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.

Murphy, Kenneth L.

Kenneth Murphy
Feb. 28, 1901-April 26, 1968


Niles Daily Star, Saturday April 27, 1968, page 2, col. 4, microfilm Niles District Library

Kenneth L. Murphy, 67, of 113 N. 15th St., died unexpectedly Friday afternoon. He was pronounced dead on arrival at Pawating Hospital at 1:15 p.m.

Mr. Murphy was born Feb. 28, 1901 in Dowagiac and was a lifetime resident of this area.  He married the former Gladys E. McCoy March 18, 1923, in Niles.

He is survived by his wife, a son, Kenneth N. Murphy of Niles, three grandchildren, two sisters, Miss Mildred Murphy of Benton Harbor and Mrs. Roy Hauck of Aurora, Mo.

Mr. Murphy was a payroll administrator in the treasury department at Clark Equipment Company.  He retired in 1964.  He was a member of the First Presbyterian Church, St. Joseph Valley Lodge 4, Free and Accepted Masons, the Benevolent Protective Order of Elks Niles Lodge 1322, Clark Management Club, and the Brookwood Golf Course.

Funeral services will be conducted at 2 p.m. Monday at the Halbritter-Swem Funeral Home, with the Rev. John R. Wyngarden pastor of the First Presbyterian Church, officiating. Burial will be in Silverbrook Cemetery. Friends will be received after 7 p.m. today.

 

 

Erickson, Nels Edwin

Nels Edwin Erickson
Oct. 2, 1896-April 26, 1968


Niles Daily Star, Saturday, April 27, 1968, pae 2 col. 4-5, microfilm Niles District Library

Nels Edwin Erickson, 71, of 26 S. 4th St., died unexpectedly at 9:30 a.m. Friday at his home.

He was born in Katrinaholm, Sweden Oct. 2, 1896 and came to Niles six years ago from Florida.

Mr. Erickson is survived by his wife Anna, a niece Mrs. Richard Rayburn and a nephew, Erick Erickson, both of Niles, a brother, Arvid, and a sister, Mrs. Sarah Johanson, both in Sweden.

Mr. Erickson was retired from Commonwealth Edison Electric, Waukegon,Ill.

Funeral services will be conducted at 2 p.m. Monday in the Pifer Funeral Home, with the Rev. John S. Hoenstine, pastor of Holy Trinity Lutheran Church, officiating. Burial will be in Silverbrook Cemetery.

Friends will be received after 7 p.m. today iat the funeral home.

 

 

Cousins, Ethel L.

Ethel L. Cousins
Sept. 8, 1887-April 27, 1968


Niles Daily Star, Monday, April 29, 1968, page 10 col. 1, microfilm Niles District Library

Mrs. Ethel L. Cousins, 80, of 416 N. 4th St., died at 7:40 a.m. Saturday in the Dor-A-Lin Nursing Home, following an eight-month;s illness.

Born Sept. 8, 1887, in Grafton, Ohio, Mrs. Cousins moved here from Easton, Ohio in 1913.  On March 4, 1908, she married Elmer C. Cousins in Beldon, Ohio.  He died in 1934.

Her survivors include a son, Lee B. Cousins of Niles; three daughters, Mrs. Ralph BeMiller of Elkhart, Ind., Mrs. Victor Szabo of South Bend, Ind., and Mrs. Harold Newman of Pittsburgh, Pa.; a brother, John Bowman of Wellington, Ohio, and a sister, Mrs. Kelland Mumaw of Wooster, Ohio; five grandchildren, and four great grandchildren.

She was a charter member of the Sumnerville Grange and a member of the Pleasant Hour Club of Niles.

Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m., Tuesday in the Halbritter-Swem Funeral Home with the Rev. Lloyd Schloop officiating.  Burial will be in Silverbrook Cemetery.

Friends may call at the funeral home.

 

Bazin, Tony J.

Tony J. Bazin
Dec. 25, 1889-May 2, 1968


Niles Daily Star, Friday, May 3, 1968, page 2 col. 2, microfilm Niles District Library

Tony J. Bazin, 78, of 2834 S. 13th St., died at 0:55 a.m., Thursday in Pawating Hospital, following an extended illness.

