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.

Russell, Marjorie J. "Jean" (Williams)

Marjorie Russell, 83
Dec. 22, 1928 — Jan. 4, 2012

Marjorie J. “Jean” Russell, 83, of Bailey Avenue in Niles, died at 8:30 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 4, 2012, at Lakeland Community Hospital in Niles.

Mrs. Russell was born Dec. 22, 1928, in Sullivan, Ind., to John and Inez Williams. At age 3, she moved from Sullivan to Buchanan, where she graduated from Buchanan High School. She was previously employed at Electro-Voice in Buchanan.

She attended Victory Tabernacle in Dowagiac.

Jean was married for more than 56 years to Jesse J. Russell, who survives. Surviving family also includes two sons.

She was preceded in death by two sons and one daughter.

Funeral services for Marjorie J. “Jean” Russell will be held at 11 a.m. Monday, Jan. 9, at Halbritter Funeral Home in Niles with the Rev. Dorothy Blassingame of Victory Tabernacle officiating.

Interment will be at Silverbrook Cemetery in Niles following services.

The family will receive friends and relatives from 2 to 4 p.m. Sunday at the funeral home.

Contributions in memory of Jean may be made to Victory Tabernacle.

Niles Daily Star, Published online 5:39pm Friday, January 6, 2012

Marshall, James Raymond

James Marshall, 88
Jan. 21, 1922 — Jan. 12, 2012

James Raymond Marshall, 88, passed away at Lakeland Community Hospital in Niles after a brief illness on Jan. 12, 2012.

Mr. Marshall was born in Flint, Mich., on Jan. 21, 1922, to Raymond and Carolyn (Bullen) Marshall. He served in the U.S. Navy for four years during World War II and was a graduate of General Motors Tech. Mr. Marshall and his wife, Marilyn (Cook) moved to Niles in 1953 to work for Colgrove Buick.

James was elected to the Niles City Council in 1957 and served two consecutive terms (1957 to 1965), then was re-elected to the council in 1980. Mr. Marshall retired from Briggs Oldsmobile Cadillac in 1989.

Mr. Marshall then continued part-time work at Hams Discount Home Improvement Center in Niles until 2007.

He is survived by his wife, Marilyn, and two children, Leslie J. Marshall (Lawton) and Robert S. Marshall. A second son, James D., died in 2006. Also surviving are five grandchildren, Colin Pitts, Ian Pitts, Daniel and Stuart Marshall and Matthew Marshall; and two great-grandchildren, Cameron and Kyden Pitts.

A memorial service will be held at 10:30 a.m. Saturday, Jan. 14, at Halbritter Funeral Home in Niles with the Rev. James Slack of Trinity Episcopal Church in Niles officiating.

Interment will be at Silverbrook Cemetery in Niles.

Niles Daily Star, Published online 7:07pm Thursday, January 12, 2012

Hoffman, Henry B.

Col. Henry B. Hoffman
Died March 21, 1889


Niles Republican, Thursday, March 28, 1889, page 5, col. 1, microfilm Niles District Library

Col. Henry B. Hoffman, one of the earliest settlers of this city, died at his home in Davenport, Iowa, on the 21st inst. Col. Hoffman was a gentleman of the old school. He and his brother, George Hoffman, laid out several additions to Niles.

Niles Daily Star, Wednesday, March 27, 1889, page 3, col. 2, microfilm Niles District Library

Henry B. Hoffman, Esq., one of the early settlers of Niles, and for many years one of our most respected citizens, died at Davenport, Iowa, on the 21st Inst.  Several of the additions to the city of Niles bear his name.

Hoffman, Anna Jane

Anna Jane Hoffman
March 3, 1855-Dec. 27, 1941


Niles Daily Star, Monday, December 29, 1941, page 2 col. 2, microfilm Niles District Library

ANNA HOFFMAN, 86, BERTRAND, DIES.

 

Mrs. Anna Jane Hoffman, 86, of Bertrand township, died Saturday night at 9:30, in a Niles home. She had been ill for nine months with complications.

She was the widow of James Hoffman, and was born March 3, 1855 in Dauphin county, Pa. She came to Bertrand township 52 years ago.

Mrs. Hoffman is survived by three sons, Albert and Charles H. Hoffman, Portage Prairie, Chester Hoffman, South Haven, and one granddaughter.

Funeral will be conducted Wed,esday afternoon at 2 in the Rutherford funeral home by the Rev. Carl H. Trueschel. Burial will be in Silverbrook cemetery. Friends may call at the Rutherford funeral home.


