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.

Zechlin, Louis

Louis Zechlin
1830-Dec. 3, 1894


Niles Daily Star, Monday, December 3, 1894, page 3, col. 4, reprinted Niles (Weekly) Mirror, Wednesday, December 5, 1894, page 1, col. 2, microfilm Niles District Library

Death of Louis Zechtin[sic]

 

Louis Zechtin, residing on the Barren Lake road, near Dickereel, died this morning at 9 o'clock, after suffering severely from softening of the spinal cord which produced St. Vitus' dance, and, together with old age, caused his death.

Mr. Zechtin was one of our oldest and most respected German citizens. He was born in Germany in 1830, and came to America when he was quite a young man. He removed to his city in 1854, and has since made Niles his home. For many years he was in the employ of John L. Reddick, and was a faithful and industrious man. Some time ago he received injuries upon the head by accident, which caused his sickness and resulted finally in his demise.  He leaves a wife and one son Albert, who is driver for Roberts & Vinson. The funeral will occur Wednesday afternoon at 2 o'clock from the German Evangelical church, Rev. Rahn officiating. The remains will be interred at Silver Brook cemetery.

 

Zechlin, Marie M.

Marie M. Zechlin
April 19, 1900-Oct. 29, 1977


Niles Daily Star, Monday, October 31, 1977, page 2, col. 3, microfilm Niles District Library

NILES--Mrs. Marie M. Zechlin, 77, of 1016 Sycamore, died at 7:45 p.m. Saturday at Pawating Hospital, following an illness of four weeks.

A member of the American Legion Post 26 Auxiliary and past president of the Women's Benefit Assn., she was born April 19, 1900 in Kenosha, Wis. Mrs. Zechlin had lived here since 1919, coming from Kenosha.

On Sept. 2, 1923 in Niles, she married Eli H. Zechlin, who survives. Also surviving are a son, Lewis of Niles; two daughters, Mrs. Thomas (Doris) Kennedy and Mrs. Duane (Martha) Vernier, both of  Niles; a brother, Carl H. Smith of Niles; a sisters[sic], Mrs. Adeline Henderson of Las Vegas; four grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.

Funeral services will be at 1 p.m. Tuesday at the Halbritter Funeral Home with the Rev. Robert L. Livingston of the St. John's United Church of Christ officiating.  Burial will be in Silverbrook Cemetery.

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

 

Zechlin, Gustavus

Gustavus H. Zechlin
Died March 1867


Niles Republican, Saturday, April. 6, 1867, page 3, col. 1, microfilm Niles District Library

Chester Rollo, the City Sexton, submitted his quarterly report of interments in the Cemetery for the quarter ending March 31st, of which the following is a summary:

March 10, Gustavus H. Feshlin[sic], native of Niles, at Niles of Lung Fever

 

Zimmerman, Betty Lou (Harger)

Betty Lou Zimmerman
Dec. 27, 1919-Jan. 1, 1991


Niles Daily Star, Thursday, January 3, 1991, page 2, col. 1-2, microfilm Niles District Library

Funeral services for Betty Lou Zimmerman, 71, of 208 E. Ninth St., Mishawaka, Ind., formerly of Niles, will be at 2 p.m. Friday at Halbritter Funeral Home by the Rev. Louie J. Schweppe of St. John's United Church of Christ.

Burial will be at Silverbrook Cemetery.

Mrs. Zimmerman died at 5:15 p.m. Tuesday at Medco Nursing Home, South Bend, Ind., following a brief illness.

She was born Dec. 27, 1919, in Niles. As a homemaker, she had lived in the area all her life.

On Jan. 4, 1942, in Niles, she married Donald R. Zimmerman, who preceded her in death on Sept. 24, 1983.

Survivors include four sons, Billy Zimmerman of Niles, Danny Zimmerman of South Bend, Ind., David Zimmerman and Dale Zimmerman, both of Mishawaka, Ind.; two daughters, Mrs. Linda Bronstetter of South Bend and Mrs. Susann Schultz of Mishawaka; a brother, Duane C. Harger of Mishawaka; 17 grandchildren and 7 great-grandchildren.

Visitation will be from 7-9 p.m. Thursday at the funeral home.

 

 

 

Heath, Minnie A.

Minnie A. Heath
Died March 9, 1867


Niles Weekly Times, Thursday, March 14, 1867, page 3, col. 4, microfilm Niles District Library


DIED


In this city, on the 9th inst., MINNIE A., infant child of Jerry and Helen C. Heath.

