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.

Schiele, Mamie

Mary Ellen Drolet Obituaries
July 29, 1881-May 7, 1953

DEATHS

MRS. MAMIE SCHIELE, 71

    Mrs. Mamie M. Schiele, 1005 North Thirteenth street, died at 7:30 p.m. Thursday at the home of her daughter, Mrs. Floyd Ausmus, 1708 North Eleventh street.  She had been ill for six weeks.
    Surviving are her mother, Mrs. Mary Jann, Logansport, Ind., her husband, Frederick, Niles; two sons, Charles and Arthur, both of Niles; three daughters, Mrs. Don Weaver and Mrs. Ausmus, of Niles, and Mrs. Warren Domer, Ashtabula, O.; eight grandchildren, and three brothers, August Jann, Logansport, and Charles and Walter Jann, both of Niles.
    Mrs. Schiele was born on July 29, 1881, in Logansport, and came to Niles from there in 1924.  She was a member of the New Century Rebekah Lodge, the VFW Auxiliary, and the Rebekah Past Noble Grand Club.
    Friends may call at the Pifer Funeral Home, where services will be conducted at 2 p.m.  Monday by the Rev. G.A. Steebly, pastor of the First Evangelical United Brethren Church.  Burial will  be in Silverbrook Cemetery.
    The New Century Rebekah Lodge is requested to meet at 1:45 p.m. Monday at the funeral home at attend the rites.
    The Veterans of Foreign Wars Auxiliary also is requested to meet at 1:15 p.m. Monday at the VFW Post home to attend the rites.  Members are asked to be in uniform.

(Source:  Niles Daily Star, Friday, May 8, 1953, page 2, col. 5, microfilm Niles District Library)

Arbuckle, William

Mary Ellen Drolet Obituaries
William Arbuckle
December 20, 1894-February 19, 1966

    William Arbuckle, 71, of 513 Ferry St., died at 1:50 a.m., today in Kalamazoo, following an illness of several years.
    Mr. Arbuckle, a retired printer, was born Dec. 20, 1894, in Champaign, Ill. He came to Niles from Chicago in 1927.  He married Eileen Pope Jan. 19, 1925, in Crown Point, Ind.  She survives.
    Other survivors include two sons Ronald and Keith, both of Niles; a brother, Charles, Richmond, Ind.; a sister, Mrs. Cindy Smith, Detroit; and three grandchildren.
    He was a U.S. Army veteran of World War I and a life member of the Disabled American Veterans, of Benton Harbor.
    Funeral services will be conducted at 2 pm., Monday in the Halbritter Swem Funeral Home.  Burial wil be in Silverbrook Cemetery.
    Friends will be received at the funeral home after 7 pm., tomorrow.

(Source:  Niles Daily Star, Saturday, February, 19, 1966, page 2, col. 2, microfilm Niles District Library)

Knoll, William

Mary Ellen Drolet Obituaries
William Knoll
1866-1931

    DEATH OF WILLIAM KNOLL

    The body of William Knoll was brought to Niles from Chicago this afternoon and taken to the Silverbrook cemetery for burial.  Mrs. Knoll and her daughter Miss Amelia Muelner accompanied the body to Niles.  Mr. and Mrs. Knoll formerly lived in Niles, he having been employed in the signal department of the Michigan Central railroad.  Before her marriage Mrs.Knoll was Mrs. Muelner and she is a cousin of Mrs. Arza Ball.  Mrs.[sic] Knoll's death followed a year of illness.

(Source:  Niles Daily Star, Monday, September 21, 1931, page 4, col. 1, microfilm Niles District Library)

Siebert, Frank C.