Niles Daily Star, Tuesday, December 30, 1941, page 2 col. 2, microfilm Niles District Library

HOFFMAN SERVICES

 

Services for Mrs. Anna Jane Hoffman, 86, will be conducted Wednesday afternoon at 2 in the Rutherford funeral home by the Rev. Carl H. Trueschel. Burial will be in Silverbrook cemetery, and friends may call at the Rutherford funeral home. Pallbearers will be Lewis Griffith, Simon Messenger, Claude Haslett, Charles Gilette[sic], John H. Young and Arthur Dillenbeck.

 

Hoffman, Elizabeth Jane

Elizabeth Jane Hoffman
1810-Jan. 28, 1847


Niles Republican, Saturday, January 30, 1847, page 3, col. 3, microfilm Niles District Library

OBITUARY

 

DIED in this village on Thursday morning, the 28th Jan. inst., Mrs. Elizabeth Jane Hoffman, wife of Henry B. Hoffman, in the 37th year of her age, after a very short illness.

Mrs. Hoffman, with her husband, were among the first settlers of this place, having resided here about fourteen years.  She was then young, and had the ardent energy of a Pioneer of this new world. The writer of this brief notice first saw her in 1833, and remembers well her bright and animated look as she spoke of Niles as her new home, and the hopes she had of its interests and society.  She was a member of the Presbyterian church, highly esteemed, and her loss will be deeply felt, and long deplored. The poor and the houseless--the rich, and the bereaved will long remember her kind and sympathising feelings, and her open hand, ever ready to give.  Her monument is in the hearts of her survivors.

The funeral services will be held at the Presbyterian Church to-morrow morning at half past ten o'clock.

 

Hoffman, Easther Louisa

Easther Louisa Hoffman
Aug. 27, 1857


Niles Republican, Saturday, September 5, 1857, page 2, col. 5, microfilm Niles District Library

OBITUARY

 

The death of Mrs. EASTHER LOUISA HOFFMAN, wife of G.W. Hoffman, Esq, was noticed in the Republican last week. Her remains were brought to Niles for interment, on Saturday last, and her funeral took place from the Presbyterian Church on Sabbath afternoon.  An unusually large congregation was in attendance to pay the last tribute of respect to one of the earliest and most worthy citizens of the place.

Mrs. Hoffman removed to Niles from New Haven, Vermont in 1833.

In the following year she was married to Mr. Hoffman, and commenced her first experience as a housekeeper in a log cabin. From that time, until within a few months, she has been a constant resident of his place, and deeply interested in its growth and prosperity.

On the 24th day of March, 1834, a few individuals convened at a private house, for the purpose of organizing a Presbyterian Church in Niles. Of the eight who were present she was one. She had professed her attachment to the Saviour in her native home, and came to what was then the far west and a wilderness, not to abandon, but to trim her light anew in the cause of religion. Hence we find her embracing the first opportunity that occured[sic] to identify herself with the church of Christ and his people in maintaining the ordinances of His house.

She was thus been associated with the Church here in some form, through all its vicissitudes--a constant devoted and zealous member.

And not only so, but we are informed that she, with another lady commenced the first Sabbath school in connection with this Church.

Her labors in the good cause were not in vain in the Lord for while she sought to water others, her own household was watered of heaven, four out of five of her children, having been hopefully converted and united with the Church, in whose early history she was so deeply interested.

Mrs. Hoffman was greatly beloved by those especially who were her early associates, on account of her eminently social qualities, her generous hospitality, and christian virtues. But it was her lot to outlive, or to see remove from our midst most of those who had formed the circle of her early and peculiar friendship, so that we repeatedly heard her remark that she seemed almost a stranger in the place of her adoption and that the ties which bound her were constantly being sundered.

But she has gone; the places that knew her will know her no more, and soon the few early friends that remain will disappear.

 

 

 

 

Clark, Erastus Winslow

Erasmus Winslow Clark
Oct. 28, 1831-Aug. 28, 1857


Niles Republican, Saturday, August 29, 1857, page 2, col. 6, microfilm Niles District Library

DIED

 

August 28th, in Niles of Consumption, Erasmus Winslow, son of Rowland and Cyndia Ann Clark, aged 25 years and 10 months.

Winslow was one of the first male children born in the Village of Niles. The funeral sermon will be preached at the Methodist Church, on Saturday at 2 o'clock, P.M.