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.

Gibson, Elsie

Elsie Gibson
1887-Nov. 27, 1950


Niles Daily Star, Tuesday, November 28, 1950, page 2, col. 4, microfilm Niles District Library

Mrs. L.C. Gibson,  formerly of Niles, died Monday at the Union  Printers' home in Colorado Springs, Colo. She died the widow of the late Fred Gibson.

Surviving are a son, John Gibson, of Evanston, Ill., two sisters, Mrs. George Claypool, of Berrien Springs, and Mrs. Leslie Dohn, of Berrien Springs, and a brother, T.W. Howard, of Niles. Mrs. Gibson was born in 1887 in Niles.

Graveside services will be held at 3 p.m. Friday at Silverbrook cemetery. Arrangements are being made by the Pifer funeral home, and further details will be announced later.


Niles Daily Star, Thursday, November 30, 1950, page 2, col. 5, microfilm Niles District Library

Details of funeral services for Mrs. Elsie Gibson, rather than Mrs. L.C. Gibson as erroneously reported previously, have been completed.

The service will be conducted at 2 p.m. Friday at the Pifer funeral home by the Rev. Percy D. Jones, Episcopal rector. Burial will be in Silverbrook cemetery.

 

Brubaker, John P.

John P. Brubaker
Sept. 13, 1873*-Nov. 30, 1950


Niles Daily Star, Thursday, November 30, 1950, page 2, col. 6, microfilm Niles District Library

John P. Brubaker, formerly of Benton Harbor, died this morning at the Berrien Center hospital. He had been ill for about a year and a half.

Surviving are his children, Mrs. Byron Lewark of South Bend, F. E. Brubaker and Fred Brubaker, of Bertrand, and Mrs. Herman Schohknickt, of Benton Harbor; 16 grandchildren, and one brother, Brant Brubaker of Marion, Ind.

Brubaker was born in Somerset, Ind., on Sept. 13, 1873, and came here from Benton Harbor about two years ago.

Friends may call at the Pifer funeral home, where services will be conducted at 4 pm. Saturday by the Rev. C.K. Graham, Baptist pastor, Burial will be in Silverbrook cemetery.

 

*Dates on gravemarker are Jan. 1, 1873-Nov. 30, 1950.

Kirk, Charles L.

Pvt. Charles L. Kirk
Feb. 6, 1906-March 6, 1944


Niles Daily Star, Saturday, November 25, 1950, page 2, col. 5, microfilm Niles District Library

The body of Pvt. Charles L. Kirk, formerly of 240 North State street, who was killed March 6, 1944, in the Admiralty islands, will be returned here on Friday, Dec. 1.

Friends may call at the Pifer funeral home, where services will be conducted at 2:30 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 2, by the Rev. T.M. Greenhoe, Presbyterian pastor. Burial will be in Silverbrook cemetery.

Surviving are Mr. and Mrs. Hudson Kirk, of Niles, his parents, and his wife, now Mrs. Richard Jones, of Niles. Also surviving are his two brothers, Thomas, of Mishawaka, Ind., and Lee Kirk, of Detroit, and four sisters, Mrs. George Worm and Mrs. Ray Elliott, of NIles, Mrs. Edwin Hoffman, of Battle Creek, and Mrs. Coleman Jinkens, St. Joseph.

Pvt. Kirk was born Feb. 6, 1906, and was 38 years of age at the time of his death. He came here from St. Joseph and had lived here for about 30 years. He was a member of the First Presbyterian church and a charter member of the former DeMolay chapter here.

 

Stout, Mehetabel

Mehetabel Stout
June 24, 1867-Nov. 16, 1950


Niles Daily Star, Friday, November 17, 1950, page 2, col. 6, microfilm Niles District Library

Mrs. Mehetabel Stout, 83, of 19 South Third street, died in her home at 10:30 p.m. yesterday. She had been ill four years.

Mrs. Stout was born in Niles township June 24, 1867, and has lived here all of her life. She was married to William Stout in St. Joseph on Dec. 28, 1896. She was a member of the Presbyterian church, Lady Elks, and Maccabee lodge.

Surviving are her husband and [illegible] home, and a brother, Fred W. Blake, of Los Angeles, Calif.

