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.

Shoemaker, O.A.

O.A. Shoemaker
Sept. 9, 1877-Jan. 20, 1953


Niles Daily Star, Wednesday, January 21, 1953, page 2, col. 3, microfilm Niles District Library


Services for O.A. "Shoey" Shoemaker, 407 Brookfield avenue, who died at 10:15 a.m. Tuesday in his home, have been set at 2 p.m. Friday at the Pifer Funeral Home.

Shoemaker is survived by his widow, Fern; one son, Robert, Magician Lake, and two grandchildren. He was born in Ohio on Sept. 9, 1877, and came to Niles from there 30 years ago. He was retired.

Friends may call at the funeral home.  The Rev. L. George Beacock, Methodist pastor, will preside during the services, and burial will be in Silverbrook Cemetery.

 

Snouwaert, Sarah K.

Sarah K. Snouwaert
June 6, 1874-Jan. 20, 1953


Niles Daily Star, Wednesday, January 21, 1953, page 2, col. 3, microfilm Niles District Library

MRS. CHARLES SNOUWAERT

Mrs. Sarah K. Snouwaert, 78, of 109 South Fourteenth street, died at 6:15 p.m. Tuesday at Pawating Hospital after an illness of three weeks.

She was born in Holland on June 6, 1874, and came here from Attica, Ind., 44 years ago.

Surviving are: her husband; one son, Henry of Niles; three daughters, Mrs. Frank Reynolds of Dowagiac, Mrs. Mead Burton of Niles and Mrs. Glenn Redding of Galien; two brothers, four sisters; 18 grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren.

Friends may call at the Kiger Funeral home where services will be held at 3:30 p.m. Friday. The Rev. L. George Beacock, pastor of First Methodist Church, will officiate and burial will be in Silverbrook Cemetery.

 

Jones, Jessie

Jessie Jones
Oct. 21, 1889-Feb. 1, 1990


Niles Daily Star, Thursday, February 1, 1990, page 2, col. 3-4, microfilm Niles District Library


Services for Jessie Jones, 100, of 3138 U.S. 33 North, Niles, are at 2 p.m., Saturday, at Halbritter Funeral Home by the Rev. John R. Halbert of the Franklin A.M.E. Church.

Burial follows at Silverbrook Cemetery in Niles.

She died at 1:45 p.m., Wednesday, at Woodfield Manor following a brief illness.

Mrs. Jones was affiliated with the Franklin A.M.E. Church.

She was born Oct. 21, 1889, in Hot Springs, Ark., and had lived in Niles since 1935, coming from Chicago.

She was married to Ernest Jones, who preceded her in death Oct. 11, 1969.

Survivors include grandsons, Richard A. Jones and John L. Jones, Jr., both of Niles, and Jeffery S. Jones of South Haven; four great-grandchildren and one great-great-grandchild.

Preceding her in dieath Nov. 6, 1989, was her son, John L. Jones, Sr.

Friends may call one hour before the service at Halbritter Funeral Home.

 

Keiser, Patricia A. (McIntyre)

Patricia A. Keiser
Sept. 14, 1933-Dec. 23, 1997

Niles Daily Star, Wednesday, December 24, 1997, page 2, col. 7, microfilm Niles District Library

Funeral services for Patricia A. Keiser, 64, 427 Meade Road, Niles, are Saturday at 11 a.m., at Halbritter Funeral Home in Niles, by the Rev. R. Allan Poage of Bethel Baptist Church.  Burial will follow at Silverbrook Cemetery, Niles.

Mrs. Keiser died Tuesday at 5:45 a.m., at Memorial Hospital, South Bend, Ind., following a brief illness.

She was born Sept. 14, 1933, in Niles, and was a lifetime resident.

On June 29, 1942, in Niles, she married Robert E. Keiser, who survives.

Mrs. Keiser was a 1950 graduate of Niles High School, and a member of American Legion Post 26 Auxiliary, Niles. She was an Instructional assistant in Special Education with Niles Community Schools.

Survivors include two daughters, Denise (DeDe) VanHulle of Granger, Ind., and Deanna L. Young of Niles; a son, Curtis Keiser, of Buchanan; six grandchildren; her father, Clarence W. McIntyre of Niles; and a brother, James McIntyre of Wichita, Kan. She was preceded in death by a brother, Clarence J. McIntyre, Jan. 12, 1996.

Friends may call Friday from 4 until 7 p.m. at the funeral home.

Memorial contributions may be made to Berrien County Cancer Service or Hospice at Home.