Born Dec. 25, 1889, in Yugoslavia, Mr. Bazin moved here in 1964 from New Orleans, La.  He was a retired painter.

On Sept. 27, 1952, he married Elsie Brock in New Orleans, La.

In addition to his wife, Elsie, he is survived by a brother, Lucas Bazin of Elmer, N.J.

He was a member of the Painter's Local Union, 1244.

Funeral services will be held at 1 p.m., Saturday in the Halbritter-Swem Funeral Home with the Rev. John R. Wyngarden officiating.  Burial will be in Silverbrook Cemetery.

Friends may call at the funeral home.

 

Guess, Frank

Frank Guess
Jan. 6, 1895-May 10, 1968


Niles Daily Star, Friday, May 10, 1968, page 2 col. 7, microfilm Niles District Library

Frank Guess, 73, of 1122 N. 8th St., died at 2:10 a.m., today at Pawating hospital, following a brief illness.

A 1961 retired employe of Simplicity Pattern Co., Mr. Guess was born Jan. 6, 1895, in Huntsville, Ala.

He moved to his area in 1932 from Chicago, Ill.

In addition to his widow, Lillian, he is survived by a stepson, Charles Works of Niles; and a granddaughter.

Funeral services will be held at 1 p.m., Tuesday in the Franklin AME Church with the Rev. Donald Folden officiating.  Burial will be in Silverbrook Cemetery.

Friends may call at the Pifer Funeral Home after 7 p.m., Sunday.

 

Smith, Lloyd E.

Lloyd E. Smith
June 18, 1905-May 13, 1968


Niles Daily Star, Monday, May 13, 1968, page 12 col. 3, microfilm Niles District Library

Lloyd (Smitty) E. Smith, 62, of 1021 N. 5th St., died at 1:35 a.m., today in Pawating Hospital, following a brief illness.

A senior pressman employed by the Simplicity Pattern Co., Mr. Smith was born June 18, 1905, in Zionsville, Ind.  He moved here from battle Creek 35 years ago.

A member of the Niles Eagle Lodge, Mr. Smith was active the formation of the Niles United Fund, the State United Fund and the Niles School for Exceptional Children.

In addition to his wife, Bernice B., he is survived by two daughters, Mrs. Walter DeDula of Ann Arbor; and Mrs. Percy Bosler Jr. of Niles; a son, Cmdr. Jerome W. Smith of Chula Vista, Calif., USN; and 14 grandchildren.

Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. Thursday in the Pifer Funeral Home with the Rev. Lloyd Schloop, pastor of the Wesley Methodist United Church, officiating.  Burial will be in Silverbrook Cemetery.

Friends may call at the funeral home after 7 p.m., Tuesday.

 

Maxwell, Donna B.

Donna B. Maxwell
Sept. 24, 1900-May 11, 1968


Niles Daily Star, Monday, May 13, 1968, page 12 col. 4, microfilm Niles District Library


MISHAWAKA-- Mrs. Donna B. Maxwell, 67, of 121 Pin Oak South, died Saturday at 4:23 p.m, in the St. Joseph Hospital, South Bend.

Born Sept. 24, 1900, in South Bend, Mrs. Maxwell lived most of her life in this area.  Her husband, Paul, died Nov. 5, 1962.

She is survived by two sons, Harold of Niles; and Roger of Virginia Beach, Va., three daughters, Mrs. Kenneth Smith and Mrs. Edward Buszkiewicz, both of South Bend; and Mrs. Quentin Ullmer of Niles; three brothers, Harold Holcomb of South Bend; Dell and Walter Holcomb, both of Mishawaka; and a sister, Mrs. Robert Minnie of South Bend; eight grandchildren; and six great-grandchildren.

Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. Wednesday in the Pifer Funeral Home Niles with the Rev. B.J. Hartman, pastor of the Free Methodist Church, officiating.  Burial will be in Silverbrook Cemetery.

Friends may call at the funeral home after 7 p.m., today.