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.

Knott, Lula A.

Lula A. Knott
August 21, 1881-March 30, 1967


Knott Rites

Funeral services for Mrs. Lula A. Knott, 85, formerly of 317  Pokagon St., were scheduled today.

She died Thursday at Kalamazoo after an illness of several years. A member of the First Church of Christ Scientist, Mrs. Phillis Castle was named as the reader at the private services at the Halbritter-Swem Funeral Home.

Burial was in Silverbrook Cemetery.

Survivors include a daughter, Mrs. Maxine Knott Payne, Hollywood, Fla.; a grandson; and two great-grandchildren.

She was born August 21, 1881, in Buchanan, and had lived her entire lifetime in the area.


Niles Daily Star, Monday, April 3, 1967, page 2, col. 4, microfilm Niles District Library

Gross, Jerome August

Jerome A. Gross
December 23, 1889-March 25, 1967


Post 26, Niles American Legion was to provide the military rites at the graveside of Jerome A. Gross, 925 N. 3rd St., who was found dead in this home by the city police last Saturday.

Mr. Gross, a World War I veteran, had been ill for several years. Born here in 1889, he was a life time resident of the area.

Services were to be conducted by the Rev. Leonard F. Putnam at 3 p.m., today in the Halbritter-Swem Funeral Home. Burial was to be in Silverbrook Cemetery.

Surviving are a brothers, Frank, of Niles; and two sisters, Mrs. Fay Pease of Blanchard, and Mrs. Charles Bailey of Watervliet.


Niles Daily Star, Monday, April 3, 1967, page 2, col. 4, microfilm Niles District Library

Note: Date of birth from WW I Draft Registration and Social Security Death Index.

Renbarger, Kenneth C.

Kenneth C. "Doc" Renbarger
May 19, 1931-May 10, 1990


Services for Kenneth C. "Doc" Renberger, 58, 2411 Miller Drive, Niles, are Monday at 11 a.m. at Halbritter Funeral Home in Niles by the Rev. Arnold O. Schaap of Edwardsburg.  Burial will follow in Silverbrook Cemetery in Niles.

Renbarger died Thursday at 10:33 p.m. at Pawating Hospital in Niles following a brief illness.

He was a U.S. Army veteran of the Korean Conflict and a member of the American Legion Post No. 26 of Niles.

Renbarger was a automobile technician, recently of the Ridge Co. He has had his own shop and worked for others.

He was born May 19, 1931, in Buchanan and had lived in Niles and Buchanan all of his life.

Survivors include two sons, Michael R. Renbarger of Niles and Jeffrey J. Renbarger of Dallas; a daughter, Julie A. Miars of Niles; four sisters, Phyllis Watson of Buchanan, Jean Orpurt of Tennessee, Joan Striegle, Niles, and Nancy Gray of Indianapolis, Ind.; and six grandchildren.

He was preceded in death by two sisters and one brother.

Friends may call Sunday from 6 to 9 p.m. at Halbritter Funeral Home.


Niles Daily Star, Saturday, May 12, 1990, page 2, col. 1, microfilm Niles District Library

Bowerman, Julia (Foster)

Julia Bowerman
1855-November 13, 1918


Niles Daily Star, Thursday, November 15, 1918, page 4, col. 2, microfilm Niles District Library

Julia Bowerman, wife of Perry Bowerman, a former resident of this city, died at her home in Kalamazoo Tuesday night, of pneumonia. Mrs. Bowerman was born in Crystal Springs, Ill., and was 63 years old. The body will be brought to this city tomorrow afternoon at 2:39 and taken direct to Silver Brook cemetery for burial.

NOTE: Death Certificate: dob is unknown, age 60 years. Father's last name Foster.

 

Bowerman, Fannie M.

Fannie M. Bowerman
Dec. 22, 1882-Feb. 3, 1982


Fannie M. Bowerman, 99, of 1362 Eagle St., Niles, died at 11 a.m. Wednesday at Pawating Hospital after a lengthy illness.

