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.

Huffman-Johnson, Patricia A.

Patricia A. Huffman-Johnson
Aug. 1, 1939-April 4, 2004

Niles Daily Star, Tuesday, April 6, 2004, page 2, col. 1, microfilm Niles District Library

Funeral services for Patricia A. Huffman Johnson, 64, of Pucker street in Niles, are Thursday, April 8 at 2 pm. at Morris Chapel United Methodist Church in Niles with the Rev. O'Ryan Rickard of the church and pastor Kenneth A. Shaver of Greater Cumberland Baptist Church officiating.

Burial will be in Silverbrook Cemetery.

Huffman Johnson died on Sunday at 10:20 p.m. at Hospice House in South Bend, Ind.

She was born on Aug. 1, 1939 in Niles. She graduated from Niles High School and returned to Niles after 20 years in Napa, Calif.

Huffman Johnson was a registered nurse and was employed for many years at Napa State Hospital and in Hospice.  She had also been employed at the former Memorial Hospital in St. Joseph and Mercy Hospital in Benton Harbor. She earned her RN through Lake Michigan Community College and was formerly a member of Morris Chapel United Methodist Church.  She was a member of the Red Hat Society and enjoyed shopping, gardening and caring for her friends.

Survivors include three daughters, Kari E. Sievers of New Smyrna Beach, Fla., Robyn Shaver of Hopkinsville, Kent., and Amy Sieb of Lake Orion; a son, Christopher Johnson of Napa, Calif.; 17 grandchildren.  She was preceded in death by two brothers, William Huffman on Dec. 28, 1937, and Frederic Huffman on April 16, 1970.

Visitation will be from 2 to 4 and from 6 to 8 p.m. Wednesday at the funeral home.

Memorial contributions may be made to Hospice House.

Funeral arrangements were handled by Halbritter Funeral Home.

 

 

 

Jacobson, Harold O.

Harold O. Jacobson
Dec. 22, 1918-April 12, 2004


Niles Daily Star, Wednesday, April 14, 2004, page 2, col. 1, microfilm Niles District Library

Harold O. Jacobson, 85, of Sycamore St., Niles, died Monday.

He was born on Dec. 22, 1918, in Wisconsin to the late James M. [&] Lena (Heckathorn) Jacobson.  His wife Ora also preceded him in death.

Many people in the community knew Harold from his years of fixing shoes at Niles Shore Repair.

Survivors include a brother, James Jacobson of Niles and a host of nieces and nephews.

No service will take place. Interment will take place at Silverbrook Cemetery.

Arrangements have been entrusted to Pifer-Smith Funeral Home in Niles.

 

Johnson, Elbert O.

Elbert O. Johnson
Sept. 22, 1893-Nov. 9, 1976


Niles Daily Star, Wednesday, November 10, 1976, page 2-3, col. 2, microfilm Niles District Library

NILES--Elbert O. Johnson, 83, of 49 River St., died at 1:15 a.m. Tuesday at Pawating Hospital following a brief illness.

A member of Huntly Memorial Baptist Church, he was a retired employe of the Penn Central Railroad.  Mrs. Johnson was born Sept. 22, 1893 in Royal Center, Ind., and had lived here since 1920, coming from Logansport, Ind.

On May 28, 1914 in Logansport, he married the former Lenna Boose, who died Dec. 24, 1966.

Survivors include three sons, George and Richard, both of Niles, and Fred of Bear Lake, Mich.; three daughters, Mrs. Beridean Weberline of Marshall, Mrs. Isabelle Ivins of Niles and Mrs. Dorothy Hepler of St. Joseph; 17 grandchildren and 22 great-grandchildren.

Funeral services will be at 2 p.m. Thursday at the Huntly Memorial Baptist Church with the Rev. Ronald Smith of Huntly Memorial officiating.  Burial will be in Silverbrook Cemetery.

Friends are calling at the Halbritter Funeral Home. Memorials may be made to the Huntly Memorial Baptist Church.