Niles Republican, Saturday, April. 6, 1867, page 3, col. 1, microfilm Niles District Library

Chester Rollo, the City Sexton, submitted his quarterly report of interments in the Cemetery for the quarter ending March 31st, of which the following is a summary:

. . .

March 10, Minnie A., daughter of J. & H. Heath, of Niles, at Niles, of Congestion.

 

Ramos, Mary Jane (Gibbs)

Mary Jane Ramos
Oct. 13, 1946-Aug. 18, 1970


Niles Daily Star, Wednesday, August 19, 1970, page 2, col. 3, microfilm Niles District Library

NILES--Mrs. Mary Jane Ramos, 23, of 1201 S. Third St., died at 6:55 p.m. Tuesday in Pawating Hospital, after an illness of two days.

An employe of the Green Giant Co., Mrs. Ramos was born Oct. 13, 1946, in Niles, and had lived here all her life.  Her husband, Efigenio, survives.

Also surviving are a son, Efigenio Jr., at home; her father, Claude Gibbs of Niles; two brothers, Maynard and David Gibbs, both of Niles; three sisters, Mrs. Louis Voss and Mrs. Charles Lintz, both of Niles, and Mrs. Dale Mitchell of Benton Harbor.

Funeral services will be held at 10 a.m. Friday in the Halbritter Funeral Home, with the Rt. Rev. Msgr. John  D. Slowey of St. Mary's Catholic Church officiating. Burial will be in Silverbrook Cemetery.

Friends may call beginning Thursday at the funeral home.

 

Sullivan, Mary (Neil)

Mary N. Sullivan
Abt. 1804-Feb. 21, 1867


Niles Republican, Saturday, March 2, 1867, page 3, col. 2, microfilm Niles District Library

OBITUARY

Died in this city on the 21st inst., at the residence of her sister, Mrs. H.C. Griffith, Mrs. MARY N. SULLIVAN, of Consumption, aged 62 years.

The deceased was the widow of the late William H. Sullivan, Esq., of this city, and daughter of the late Joseph S. and Olive R. Neil, of New Market, N.H., and where she resided in early life and also in Concord, where the name of Mary Neil was cherished, and will long be remembered by those who survive her there--As in early life she was a model girl, so in riper years was she a model woman adorning her sex. She leaves to mourn her loss three daughters, one own sister, and two half sisters and a brother, children of Maj. A.P. Stinson, with whom she was reared, and several nieces and nephews, none knowing or caring to know, but they were all of one family.  The deceased has many relatives and friends residing in N.H. and Maine, who will like her relatives and numerous friends here deplore her loss.  So amiable and lovely was she in her demeanor, that she won the esteem and good will of all with whom she mingled, and died as she lived, without one to reproach her.  Mrs. S., so far as is known to the writer, was never united to any christian church, yet ever gave the strongest evidence of her faith in the christian religion, by a "godly life and confirmation," being early taught by a sainted mother, whose example she followed. Her attachment to the M.E. church, while a youth, under the Ministry of Broachard, Ruter, Kelley, Stosts and Dow, became strong, which only increased in the west with riper years.   The Rev. A.J. Eldred, of Grand Rapids, ever a favorite preacher of the deceased and her family, accidentally being in the city, was solicited by the friends of the deceased to officiate at the funeral, which he cheerfully complied with on the 23rd inst., when all that remained of Mary N. Sullivan, was consigned to the last resting place on earth, in the beautiful Cemetery of this city, beside her late husband. It was remarked "it seemed as mourners, instead of friends who had come to pay their last tribute of respect to the memory of a friend and neighbor," and so it verily seemed.  A vacuum is left in the family circle and in the neighborhood, not soon to be filled.  Consumption, that loathsome disease, which baffles the best medical skill, had been praying upon her constitution for years, but succeeded not in its mission till the evening of the 21st, when, without a groan or a struggle, Mrs. S. fell asleep among relatives and friends and such friends few possessed.  All that could be done to alleviate her distress and if possible stay that disease, was done by her able physician, her sister and friends, but all for vain, her saviour called and she was ready to depart and be with him, who while living, she acknowledged to be her Redeemer and Saviour. Peace be in her ashes.

Niles Republican, Saturday, April 6, 1867, page 3, col. 1, microfilm Niles District Library

Chester Rollo, the City Sexton, submitted his quarterly report of interments in the Cemetery for the quarter ending March 31st, of which the following is a summary:

. . .

Feb. 23, Mrs. Mary S. Sullivan, age 52, years, native of New market, N.H., at Niels, of Consumption.