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.

Geideman, Henry J.

Henry J. Geideman
Oct. 23, 1869-Dec. 6,  1961


Niles Daily Star, Wednesday, December 7, 1961, page 2, col. 5, microfilm Niles District Library

Henry J. Geideman, 92, 441 S. St. Joseph Ave., retired New York Central Railroad supervisor of maintenance, died at 9:40 am. today in Pawating Hospital where he had been a patient for one day.

Mr. Geideman was born Oct. 23, 1869, in Addison, Ill., and had lived in Niles since 1870.  He retired 25 years ago from the New York Central. He was a member of St. John's United Church of Christ (Evangelical and Reformed) and the Railroad Pioneers Club.

His wife, Emma Mahoney Geideman, who he married Sept. 19, 1895, in Niles, died Aug. 27, 1958.

Surviving are two daughters, Mrs. Dorotha McVeigh, 441 S. St. Joseph Ave., and Mrs. Irma C. Taft, Detroit; two grandchildren, and two brothers, Rudolph Geideman, 515 Pokagon St., and George Geideman, 1109 N. 7th St.

Funeral services will be at 2 p.m. Saturday in St. John's United Church of Christ with the pastor, the Rev. Richard Fraser, officiating. Burial will be in Silverbrook Cemetery.

Friends may call at the Pifer Funeral Home after noon on Thursday and until noon on Saturday.

 

Jordan, Llewellyn

Llewellyn Jordan
April 4, 1889-Dec. 18, 1961


Niles Daily Star, Tuesday, December 19, 1961, page 2, col. 3, microfilm Niles District Library

Llewellyn Jordan, 71, a retired Kawneer Co. employe, died at 7 p.m. Monday of a heart attack at his home 904 Ferry St.

[He was born April 4, 1886] in Cassopolis, and moved to Niles in 1935. Mr. Jordan worked 20 years for Kawneer Co., retiring 8 years ago.

Surviving are the widow, Elizabeth; four daughters, Mrs. Melba Dixon and Mrs. Geraldine McGruder, both of the Ferry Street address, and Mrs. Muriel Crew and Mrs. Vivian Nolan, both of Cleveland, Ohio; a step-son, Scott Poston of Detroit; four granddaughters; 12 great-grandchildren, and a brother, Elmer Jordan of Dowagiac.

Friends may call at the Kiger-Halbritter Funeral Home, where services will be held at 2 p.m. Wednesday, with the Rev. Theodis Hadley of Mount Calvary Baptist Church officiating. Burial will be in Silverbrook Cemetery.

 

Simmonds, Martha F.

Martha F. Simmonds
Sept. 1, 1895-Dec. 11, 1961

Niles Daily Star, Tuesday, December 12, 1961, page 2, col. 4, microfilm Niles District Library

Miss Martha F. Simmonds, 66, sister of Mrs. Fred H. Kiger of Niles, died at 11:15 a.m. Monday at her home in Homewood, Ill., after three months' illness.

Miss Simmonds was born Sept. 1, 1895, in Camp Point, Ill. She was a retired associate editor of the World Book Encyclopedia of Chicago. She had received an M.A. at the University of Illinois, an A.B. At Illinois Wesleyan University, and was a former professor of English at the Wesleyan. She was also a member of the First Methodist Church in Lake Bluff, Ill.

Other survivors include four brothers, Charles A. Simmonds, Libertyville, Ill.; Harold W. Simmonds, Waukegan, Ill.; George H. Simmonds, Fort Knox, Ky., and James S. Simmonds, Charlotte, N.C.

Funeral services will be at 11 a.m. in the Kiger-Halbritter Funeral Home, with the Rev. Earl J. Wickstrom, pastor of the First Baptist Church, officiating. Burial will be in Silverbrook Cemetery. Friends may call at the funeral home.