 

Johnson, James Edward

James Edward Johnson
July 18, 1929-Nov. 9, 1976

Niles Daily Star, Wednesday, November 10, 1976, page 2, col. 2, microfilm Niles District Library

NILES--James Edward Johnson Sr., 47, of 1035 Bame Ave., died at 2:50 p.m. Tuesday at Pawating hospital after an illness of three days.

An assembly line worker at the Wheel Horse Products, Ind., South Bend, he was born July 18, 1929 in Red Bay, Ala.  He had lived here for 26 years, coming from Alabama.

On Oct. 16, 1950 in Osceola, Ark., he married Edna M. Frazier, who survives.

Also survivng are a son, James E. Johnson Jr. at home, three daughters, Miss Martha Johnson of Newark, Ohio, and Tina and Edna L., both at home; six brothers, Conrad of Cherokee, Ala., Herbert of Steele, Mo., Emmett of Huron, Calif., Johnnie of Cooter, Mo., and Robert and LeRoy, both of Holland, Mo., and three sisters, Mrs. Emma Williams of E. Moline, Ill., Mrs. Lola McBoone of Cooter, Mo., and Mrs. Bertha Connell of Florida.

Funeral services will be at 10:30 a.m. Friday at the Pifer Chapel of the Swem-Smith Funeral Home with the Rev. Ralph O. Pletcher of the Coulters Chapel Church of God officiating. Burial will be in Silverbrook Cemetery.

Friends may call after 7 p.m. today in the Pifer Chapel.

 

Jones, James Dean

James Dean Jones
Oct. 11, 1944-Feb. 9, 1945


Niles Daily Star, Saturday, February 10, 1945, page 2, col. 5, microfilm Niles District Library

Three-Months-Old Child Dies Friday

 

James Dean Jones, three-month-old son of Pvt. and Mrs. Robert Jones, rural route two, died at 9:05 a.m. Friday in Pawating hospital.

The infant was born in Pawating hospital Oct. 11, 1944. The father is stationed in Florida.

Surviving are two sisters, Joyce and Sharon Jones; two brothers, Robert and Richard Jones, and a half-brother, William Moore.

Funeral services will be conducted at 2 p.m. Monday in the Pifer funeral home. Burial will be in Silverbrook cemetery.

 

 

 

Jurgensen, William

William Jurgensen
Feb. 22, 1888-Jan. 28, 1945


Niles Daily Star, Monday, January 29, 1945, page 2, col. 6, microfilm Niles District Library

WM. JURGENSEN, 56, SUCCUMBS SUNDAY

 

William Jurgensen, 56, 0f 315 Day street, died suddenly at 9 p.m. Sunday in his home. Death was attributed to a heart attack.

He was born in Otis, Ind. on Feb. 22, 1888, and came to Niles from Michigan City 22 years ago. He was a member of the Engineers society of the New York Central railway where he had been employed since 1909.

He was married to Charlotte Hillman in LaPorte, Ind. in 1909.

Surviving are the widow; a son, Lt. Robert Jurgensen, in the Army air corps in India; two daughters, Mrs. [illegible], Niles and Mrs. Thomas Clark, Shelbyville, Ind.; two brothers, Herman Jurgensen, Michigan City, and George Jurgensen, Missoula,Mont., and two sisters, Mrs. Clara Priest, Michigan City, and Mrs. Avina Tetzloff, La Porte, Ind.

Friends may call at the Pifer funeral home. Services will be conducted there Thursday at 2 p.m. by the Rev. Theo Eisen, followed by burial in Silverbrook cemetery.

 

Steele, Mary Ellen

Mary Ellen Steele
1918-May 29, 1982

Niles Daily Star, Tuesday, June 1, 1982, pg 2, col 5-6.

Mary Ellen Steele, 63, 1625 Sheffield, died Saturday at Pawating Hospital after a brief illness.

She was a retired teacher, having taught in the Niles Community Schools system for 35 years.  She was graduated from Hillsdale College and from the University of Michigan, the latter from which she received a masters degree.  She was a member of the National Education Assoc., the Michigan Educational  Assoc., American Association of University Women, National Retired Teachers Assoc., and Michigan Retired Teachers Assoc.

A South Bend native, she had lived here since 1950.