Mary Ellen Drolet Obituaries
FRANK C. SIEBERT
Nov. 18, 1881-May 29, 1958

    Frank C. Siebert [illegible] Seventh Street, died at 8 a.m. today in his home.  He had been in poor health for the past seven years.
    A retired employe of the New York Central Railroad signal maintenance department, Mr. Siebert was born Nov. 18, 1881, in Niles. He was a member of the Railroad Pioneer association and of the Maccabee Lodge.
    Surviving are:  his widow, Dora; six daughters, Mrs. Frances Hipshear, Mrs. Elmer Lewis, Mrs. Harold Snyder and Mrs. Duane Asmus, all of Niles, Mrs. William Shinneman, of South Bend, and Mrs. Fred Patchett, of Kalamazoo; two sons, Floyd and Laverne Siebert, both of Niles; 15 grandchildren, and 11 great grandchildren.
    Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. Saturday in the Pifer Funeral Home with the Rev. Herbert Meussling, pastor of St. John's United Church of Christ (Evangelical and Reformed), officiating. Burial will be in Silverbrook Cemetery. Friends may call at the funeral home.

(Source:  Niles Daily Star, Thursday, May 29, 1958, page 2, col. 5, microfilm Niles District Library)

Liggans, Florence

Mary Ellen Drolet Obituaries
Mrs. Florence Liggans
1890-1958

    Mrs. Florence Liggans, about 68, of 500 North Seventh Street, died this morning at Berrien County Hospital, Berrien Center, after a three-year illness.
    She was born in Covert and came to Niles from South Haven in 1920.  She was a member of Mount Calvary Baptist Church.
    Her husband, Eugene, died April 18, 1945. Survivors are a sister, Mrs. Bertha William of Grand Rapids, and five brothers, Charles, Othal and Leonto Shepard, all of South Haven; John Shepard, Chicago, and Fred Shepard, Niles.
    Friends may call at the Kiger-Halbritter Funeral Home beginning Wednesday afternoon.  Services will be conducted at 2 p.m. Thursday in the Mount Calvary Baptist Church by the Rev. Richard Alexander, pastor.  Burial will be in Silverbrook Cemetery.

(Source:  Niles Daily Star, Tuesday, May 27, 1958, page 2, col. 4, microfilm Niles District Library)

Woodruff, Clara Bell

Mary Ellen Drolet Obituaries
Mrs. Clara Bell Woodruff
May 21, 1871-May 22, 1958

    Mrs. Clara Bell Woodruff, 87, of 1576 Barron Lake Road, died at 7 p.m. Tuesday in the Berrien County Hospital at Berrien Center where she had been a patient for the past four days.  She had been in failing health for the past several years.
    Mrs. Woodruff was born May 21, 1871 in Akron, O., and had lived most of her life in this community, where she was a member of the Salvation Army.
    Surviving are: a son, John Bowerman, of River Dale, Ill.; a daughter, Mrs. Loren Babcock, of Niles; two grandchildren, and five great grandchildren.
    Funeral services will be held at 4 p.m. Thursday in the Kiger Halbritter Funeral Home.
[illegible] James Shiels, Niles Salvation Army commander, officiating.  Burial will be in Silverbrook Cemetery. Friends may call at the funeral home.

(Source:  Niles Daily Star, Wednesday, May 23, 1958, page 2, col. 5, microfilm Niles District Library)

Jackson, Lora Alice

Mary Ellen Drolet Obituaries
Lora Alice Jackson
March 7, 1953

    Lora Alice Jackson, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Walter Jackson, rural route one, Niles, was stillborn at Pawating Hospital at 11:45 p.m. Saturday.
    Survivors in addition to the parents are brothers Edward and Michael and sisters Debreth and Ruth; and grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. Walter Jackson, Dyersburg, Tenn., and Mr. and Mrs. Lara Seratt, Dyersburg, Tenn.
    Committal services were held in Silverbrook Cemetery today at 2 p.m.

(Source:  Niles Daily Star, Monday, March 9, 1953, page 2, col. 5-6, microfilm Niles District Library)

Bottom Menu 1

Bottom Menu 2

Bottom Menu 4