother, Rudolph Wenzel of Niles; six grandchildren and 10 great-grandchildren.

Graveside services will be held at 2 p.m. Tuesday in Silverbrook Cemetery. The Rev. Arnold O. Schaap of Edwardsburg will officiate.

Arrangements are being handled by the Halbritter Funeral Home. The family requests that memorials may be made to the Berrien County Cancer Service.