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.

Parren, Wayne Wilfred

Wayne Wilfred Parren
Feb. 12, 1933-June 4, 1933

Niles Daily Star, Saturday, June 4, 1933, page 3, col. 1, microfilm Niles District Library


HOLD PARREN FUNERAL

Funeral services were held at the Rutherford Funeral home this afternoon for Wayne Wilfred Parren, born Feb. 12 to Mr. and Mrs. Wilfred Parren, Niles township.  The baby died Saturday morning.   The Rev. W.H. Turner, pastor of the First Baptist church, conducted the services. Burial was in Silverbrook cemetery. The baby is survived by the parents, a sister, Ruth, 16 months, and grandparents, Mrs. and Mrs. James M. Moore, 1324 Oak street, Niles, and Mr. and Mrs. Albert Parren, Cassopolis.  Mrs. Wilfred Parren formerly was Ruth Moore.

 

Rossow, Emil Herman

Email "Emil" Herman Rossow
Jan. 9, 1895-Feb. 20, 1974


Niles Daily Star, Friday, February 22, 1974, page 2, col. 5, microfilm Niles District Library

NILES--Email "Emil" Herman Rossow, 79, of 219 N. Front St., died at 11:30 a.m. Wednesday in Pawating Hospital after an illness of one month.

A retired employe of the water department at Kankakee, Ill., Mr. Rossow was born Jan. 9, 1895, in Great Bend, N.D., and had lived here for 15 years. On June 15, 1948, in Kankakee, he married the former Lilly May Leonard, who survives.

Also surviving are two sons, Vernon A. and Eldon, both of South Bend; a stepdaughter, Mrs. L.A. Berneau of Wichita, Kan.; a brother, Julius of Whapton, M.D., nine grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.

Funeral services will be held at 10:30 am. Saturday in the Pifer Chapel of the Swem-Smith Funeral Home, with the Rev. Willis Weaver of the Niles Church of the Nazarene officiating.  Burial will be in Silverbrook Cemetery.

Friends are calling at the funeral home.

 

Schaub, Martha L.

Martha L. Schaub
April 10, 1879-July 6, 1933


Niles Daily Star, Monday, July 10, 1933, page 3, col. 1, microfilm Niles District Library

HOLD SCHAUB FUNERAL

Committal services were conducted at Silverbrook cemetery this afternoon for Miss Martha Schaub, a former resident of Niles who died in a hospital in Chicago, Thursday night. She was the daughter of the  late Mr. and Mrs. Jacob Schaub. After the death of her father, her mother married Daniel Miller. Mrs. Miller died several years ago. Miss Schaub is survived by two sisters, Mrs. Pauline Statler, Chicago, and Mrs. L.E. Crews, Long Mont, Colo., who came to Niles with the body. Funeral services were held in St. Bartholomew Episcopal church at Chicago this morning. The rector of that church accompanied the body to Niles and officiated at the committal rites.

 

(DOB From US Passport Applications @ Ancestry and DOD from Cook County Deaths @ Ancestry.com.)

 

Schulte, Mayme E.

Mayme E. Schulte
Oct. 23, 1884-Feb. 20, 1974


Niles Daily Star, Wednesday, February 20, 1974, page 2, col. 1, microfilm Niles District Library

NILES--Mayme E. Schulte, 89, formerly of 10 S. St. Joseph Ave., died at 7:30 a.m. Wednesday in the Bry-Fern Rest Home, Berrien Springs, after an extended illness.

Mrs. Schulte was born Oct. 23, 1884, in Berrien County, and had lived in this area all her life. Her husband, William, died in 1938.

Funeral services will be held at 10 a.m. Friday in the Halbritter Funeral Home, with the Rev. James B. Blair of Holy Trinity Lutheran Church officiating. Burial will be in Silverbrook Cemetery.

Friends may call from 7 to 9 p.m. Thursday at the funeral home.

 

Seawood, John E.

