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.

Wertenberger, Leah

Leah Wertenberger
Jan. 16, 1897-Feb. 14, 1962


Niles Daily Star, Thursday, February 15, 1962, page 2,  col. 7, microfilm Niles District Library

Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. Saturday in the Pifer Funeral Home here for Mrs. Leah Wertenberger, 65, of 2728 S. 13th St. Road, who was dead on arrival at Pawating Hospital Wednesday morning.

Berrien County medical examiner Dr. Russell Vastine Jr. said today that investigation of the cause of death was being continued but that the preliminary autopsy indicated that the death occurred as the result of natural causes.

Mrs. Wertenberger was born Jan. 16, 1897, in Madison, Ind., and came to his community about a year ago from Warsaw, Ind.

Surviving are: her husband, Peter; a daughter, Mrs. William C. Brown, South Bend; two grandchildren; six great-grandchildren; three brothers, Roy Waltz, Tampa, Fla., and Roe and Joseph Waltz, both Indianapolis, Ind., and two sisters, Mrs. Bernice Harrah, Indianapolis, and Mrs. Florence Simmons, Dennison, Iowa.



Wright, Doris Helen (Friend)

Doris Helen Wright
July 14, 1911-Jan. 31, 1962


Niles Daily Star, Thursday, February 1, 1962, page 2,  col. 1, microfilm Niles District Library

Mrs. Doris Helen Wright, 50, of 1110 Herbert St., died at 4:50 p.m. Wednesday in Pawating Hospital where she had been a patient since Jan. 23. She had been in failing health for six years.

Mrs. Wright, a member of ChiGanCy Lodge in Niles, was born July 14, 1911, in LaFayette, Ind., and came to this city in 1940 from Michigan City, Ind.

Surviving are: her husband, Harlan; a daughter, Mrs. Raymond Blanford, South Bend; her parents, Mr. and Mrs. Carl Friend, 1110 Herbert St.,; a step-daughter, Mrs. Richard Thornton, San Francisco, Calif.; two step-sons, David Wright, Arlington, Va., and Richard Wright, Westville, Ind.; three brothers, Norman Friend, Hammond, Ind., and Kenneth and David Friend, both of Denver, Colo., and a sister, Mrs. Thelma Cota, Oak Park, Ill.

Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. Saturday in the Assembly of God, Church with the pastor, the Rev. Albert Marialke, officiating.  Burial will be in Silverbrook Cemetery.

Friends are being received at the Pifer Funeral Home.

 

Young, Emily R.

Emily R. Young
March 1858-May 26, 1953


Niles Daily Star, Wednesday, May 27, 1953, page 2,  col. 6, microfilm Niles District Library

Mrs. Emily R. Young, 95 former Niles resident, died at 12:40 a.m. Tuesday in Detroit following an illness of three years.

Mrs. Young was born March [2?], 1858, in Iowa.  Her family pioneered in North Dakota in the 1880's and came to Michigan in the early 1890's. Mrs. Young was a member of the First Presbyterian Church here. She moved to Detroit to make her home with her daughter following the death of her husband, Eli Young, in 1924.

She is survived by: her daughter, Mrs. William Dove of Detroit; a son Orville Young of South Bend; five grandchildren; 15 great grandchildren, and one great great grandchild.

Funeral services will be held at 1 p.m. Friday in the First Presbyterian Church with the Rev. Chester Wetzel, assistant pastor, officiating. Burial will be in Silverbrook Cemetery. Friends may call at the Kiger funeral home Thursday evening.

 

Adams, Elmer E..

Elmer E. Adams, 54
Oct. 1, 1899-April 10, 1954


Niles Daily Star, Saturday, April 10, 1954, page 2, col. 4, microfilm Niles District Library

Elmer E. Adams, 1337 Maple street, died at 6 a.m. today in his home.  He had been in poor health for three months.

Surviving are his wife, Ruth A. , a stepson, Jack E. Perham, of Niles; two grandchildren; one brother, Allen Adams, of Oshtemo, and three sisters, Mrs. Addie Beebe, of Kalamazoo, Mrs. Delphia Cravens, of Georgetown, Ill., and Mrs. Edith Ulmen, of Cobleskill, N.Y.

