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, Earl A.

Earl A. Zechlin
Feb. 8, 1897-March 18, 1960


Niles Daily Star, Saturday, March 19, 1960, page 2, col. 4, microfilm Niles District Library

Earl A. Zechlin, 63, 1343 Ferry st., died at 10:40 p.m. Friday in Pawating Hospital where he had been a patient since March 6.

Mr. Zechlin, a department manager at the Montgomery Ward & Co. store here, was born Feb. 8, 1897, in Niles, and was married on Nov. 5, 1933, in Community Church, New Carlisle, Ind., to Hulda L. Barnes. He was a member of the Niles Elks Lodge and the Masonic Lodge here.

Surviving are: his widow; a daughter, Mrs. Winifred Lepel, Niles; three grandchildren, and three brothers, Frank, Eli and George Zechlin, all of Niles.

Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. Monday in the Kiger and Halbritter Funeral Home here with the Rev. Herbert Meussling, pastor of St. John's United Church of Christ, Evangelical and Reformed, officiating. Burial will be in Silverbrook Cemetery with Masonic rites at the graveside. Friends are being received at the funeral home.

 

Zechlin, Frank L.

Frank L. Zechlin
Dec. 18, 1894-March 23, 1984


Niles Daily Star, Monday, March 26, 1984, page 2, col. 2-3, microfilm Niles District Library


Frank L. Zechlin, 89, 2000 30th avenue North, St. Petersburg, Fla., formerly of Niles, died at 9:30 a.m. Friday at Sun Bay Hospital in St. Petersburg of an extended illness.

He was a member of the Niles Elks Club, a veteran of the World War I U.S. Army and a member of the Niles American Legion Post 26. He was a retired employee of National-Standard Co.

Born Dec. 18, 1894 in Niles, he married Bertha L. Schneider on May 18, 1918, also in Niles. She survives.

Surviving are several nieces and nephews.  A brother Eli Zechlin, died March 1, 1980.

Services will be 11 a.m. Wednesday at the Halbritter Funeral Home with Rev. Frederick S. West of St. John's United Church of Christ of Silverbrook Cemetery.  Friends may call from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m. Tuesday at the funeral home.

Memorials may be made to the St. Johns' United Church of Christ.

 

Zechlin, George R.

George R. Zechlin
July 29, 1892-Oct. 14, 1962


Niles Daily Star, Monday, October 15, 1962, page 2, col. 4, microfilm Niles District Library

Committal rites for George R. Zechlin, 70, of 623 N. Second St., who died at 4:45 p.m., Saturday at Pawating Hospital, will be conducted at 11 am., Tuesday, at Silverbrook Cemetery, with the Rev. Richard Fraser officiating.

He had been a hospital patient three days, and had been ill several months.

Mr. Zechlin was born here July 29, 1892, and lived his lifetime in Niles.

Survivors include a son, George R. Jr., Fennville; a daughter, Mrs. Charles Seaman, Ontario, Canada; and two brothers, Eli H. and Frank L., both of Niles.

He was a veteran of World War I and A life member of Niles Aerie No. 2094, Fraternal Order of Eagles.

Friends are being received at the Kiger Funeral Home.

 

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.