Friends may call at the Kiger funeral home where services will be held at 3 p.m. Saturday. The Rev. T.M. Greenhoe will officiate. Burial will be in Silverbrook cemetery.

 

Springsteen, Jessie Lucille

Jessie Lucille Springsteen
June 11, 1896-Nov. 11, 1950


Niles Daily Star, Monday, November 13, 1950, page 2, col. 7, microfilm Niles District Library


Mrs. Jessie Lucille Springsteen, of rural route two, died at 10:30 p.m. Saturday after being in poor health for six years.

Surviving are her mother, Mrs. Ernest Arnold, of Montgomery, her husband, Walter, of Niles; two sons, Everett Fical, of Dolgeville, N.Y., and James Edward Springsteen, of Jackson; four grandchildren, and two brothers, Gerold E. Everitt, of Jackson, and Marion Everitt, of Burr Oak.

Mrs. Springsteen was born on June 11, 1896, in Kalamazoo, and came here from Detroit 21 years ago. She was a member of the Eastern Star, the "auxiliary" to Knights Templar, and of the Yankee Street Neighbors club.

Friends may call at the Pifer funeral home, where services will be conducted at 2 p.m. Tuesday by the Rev. T.M. Greenhoe, Presbyterian pastor. Burial will be in Silverbrook cemetery.

 

Brown, Florence A.

Florence A. Brown
Jan. 8, 1881-Nov. 9, 1950


Niles Daily Star, Friday, November 10, 1950, page 2, col. 5, microfilm Niles District Library

Mrs. Florence A. Brown, 1448 Broadway, died at 11 a.m. Thursday in her home after being ill since last February.

Surviving are her husband, Elmer; two sons, Leo Brown, of Benton Harbor, and George Brown, of Niles, and four grandchildren,  Mrs. Brown was born in St. Joseph, Benton township, on Jan. 8, 1881, and came here from St. Joseph in 1928. She was a member of the GAR.

Friends may call at the Pifer funeral home, where services will be conducted at 2 p.m. Saturday by the Rev. J.B. Clock, pastor of the Church of God, Benton Harbor. Burial will be in Silverbrook cemetery.

Members of Niles circle 45, GAR, are requested to meet at 7:30 p.m. today at the funeral home, where they will conduct memorial services for Mrs. Brown.

 

Schmidt, Harry B.

Harry B. Schmidt, M.D.
Sept. 23, 1882-Nov. 4, 1950


Niles Daily Star, Monday, November 6, 1950, page 2, col. 5, microfilm Niles District Library

Dr. Harry B. Schmidt, 68, Detroit physician and former Niles resident, died at 4:30 p.m. Saturday at his Detroit residence after a year's illness.

He was born here Sept. 28, 1882, and lived in Detroit for 35 years.

Surviving are his wife, Anna; a brother, Karl B., of Niles; and four sisters, Mrs. Jack Young and Mrs. George Vetter, of Niles, Mrs. Bion East, of Washington, D.C., and Mrs. Donald Nobel, of Grosse Pointe [illegible] officiate at funeral services at the Kiger funeral home at 2 p.m. Thursday. Burial will be in Silverbrook cemetery. Friends may call at the funeral home on Wednesday evening.

Schmidt was a member of Trinity Episcopal church and of the Masons.


Niles Daily Star, Thursday, November 9, 1950, page 2, col. 5, microfilm Niles District Library

Funeral services were held at 2 p.m. today at the Kiger funeral home for Dr. Harry B. Schmidt, 68, retired Detroit physician and former Niles resident. The Rev. Percy Jones officiated and burial was in Silverbrook cemetery.

Schmidt was born here on Sept. 23, 1882, the son of Frederick and Carrie Bell Ives Schmidt. After attending high school here he went to the University of Michigan where he graduated from medical school in 1911.

Following his graduation, Schmidt served on the U of M faculty for five years as instructor in internal medicine.  In 1916, he moved to Detroit where he was associated with Dr. Ernest Haas, of Harper hospital, until 1919. He then joined the staff at Providence hospital. He retired a few years ago.

Schmidt was a member of the Trinity Episcopal church, the Masonic lodge, Phi Rho Sigma medical fraternity and Sigma Psi honorary medical society. He was survived by his wife, Anna, a brother, Karl, of Niles, and two sisters, including Mrs. Jack Young and Mrs. George Vetter, both of Niles.