A homemaker, she was born on Dec. 22, 1882 in Crete, Nebraska and had spent most of her lifetime in this area.

Her husband, George Bowerman, died in 1958.

Survivors include a daughter, Mrs. Edna Housam of Niles; a son, Herbert Bowerman of Dowagiac; and two grandchildren.

Funeral services will be held at 10:30 a.m. Friday in the Pifer-Smith Funeral Home in Niles.  Rev. Michael T. Conklin of the Pokagon United Methodist Church will officiate.

Burial will be in Silverbrook Cemetery.

Friends may call from 7 to 9 p.m. Thursday at the Pifer-Smith Funeral Home.


Niles Daily Star, Thursday, February 4, 1982, page 2, col. 4, microfilm Niles District Library.

Zechlin, Hulda L. (Graw)

Hulda L. Zechlin
Dec. 15, 1896-Dec. 23, 1976


NILES--Mrs. Hulda L. Zechlin of 1343 Ferry St., died Thursday at 11:40 p.m. at St. Joseph Hospital in South Bend.  She was 80 years old.

Mrs. Zechlin had been hospitalized since she fell at the corner of Fourth and Main Sts. in Niles Dec. 17.

Mrs. Zechlin was born Dec. 15, 1896 in Whiting, Ind., and had been a resident of Niles since 1928, moving here from Michigan City, Ind.  She was married to Ellicott Barnes who died in 1929, and to Earl A. Zechlin whom she married in 1933.  He preceded her in death in 1960.

Mrs. Zechlin was a member of the Eastern Star.

She is survived by a daughter, Mrs. Elmer (Winnifred) Lepel of Niles; two brothers, Glenn Graw of LaPorte, Ind. and Marion Graw of Tavares, Fla.; and a sister, Mrs. Marie Zahrndt of Niles.  Three grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren also survive.

Funeral services will be at 2 p.m. Monday at the Halbritter Funeral Home.  The Rev. Richard J. Fraser, formerly of St. John's United Church of Christ, in Niles, willl officiate.

Burial will follow at Silverbrook Cemetery.

Friends may call at the funeral home from 3 to 7 p.m. Sunday.  The family has asked that any memorials be made to the Eastern Star or the Salvation Army.


Niles Daily Star, Friday, December 24, 1976, page 2 col. 6, microfilm Niles District Library

Shackelford, Thomas B. Sr.

Thomas B. Shackelford, Sr.
March 13, 1921-December 16, 1976


NILES--Thomas B. Shackelford St., 55, of 2115 Spansail Dr., died at 12:36 p.m. Thursday at Pawating Hospital after an illness of five days.

He was a member of Westminster Presbyterian Church, a veteran of the U.S. Army, having served in W.W. II, a member of the St. Joseph Valley Masonic Lodge, the Mobile, Ala. Athelstan Lodge, and the Niles Shrine Club, the Niles Commandery K.T. and the St. Joseph Valley Chapter of the RAM.

A self-employed trucker, he was born March 13, 1921 in Mobile, Ala., and had lived here since 1951, coming from Mobile.

On Aug. 2, 1942 in Frederick, Okla, he married marilyn Brodie, who survives.

Also surviving are three sons, Thomas B. of Elkhart, Ind., Gordon B. and Thaddeus H., both of Niles; three daughters, Mrs. Marilynn Weybright of New Paris, Ind., and Virginia Shackelford and Mrs. Susan Dickerson, both of Niles; a brother, H.L. Shackelford, Jr. of Miami, Fla.; a sister, Mrs. Villiam H. Peck of Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.; and four grandchildren.

Funeral services, including full Masonic rites, will be at 10 a.m. Saturday at the Halbritter Funeral Home conducted by the St. Joseph Valley Masonic Lodge. Burial will be in Silverbrook Cemetery.

Friends may call from 7 to 0 p.m. today at the funeral home.

Memorials may be given to the Shriner's Crippled Children's Hospital, Chicago. Forms are available at the funeral home.


Niles Daily Star, Friday, December 17, 1976, page 2 col. 7-8, microfilm Niles District Library