John E. Seawood
Nov. 9, 1893-Feb. 21, 1974


Niles Daily Star, Friday, February 22, 1974, page 2, col. 3, microfilm Niles District Library


NILES--John E. Seawood, 80, of 923 Sycamore St., died at 1:05 p.m. Thursday in Pawating Hospital after an illness of 14 months.

A retired Kawneer Co. employee, Mr. Seawood was born Nov. 9, 1893, in Weir, Miss., and had lived here for 50 years. In 1932, in Carrothersville, Mo., he married the former Minnie Weston, who died in 1953. He was a member of Mt. Calvary Baptist Church.

Mr. Seawood is survived by his niece, Mrs. James Anderson of Niles, with whom he made his home; a sister, Mrs. Pearl Hurst of Benton Harbor; and two half-brothers, Dale Vaughn of Widener, Ark. and Earl Seawood of Memphis, Tenn.

Funeral services will be held at 1:30 p.m Tuesday in Mt. Calvary Baptist Church, with the Rev.  W.l. Daniel officiating.  Burial will be in Silverbrook Cemetery.

Friends may call after noon Sunday in the Pifer Chapel of the Swem-Smith Funeral Home.

 

Shell, M. Erna (Garlanger)

M. Erna Shell
Aug. 8, 1906-July 2, 2002

Niles Daily Star, Friday, July 5, 2002, page 2, col. 1, microfilm Niles District Library

M. Erna Shell, 95, died Tuesday, July 2 at 7:30 p.m. at Villa Health Care Center East.

Shell was born Aug. 8, 1906, the daughter of Ernest and Freeda Paeper Garlanger of Niles. She married Francis "Red" Shell in 1942 in Niles who preceded her in death in 1986.

Shell was employed by the Niles Public School District as an elementary school teacher. She played the piano and organ; she enjoyed playing bridge, reading and crossword puzzles. She spent most of her life in Niles, but moved to Rio Ranchio, N.M. in 1972. She moved to Springfield, Ill. in 1996.

She as also preceded in death by her parents, one brother: Leo Garlanger and one sister, Annamarie Galanger.

She is survived by one sister-in-law: Mary Garlanger of Sherman, Ill.p three nieces: Karen Watts of Springfield, Nancy Carter of Canada, and Mary Margaret Tweedt of Springfield; two nephews: John Garlanger of Orlando, Fla. and Larry Garlanger of McHenry, Ill.; 14 great nieces and nephews; one great-great niece and two great-great nephews.

Graveside services will be at 2 p.m. Monday, July 8 at Silverbrook Cemetery in Niles.

Memorial contributions can be made to St. John's Hospital, Hospice Program, 800 E. Carpenter, Springfield, Ill. 62702 or the American Lung Association of Illinois, 3000 Kelly Lane, Springfield.

The family of M. Erna Shell is being served by Kirlin-Egan and Butler Funeral Home in Springfield.

 

Small, Marion Edith

Marion Edith Small
May 10, 1926-July 4, 2002


Niles Daily Star, Friday, July 5, 2002, page 2, col. 1-2, microfilm Niles District Library

Marion Edith Small, 76, of Hatfield Road in Niles passed away at 2 p.m. on July 4 at the Lakeland Medical Center in Saint Joseph from a brief illness.

Small was born on May 10, 1926 in Niles to Kenneth F. Hawken and Clara E. Dickeson. She was married to William J. Small on March 8, 1947 in Niles.

Small was retired after more than 15 years of service at Pawating Hospital in Niles. She was a member of Fairland Christian Church, the Four Flags Genealogical Society, an avid Cubs fan and she enjoyed camping.

Small was preceded in death by her husband William Small.

Surviving relatives include two daughters Kathy A. Lawrence and Peggy Purucker of Niles; one son, William D. Small; eight grandchildren and 15 great-grandchildren.

Funeral services will be held Monday July 8 at 2 p.m. at Fairland Christian Church in Niles. Don Fleischman will be officiating the service and burial will take place at Silverbrook Cemetery in Niles. Visitation will be from 2 to 4 pm. on Sunday, July 7 at Halbritter Funeral Home. Memorials may be made to Hospice at Home or the church.