 

Kiger, Margaret

Margaret Kiger
May 7, 1915-June 24, 1963

Niles Daily Star, Friday, June 28, 1963, page 2, col. 1-2, microfilm Niles District Library

BERRIEN SPRINGS--Mrs.Margaret Kiger, 48, of route two, died suddenly at 2 a.m. Monday in St. Anne's Hospital in Juneau, Alaska.

Mrs. Kiger was born May  7, 1915 in Chicago. She moved to Berrien Springs in 1940. She was visiting her daughter's family in Alaska.

She is survived by her widower, Hugh; a daughter, Mrs. Donald Clapp of Juneau, Alaska; a son, Eugene of Berrien Springs; a granddaughter, a sister, Mrs. John Kroger of Chicago; and a brother, John Schaffer of Chicago.


Niles Daily Star, Saturday, June 29, 1963, page 2 , col. 2, microfilm Niles District Library

Funeral services for Mrs. Margaret Kiger of Berrien Springs, who died Friday morning in Juneau, Alaska, will be at the St. Mary's Catholic Church, Berrien Springs, at 9 a.m. Tuesday with the Rev. David Bell officiating. Burial will be in Silverbrook Cemetery.

Friends may call at the Kiger Funeral Home after 7 p.m. Sunday, where the Rosary will be recited at 8 p.m. Monday.

 

Niles Daily Star, Monday, July 1, 1963, page 2, col. 2, microfilm Niles District Library

KIGER RITES

Funeral services for Mrs. Margaret Kiger will be held at 9 a.m. Tuesday at the St. Mary's Church in Niles rather than in Berrien Springs as earlier reported.

King, Kathryn

Kathryn King
Aug. 1, 1908-March 4, 1980


Niles Daily Star, Tuesday, March 4, 1980, page 2 , col. 4-5, microfilm Niles District Library


Kathryn King, 71, of Rt. 2, Box 310A, Bangor, died at 12:20 a.m. Tuesday in the South Haven Community Hospital.  She had been ill two days.

She is survived by three daughters, Mrs. Veronica Spencer of Bangor; Mrs. Karen White of South Bend and Mrs. Charlotte Thomas of Niles. She is also survived by 13 grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.

She was a member of the Jesus Lives Church of Christ in Bangor.

Arrangements are incomplete at Pifer-Smith Funeral Home.


Niles Daily Star, Wednesday, March 5, 1980, page 2 , col. 4-5, microfilm Niles District Library


NILES--Funeral services for Kathryn King, 71, of Rt. Two, Box 301, Bangor, formerly of Niles, will be at 1 p.m. Tuesday at the Emmanuel Church of God in Christ, South Bend.

A homemaker, she died Tuesday at 12:20 a.m. at the South Haven Community Hospital, South Haven, following a brief illness.

She was born Aug. 1, 1908 in Savanah[sic], Ga., and moved from Niles three years ago.

Survivors include three daughters, Mrs. Veronica Spencer, of Bangor, Mrs. Karen White of South Bend, and Mrs. Charlotte Thomas of Niles; 13 grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.

She was a member of the Jesus Lives Church of God in Christ, Bangor.

Burial will be at Silverbrook Cemetery.

Friends may call at the Pifer-Smith Funeral Home at 7 p.m. Monday when a wake service will be held until 8 p.m.

 

 

 

Kirk, Hudson

Hudson Kirk
June 19, 1869-Dec. 13, 1954


Niles Daily Star, Monday, December 13, 1954, page 2 , col. 5, microfilm Niles District Library

Hudson Kirk, 85, died at his home at 204 West State street at 5:30 a.m. today, following an illness of several years.

He was born in Pipestone Township on June 19, 1869, and came here from St. Joseph about forty years ago. He was a life member of the St. Joseph Valley, Free and Accepted Masons, of the Tall Cedars and of the Seventh-day Adventist Church.

Beside his wife, Sarah, he is survived by two sons, Thomas, of Mishawaka, and Lee, of Detroit; and four daughters,Mrs. George Worm, of Niles, Mrs. Ray Elliott, of Niles, Mrs. Edwin Hoffman, of Battle Creek, and Mrs. Coleman Jenkins, of St. Joseph.

Friends may call at the Pifer Funeral Home where services will be held at 2 p.m. Wednesday, with Elder Lawrence Caverness of the Niles Seventh-day Adventist Church officiating. Burial will be in Silverbrook Cemetery with Masonic commital services.