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.

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.

 

Stock, Mable E.

Mable E. Stock
Nov. 10, 1901-June 12, 1964


Niles Daily Star, Saturday, June 13, 1964, page 2, col. 5-6, microfilm Niles District Library

Mrs.  Mable F. Stock, 62, who with her husband formerly owned the Stock Food Market, 202 Grant St., died unexpectedly at 1 p.m. Friday in her home in Miramar-Hollywood, Fla.

Mrs. Stock was born Nov. 10, 1901 in Jason. She came to Niles from that city in 1938.

Survivors include her husband, George; a daughter, Mrs. Robert Lowery, Niles; three sisters, Mrs. Eva Shaper, Lansing, and Mrs. Joseph Kramer and Mrs. Mollie Smith, both of Jackson; four brothers, George Cook, Tampa, Fla., Willard Cook, Dearborn,, William Cook, Flint, and Frank Cook, Lansing; five grandchildren, and a great-grandchild. She was a member of the American Legion Auxiliary.

Funeral services will be conducted at 2 p.m. Tuesday in the Kiger Funeral Home. The Rev. earl J. Wickstrom, pastor of the First Baptist Church, will officiate. Burial wll be in Silverbrook Cemetery.

Friends will be received at the funeral home after 1 p.m. Monday.

 

Treiber, Frank J.

Frank J. Treiber
Aug. 13, 1880-Jan. 1, 1974


Niles Daily Star, Wednesday, January  2, 1974, page 2, col. 6-7, microfilm Niles District Library


NILES--Frank J. Treiber, 93, of 2710 Winn Rd., died at 5:10 p.m. Tuesday in Pawating Hospital after an illness of one month.

A farmer, M. Trieber was born Aug. 13, 1880, in Niles Township and had lived in this area all his life.  On June 18, 1913, in Niles, he married the former Bessie E. Schnoor, who died in 1964.

Mr. Treiber was a member of the Niles Moose Lodge, the Golden Age Club, the Berrien County Farm Bureau, the Bend of the River Grange and the First Presbyterian Church.

Survivors include two sons, Frank J. and Richard Treiber, both of Niles; a daughter, Mrs. Ruth Stickney of Niles, 12 grandchildren and 17 great-grandchildren.

Funeral services will be held at 1:30 p.m. Friday in the Pifer Chapel of the Swem-Smith Funeral Home, with the Rev. John Wyngarden of the First Presbyterian Church officiating. Burial will be in Silverbrook Cemetery.

Friends may call after 4 p.m. Thursday at the funeral home.

 

Tyson, Fern R.

Fern R. Tyson
Oct. 11, 1893-May 13, 1964


Niles Daily Star, Thursday, May 14, 1964, page 2, col. 4, microfilm Niles District Library

Mrs. Fern R. Tyson, 70, of 62 Marmont St., died at 8:15 a.m. Wednesday in Pawating Hospital, where she had been a patient since April 21.

She was born Oct. 11, 1893 in Buchanan Township and came to Niles from Benton Harbor in 1937.  He was married to George Tyson, who died May 16 1961.

She is survived by two children, Mrs. Richard Anderson, Kalamazoo, and Maurice Shepardson, Benton Harbor; seven grandchildren, six great-grandchildren; a brother, Charles Conrad, Niles, and two sisters, Mrs. Rita Kaiser and Mrs. Gertrude Munroe, both of Niles.

She was a member of the Trinity Episcopal Church and the Golden Age Club.

Funeral services will be held Saturday at 10 a.m. at her church.  The Rv. John G. Carlton, pastor of the church, will officiate. Burial will be in Silverbrook Cemetery.

Friends are being received at the Pifer Funeral Home.

 

Unruh, Phillip

Phillip Unruh
1863-July 18, 1933


Niles Daily Star, Wednesday, July 19, 1933, page 3, col. 1, microfilm Niles District Library

UNRUH FUNERAL THURSDAY

Funeral services for Phillip Unruh, 25 North State street, who dropped dead Tuesday morning in the yard at his home, will be held tomorrow afternoon at 2 o'clock in the Troost & Turner funeral chapel. The Rev. Theo Eisen, pastor of St. John's Evangelical church, will officiate. Burial will be in Silverbrook Cemetery. Elmer Unruh, son of the deceased, accompanied by his wife and her father, William Brown, Muncie, Ind., arrived in Niles Tuesday afternoon. Friends may view the body at the chapel.