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.

Dunnem, Christina Lynd

Christina Lynd Dunnem
April 22, 1973-March 19, 1974

Niles Daily Star, Wednesday, March 20, 1974, page 2, col. 3, microfilm Niles District Library

NILES--Christina Lynd Dunnem, 11-months-old daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Anthony L. Dunnem, 14 Briar Crest Ln., died at 7:50 a.m. Tuesday in Pawating Hospital.

Christina was born April 22, 1973, in Niles.

In addition to her parents, Christina is survived by her maternal grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. Laurence Burns of Niles; her paternal grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. Ralph Owens of Niles; her maternal great-grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. Casper Burns of Niles, Mr. and Mrs. William Schwartz of Midland and Mr. and Mrs. Clarence Haslanger of Niles, and her maternal great-great-grandmother, Mrs. Clara Schwartz of Midland.

Funeral services will be held at 10 a.m. Thursday in the Pifer chapel of the Swem-Smith Funeral Home, with the Rev. Virgil Stauffer of the Union Protestant Church of Dailey officiating. Burial will be in Silverbrook Cemetery.

Friends may call after 7 tonight at the funeral home.

 

 

Freeland, Mildred A.

Mildred A. Freeland
Nov. 28, 1904-Jan. 14, 1974


Niles Daily Star, Tuesday, January 15, 1974, page 2, col. 5, microfilm Niles District Library


NILES--Mrs. Mildred A. Freeland, 69, of 1316 Hickory st., died at 4:55 p.m. Monday in Pawating Hospital, after an illness of one day.

A retired employe of the Michigan Bell Telephone Co., Mrs. Freeland was born Nov. 28, 1904, in Chicago, and had lived here since 1916.  On May 29, 1943, in Niles, she married August D. Freeland, who died in 1967.

Mrs. Freeland was a member of Trinity Episcopal Church and the St. Catherine Guild of the church.

Survivors include a stepson, Parker Freeland of Burbank, Calif.; a daughter, Mrs. Ethel Hutchens of Richmond, Ind.; a stepdaughter, Mrs. Lorraine Roth of Lake Odessa, Mich., two grandchildren and two great-grantchildren[sic].

Funeral services will be held at 10:30 a.m. Thursday in the Trinity Episcopal Church, with the Rev. Vincent J. Anderson officiating.  Burial will be in Silverbrook Cemetery.

Friends may call after 4 p.m. Wednesday at the Halbritter Funeral Home.

 

Frost, Albert C.

Albert C. Frost
Sept.4, 1915-March 13, 2004


Niles Daily Star, Monday, March 15, 2004, page 2, col. 1, microfilm Niles District Library

Funeral services for Albert C. Frost, 88, of 1147 S. Third Street in Niles, are Wednesday, March 17 at 10 a.m. at Halbritter Funeral Home with the Rev. Jill Rasmussen-Baker of First Presbyterian Church in Buchanan officiating.

Burial will be in Silverbrook Cemetery.

Frost died on Saturday at 1:08 a.m. at Silverbrook Manor.

He was born on Sept. 4, 1915 in Niles. On July 14, 1940 in Decatur, he was married to Virginia R. Hayes, who died on June 7, 2001.

Frost was a lifetime resident of Niles. He served in the U.S. Army during World War II and retired from National-Standard Co., in 1977 after 36 years. He was a member of First Presbyterian Church in Buchanan and was a charter member of both the Niles Township Fire and Police departments. He was elected Niles Township Constable and served as Niles Township Trustee from 1951-52.  He was a member of the Good Sam Travel Trailer Club.

Survivors include a daughter, Barbara Moore of Niles; a son, Frederick Frost of Niles; seven grandchildren; 14 great-grandchildren.

Visitation will be from 6-8 p.m. Tuesday at the funeral home.
Memorial contributions may be made to either the Niles Township Fire Department or First Presbyterian Church in Buchanan.
Funeral arrangements were handled by Halbritter Funeral Home.

Gonyon, Joseph

Joseph Gonyon
Sept. 15, 1906-March 15, 2004


Niles Daily Star, Saturday, March 20, 2004, page 2, col. 1-2, and Monday, March 22, 2004, page 2, col. 1, microfilm Niles District Library

Funeral services for Joseph Gonyon, 97, of Bame Ave. in Niles, are Monday, March 22 at 2 p.m. at Halbritter Funeral Home with Pastor Ned C. Elsass of Holy Trinity Lutheran Church officiating.

Burial will be in Silverbrook Cemetery.

Gonyon died on Monday at 4:14 p.m. at Lakeland Hospital.

He was born on Sept. 15, 1906 in Gould City. On Dec. 1, 1948 in Munissing, he was marrid[sic] to Lyla Marie Niemi, who survives.