Niles Daily Star, Wednesday, December 13, 1961, page 2, col. 6, microfilm Niles District Library

SERVICES THURSDAY

Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. Thursday in the Kiger-Halbritter Funeral Home for Miss Martha F. Simmonds, who died Monday at her home in Homewood, Ill. Miss Simmonds was a sister of Mrs. Fred H. Kiger of Niles. The Rev. Earl J. Wickstrom, pastor of the First Baptist Church, will officiate, and burial will be in Silverbrook Cemetery.

 

Moore, Melissa Lynn

Melissa Lynn Moore

Niles Daily Star, Saturday, April 20, 1968, page 2, col. 2, microfilm Niles District Library

Committal services for Mellssa Lynn Moore, infant daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Howard Moore, 209 W. Ferry St., Berrien Springs, were held at 4 p.m. Friday in Silverbrook Cemetery.

The services were conducted by the Rev. Arlan Schlundt of the United Church of Christ.

Besides her parents, she is survived by grandparents, Mrs. Sarah Kelly, Niles; and Norman Moore, Parkersburg, W.Va.

 

Wilfred, Evelyn May

Evelyn May Wilfred
April 9, 1920-Dec. 10, 1986


Niles Daily Star, Thursday, December 11, 1986, page 2, col. 1, microfilm Niles District Library

Evelyn May Wilfred, 66, 911 S. 3rd St., Niles, died Wednesday at 8:50 a.m. in Pawating Hospital, following an extended illness.

She was born April 9, 1920 in Holland, Mo. She had lived in this area since 1975, coming here form Kalamazoo.

Services are 9:30 a.m. Friday at Halbritter Funeral Home in Niles. Rev. Arnold O. Schaap of Edwardsburg will officiate. Burial will be at Silverbrook Cemetery.

 

Krysiak, Mary (Burdue)

Mary E. Krysiak
July 26, 1927-Dec. 10, 1986


Niles Daily Star, Wednesday, December 10, 1986, page 2, col. 1, microfilm Niles District Library


Mary E. Krysiak, 59,  1059 Almaugus Drive, Niles, died at 4:45 am. today at Pawating Hosptial.

She was born July 26, 1927 in Niles and was a lifetime area resident. She was retired from Simplicity Pattern Co.

On June 25, 1949 in Niles, she married Robert Krysiak who died Sept. 1, 1980.

Surviving are three daughters, Linda Soper, Terri Winslow and Penny Hopper, all of Niles; one brother, Gene Burdue of Niles; one sister, Peggy Waldron of Niles; and eight grandchildren.

Services are at 10 a.m. Saturday at Halbritter Funeral Home. Burial will be at Silverbrook Cemetery.

Friends may call 2 to 4 pm. and 7 to 9 p.m. Friday at the funeral home.

 

James, Leoma

Leoma James
Sept. 2, 1917-Dec. 25, 1986


Niles Daily Star, Saturday, December 27, 1986, page 2, col. 2-3, microfilm Niles District Library

Leoma James, 69, 1124 N. Ninth St., Niles, died at 3 a.m. Thursday at University Hospital, Ann Arbor.

She was a member of Mt. Calvery Missionary Baptist Church, Niles.

Born Sept. 2, 1917 in Osceola, Ark., she lived in this area since 1954, coming from Osceola.

In 1945 she maried[sic] Willie James, who survives.

Also surviving are eight sons, Joe James of Niles, Willie James Jr., of Des Moines, Iowa, Henry Anderson of Kentucky, Rev. Ebenezer Spencer of Bangor, Willie Spencer of South Bend, Ind., and John Charles and Charlie James, all of Seattle; four daughters, Lucinda Patrick and Pauline Clemmer, both of Niles, Hattie Kelly of Buchanan and Ruthie James of Flint; 38 grandchildren; and 15 great-grandchildren.

Services are 1 p.m. Monday at Mt. Calvary, with Rev. W.L. Daniel of that church officiating. Burial will be at Silverbrook Cemetery.

There will be a wake from 7 to 8 p.m. Sunday at the church.

Arrangements were handled by Hoven Funeral Home, Buchanan.