He was born on Oct. 1, 1899, in Illinois, and moved here from South Bend about 20 years ago.  He was employed by the Gafill Oil Company.

Friends may call at the Pifer Funeral Home, where services will be conducted at 2 p.m. Monday, with the Rev. Hugh Lee, pastor of the New Apostolic Church, officiating. Burial will be in Silverbrook Cemetery.




Anderson, Clara

Clara Anderson
May 25, 1910-March 17, 1954


Niles Daily Star, Wednesday, March 17, 1954, page 2, col. 7, microfilm Niles District Library

Mrs. Clara Anderson, 102 1/2 North Front street, died suddenly at 12:55 a.m. today at Pawating Hospital. She complained of pain in the midcpigastic region and went to the hospital but died just outside the emergency room door of the hospital, according to the hospital.

Surviving are two sons, Calvin Anderson, a corporal serving with the Army in Germany, and James McCullem, of Cairo, Ill., and one daughter, Arlene Anderson, at home.

Friends may call at the Pifer Funeral Home, starting Thursday night. Funeral arrangements are incomplete, and will be announced later.


Niles Daily Star, Thursday, March 18, 1954, page 2, col. 1, microfilm Niles District Library

A complete list of survivors and funeral arrangements of Mrs. Clara Anderson, 102 1/2 North Front street, have been reported.

Services will be held at 4 p.m. Saturday at the Pifer Funeral Home, with the Rev. J.L. Wingate, pastor of Franklin AME Church, officiating, and burial will be in Silverbrook Cemetery. Friends may call at the funeral home, starting tonight.

Surviving Mrs. Anderson who died at 12:30 a.m. Wednesday, besides her husband, Edward Anderson, of Arlington, Tenn., are three children, Calvin Anderson, a corporal in the Army stationed in Germany, James McCullem, Cairo, Ill., and Miss Earlene Anderson, at home; three sisters, Mrs. Virginia McClendon, of Memphis, Tenn., Mrs. Roxie Colbert, of Holcomb, Miss., and Mrs. Georgie Jones, of Cairo, Ill., and three brothers, William Edmond, of Holcomb, Miss., Nathaniel Edmond, of Cairo, Ill., and James Edmond, of Chicago.

Mrs. Anderson was born on May 25, 1910, in Granada, Miss., and came here from Cairo, Ill., four years ago.

 

Cochran, Elmer B.

Elmer B. Cochran
Nov. 14, 1889-May 18, 1953


Niles Daily Star, Tuesday, May 19, 1953, page 2,  col. 3, microfilm Niles District Library

SET COCHRAN RITES

Funeral services for Elmer B. Cochran, 63, rural route four, who died Monday at Pawating Hospital, will be held at 3:30 p.m. Wednesday at the Kiger Funeral Home with the Rev. T.M. Greenhoe, pastor of the First Presbyterian Church, officiating.  Burial will be in Silverbrook Cemetery.

Cochran was born Nov. 14, 1889, in Niles. He was a farmer until he became ill about four months ago.

Surviving are his wife, Grace, and one brother, Charles, rural route four, Niles.

 

Cody, Charlotte C.

Charlotte C. Cody
Oct. 14, 1884-March 24, 1954


Niles Daily Star, Thursday, March 25, 1954, page 2, col. 5, microfilm Niles District Library


Mrs. Charlotte C. Cody died suddenly at the home of her daughter, Mrs. Ward Titus, at 724 Lakeway, Kalamazoo, at 8:45 p.m Wednesday. Her husband, Roy, died in March 1953.

Surviving besides Mrs. Titus are two sons, Jack, of Niles,and William, of South Bend; four grandchildren; two brothers, William Chapman, of London, Ontario, Canada, and Earl, of Vancouver, Canada, and one sister, Mrs. Alice Leaker, of London, Ontario.

Mrs. Cody was born on Oct. 14, 1884, in London, Ontario, and moved to Kalamazoo from Niles about one year ago.

Friends may call at the Pifer Funeral Home, where services will be conducted at 2 p.m Saturday by the Rev. T.M. Greenhoe, Presbyterian pastor. Burial will be in Silverbrook Cemetery.