Gonyon lived in Niles since 1954, coming from Shigleton. He was retired from Clark Equipment Co. in Buchanan.  While living in the upper peninsula, he was involved in farming, logging, and carpentry.  He was a veteran of World War II, serving in the U.S. Army, and was a member of the former Chapter 55 Disabled American Veterans in Niles. He will be best remembered for his dry sense of humor.

Survivors include his wife, Lyla; two sons, Rene D. Gonyon of Mishawaka, Ind., and Joseph K. Gonyon of Holt.; two grandchildren, Kayla elise and Derek Joseph Gonyon.  He was preceded in death by a son, Brian L. Gonyon on Dec. 9, 2003, and a brother and four sisters.

Visitation will be an hour prior to services at the funeral home.

A Veteran's flag presentation will follow the committal by Cmdr. John McLaughlin of American Legion Post 26 in Niles.

Funeral arrangements were handled by Halbritter Funeral Home.

 

Guisinger, Marion E.

Marion E. Guisinger
Aug. 19, 1900-Nov. 23, 1976


Niles Daily Star, Wednesday, November 24, 1976, page 2, col. 1, microfilm Niles District Library


NILES--Marion E. Guisinger, 76, of 525 S. Lincoln, died at 11 am. Tuesday at the Dor-A-Lin Nursing Home, following an extended illness.

A member of the Niles Westside Seventh-day Adventist Church, he was a retired employe of Clark Equipment Co., Jackson.

Mr. Guisinger was born Aug. 19, 1900 in Forest, Ohio, and had lived here since January coming from Jackson.  On Oct. 18, 1921 in Berrien Springs, he married Myra M. Stiles, who survives.

Also surviving is a son, Dale L. of Jackson; a daughter, Mrs. Earl (Dorothy) Shepard of Niles; four brothers, John of South Bend, Maurice of Edwardsburg, Harley of Whittier, Calif., and Ralph of Quincy,Mich.; two sisters,Mrs. Bertha Ames of South Bend and Mrs. Lillian Sills, also of South Bend; six grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren.

Funeral services will be at 11 am. Friday at the Halbritter Funeral Home with Elder Arthur Covell of Kalamazoo officiating. Burial will be in Silverbrook Cemetery.

Friends may call from 7 to 9 p.m Thursday at the funeral home. Funeral arrangements are being handled by the Halbritter Funeral Home and the Guisinger Colonial Chapel, South Bend.

 

Jayson, Birton C.

Birton* C. Jayson
Sept. 7, 1892-March 30, 1974

Niles Daily Star, Monday, April 1, 1974, page 3, col. 4, microfilm Niles District Library


NILES--Birton C. Jayson, 81, of 2236 N. Fifth St., Died at 10:35 p.m.  Saturday in Pawating Hospital after an illness of several weeks.

A member of St. Paul's Lutheran Church, Mr. Jayson was a retired carrier with the U.S. Postal Service. He was born Sept. 7, 1892, in St. Joseph County, Ind., and had lived here since 1910.  On June 6, 1915, in South Bend, he married the former Anna C. Hames, who died in 1966.

Surviving are a son, Wesley of Niles, one grandchild and four great-grandchildren.

Funeral services will be held at 11 am. Tuesday in the Halbritter Funeral Home, with the Rev. Theodore Laesch of St. Paul's Lutheran Church officiating. Burial will be in Silverbrook Cemetery.

Friends may call at the funeral home.



*Inscription on gravemarker says Burton C. Jayson.  However, Michigan Death record, Social Security Death Index, and WWI Draft Registration (which has his signature) has the name spelled Birton.

 

Jones, Frank B.

Frank B. Jones
Sept. 4, 1892-March 30, 1974

Niles Daily Star, Monday, April 1, 1974, page 3, col. 3, microfilm Niles District Library

NILES--Frank B. Jones, 81, of 251 Cass St., died at 10:35 p.m. Saturday in Pawating Hospital after an illness of one month.

A retired employe of Clark Equipment Co., Mr. Jones was born Sept. 4, 1892, in Cassopolis, and had lived in this area all his life. On Oct. 4, 1913, in Dowagiac, he married the former Mary E. Lilly, who died in 1957.

Survivors include two sons, W.L. Jones of Niles and Dave Lilly of Dale City, Calif.; two daughters, Mrs. Albert (Estella) Lundgren of Niles and Mrs. Wilson (Marguerite) Kelly of Cassopolis; six grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.

Funeral services will be held at 3 p.m Tuesday in the Halbritter Funeral Home with the Rev. John R. Wyngarden of the First Presbyterian Church officiating.  Burial will be in Silverbrook Cemetery.

Friends may call at the funeral home.

Memorials may be given to the Berrien County Cancer Service, Inc., for lukemia[sic] research.