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.

Babcock, Emma (LaPierre)

Emma Babcock
Died Oct. 20, 1886


Niles Republican, Thursday, November 11, 1886, page 5, microfilm Niles District Library

OBITUARY


In memory of EMMA, beloved wife of Mortimer H. Babcock, who passed away Oct. 20th, 1886.

So rest thee sweetly, dear one
In thy Home beyond the blue,
With thy baby close beside thee,
That thou lovd'st fond and true.

In this tho't, to us there's comfort,
That our Father loves us still,
Tho' this taking our dear ones from us,
We can bow to His sweet will.

For, beyond the gates Eternal,
There remains a resting place,
Where with mother, child and loved ones,
We shall meet them face to face.

If the glories of that morning,
When we see our Sovereign, God!
Now our hearts are wrung with anguish,
But we kiss the hand that holds the rod.

For there is no parting ever,
When with dear ones we join hand;
In our Savior's home forever,
Dwell among the angel band.

Also:

EDITOR-REPUBLICAN:  We take this method of expressing our gratitude and thankfulness to the many friends and neighbors who so sweetly sympathized with and tenderly assisted us in our hour of need--the sickness and death of our beloved wife and sister.  May God bless you all and raise up friends when you need them most who will be just as kind and comforting as you have been to us.

MORTIMER H. BABCOCK
LIDA BABCOCK

Clark, Lillian

Lillian Clark
Oct. 13, 1890-April 13, 1975


Niles Daily Star, Tuesday, April 15, 1975, page 2, col. 8, microfilm Niles District Library

NILES--Funeral services for Lillian Clark, 84, of St. Clair Shores, formerly of Niles, who died Sunday, will be held at 1:30 p.m. Wednesday in the Pifer Chapel of the Swem-Smith Funeral Home. The Rev. Harold G. Kiser of St. John's United Church of Christ will officiate.  Burial will be in Silverbrook Cemetery.

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

 

Gulbranson, Timothy C.

Timothy C. Gulbranson
Oct. 20, 1955-Oct. 5, 1970


Niles Daily Star, Wednesday, October 7, 1970, page 2, col. 2, microfilm Niles District Library

NILES--Timothy C. Gulbranson, 14, of 812 Emmons St., died at 8:45 p.m. Tuesday in St. Joseph Hospital, South Bend, after being ill since Friday.

A ninth grade honor student at Ballard Junior High School and a member of the school band, Timothy was born Oct. 20, 1955, in Niles, and had lived here his lifetime. He was a member of Explorer Post 176, sponsored by The Niles Daily Star.

Survivors include his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Gulbranson, and a sister, Pamela, at home.

Funeral services will be held at 10 a.m. Friday in St. Paul's Lutheran Church, with the Rev. Theodore Laesch officiating.  Burial will be in Silverbrook Cemetery.

Friends may call after 7 tonight at the Pifer Funeral Home.


Niles Daily Star, Thursday, October 8, 1970, page 2, col. 5, microfilm Niles District Library

NILES--Funeral services for Timothy C. Gulbranson, 14-year-old son of Mr. and Mrs. George Gulbranson, 812 Emmons St., will be held at 10 a.m. Friday in St. Paul's Lutheran Church.

Officiating will be the Rev. Theodore Laesch. Burial will be in Silverbrook Cemetery. Friends may call at the Pifer Funeral Home.

In addition to his parents, and a sister, Pamela, at home, Timothy is survived by his grandparents, Mr.and Mrs. Louis Gulbranson of Niles.

A ninth grade honor student at Ballard Junior High School and a member of the school band, Timothy belonged to Explorer Post 176, sponsored by the Niles Daily Star, St. Paul's Lutheran Church and the Walther League of the church.

 

Hoyt, Anson J.

ANSON J. HOYT
May 28, 1899-Oct. 10, 1970


Niles Daily Star, Monday, October 12, 1970, page 2, col. 2, microfilm Niles District Library

NILES--Anson J. Hoyt, 81, of Rt. 1, Dowagiac, died at 10:15 p.m. Saturday at the Paul Stephan Nursing Home. A retired farmer, he had been ill for several years.

Born May 28, 1899, at St. Joseph, Ill., he had lived in the Dowagiac area since 1933. His wife, the former Rose Sinkes, died in 1954.

Surviving are six sons, Robert and Charles of Niles, Rollie of Dowagiac, Leon of Charlotte, N.C., William of Breedsville, Ohio, and Norman of Allen Park, Mich.,; a daughter, Mrs. Donald Coffman of Ft. Wayne, Ind.; a brother, James of Peking, Ill.; three sisters, Mrs. Roy Phenicie and Mrs. Clifford Fears, both of Urbana, Ill., and Mrs. Mildred Phenicie of Tuscon [sic], Ariz.; 33 grandchildren and 10 great-grandchildren.

Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. Tuesday at the First Church of Christ, of which Mr. Hoyt was a member. The Rev. Jack VanArsdall will officiate and burial will be in Silverbrook Cemetery.  Friends may call at the Halbritter Funeral Home.

 

Hellwig, Georgia

Georgia Hellwig
March 22, 1906-Oct. 8, 1970


Niles Daily Star, Friday, October 9, 1970, page 2, col. 2, microfilm Niles District Library


Niles--Mrs. Georgia Hellwig, 64, of the W and W Mobile Village, formerly of Buchanan, died at 12 p.m. Thursday in her home.

An employe of Simplicity Pattern Co., Mrs. Hellwig was born March 22, 1906, in Hollyrood, Kan., and had lived in this area since 1924. On Nov. 27, 1924, in St. Joseph, she married Clarence Hellwig, who died in 1960.

Survivors include her stepmother, Mrs. Tony Salovisck of St. Joseph; a son, Duane of Buchanan; four daughters, Mrs. Carl Newsom of Buchanan, Mrs. Bruce Fletcher and Mrs. Robert Dewey, both of Niles, and Mrs. William Newman of Kissammee, Fla.; three sisters, Mrs. Rose Myers of Niles, Mrs. Emma Knuple of Michigan City, Ind., and Mrs. Eleanor Matthews of Edwardsburg; 17 grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.

Funeral services will be held at 1:30 p.m. Saturday in the Swem Funeral Home, with the Rev. H.Harold Boland of the Assembly of God Church officiating. Burial will be in Silverbrook Cemetery.

Friends may call after 7 tonight at the funeral home.

 

Hardy, Benjamin F.

Benjamin F. Hardy
Oct. 23, 1899-Oct. 10, 1970


Niles Daily Star, Monday, October 12, 1970, page 2, col. 1, microfilm Niles District Library

NILES--Benjamin F. Hardy, 70, of 1114 Ferry St., died at 2:30 am. Saturday at his home. Mr. Hardy had been in poor health for a year.

Mr. Hardy retired from Tyler Corporation. He was born Oct. 23, 1899 in Buckley.  He had  lived in Niles for the past 5 years coming from Buckley.

He married the former Virginia Dickeson of Niles, who survives, June 17, 1944, in Niles.

He is also survived by a son, Dennis Lee of Raybird, Fla., two daughters, Kay serving with the U.S. Army at White Sands Proving Grounds, N.M. and Joyce Lynn at home, two brothers, William of Cissna Park, Ill. and Henry of Werner, Ark. and two sisters, Mrs. Dorothy Dipple of Cissna Park, Ill. and Mrs. Carrie Weaver of Muskegon.

Funeral services will be held at the Pifer Funeral home at 2 p.m. Tuesday. The Rev. Arlan E. Schlundt of St. john's United Church of Christ will officiate.  Burial will follow in Silverbrook Cemetery. Friends may call at the funeral home.

 

Leet, Orlando Floyd

Orlando Floyd Leet
Oct. 5, 1894-Oct. 6, 1970


Niles Daily Star, Tuesday, October 6, 1970, page 2, col. 5, microfilm Niles District Library

NILES--Orlando Floyd Leet, 1440 Hickory, died this morning in Pawating Hospital, where he had been a patient since Aug. 16.
Funeral arrangements are incomplete at the Pifer Funeral Home.

Niles Daily Star, Wednesday, October 7, 1970, page 2, col. 1, microfilm Niles District Library

NILES--Funeral services for Orlando Floyd Leet, 76, of 1440 Hickory St., who died Tuesday morning in Pawating Hospital, will be held at 2 p.m. Friday in the Pifer Funeral Home.

Officiating will be the Rev. John Wyngarden of the First Presbyterian Church. Burial will be in Silverbrook Cemetery.

Friends may call after 7 tonight at the funeral home.

A retired rural mail carrier, Mr. Leet was born Oct. 5, 1894, in Mitchell, S.D., and had lived here since 1900. On Aug. 31, 1918, in Edwardsburg, he married the former Helen Thompson, who survives.

Mr. Leet was a World War I veteran and a member of the Buchanan barracks of Veterans of World War I, Niles American Legion Post 26, The Metropolitan Club of Niles, St. Joseph Valley Masonic Lodge and the Order of Eastern Star.

In Addition[sic] to his wife, Mr. Leet is survived by a son, Gerald of Niles; three brothers, Lester of Niles, Alvin of Centralia, Wash., and John of San Leandro, Calif., a sister, Mrs. Clyde Pierce, of Niles; two grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.