Mrs. Betty Marsh
June 22, 1918-May 24, 1968
Mrs. Betty M. Marsh, 49, of 2699 US-12 East, died at 6:40 p.m. Friday at her home. She had been ill since 1950.
Mrs. March was born June 22, 1918 in Calvin Township, Cass County and had lived here all her life.
She is survived by her husband, Herbert; two sons, Lee of Dowagiac and Lynn of Niles; four grandchildren; her mother, Mrs. Mary Westfall of Edwardsburg, four brothers, Early Westfall, Lewis Westfall and Leo Westfall, of Edwardsburg and Garth Westfall of Niles; two sisters, Mrs. Mable Smith, Shipshewana, Ind., and Mrs. Laura M. Lennox, South Bend.
Funeral Services will be conducted at 3:30 pm. Monday at the Pifer Funeral Home, with Neil Crapo, pastor of the Rosewarne Bibile Church, officiating. Burial will be in Silverbrook Cemetery.
Friends will be received after 7 pm.. today at the funeral home.
(Source: Niles Daily Star, Saturday, May 25, 1968, page 2, col. 2-3, microfilm Niles District Library)
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.
May 27, 1916-February 4, 1989
Herbert Marsh, 72, 2355 U.S. 12 E., Niles died Saturday, Feb. 4 at 2:18 a.m. at Pawating Hospital after a sudden illness.
He was born May 27, 1916 in Buchanan and lived his lifetime in the area. He retired in 1972 from Clark Equipment Co.
On Feb. 10, 1939 in Berrien Center he married Betty Westfall. She died in May, 1968. He then married Mary Lou Holbert Oct. 12, 1968 in Niles. She survives.
Also surviving are: a son, Lee of Kalamazoo and a daughter Lynn of Bremen, Ind.; two brothers, Clarence of Galien and Thomas of Buchanan; a sister Mildred Strauss of Three Oaks; nine grandchildren and a great-grandchild.
Services are Wednesday at 1:30 p.m. at the Pifer-Smith Funeral Home. The Rev. Robert Frietas of the Bertrand Bible Church will conduct the services. Burial will follow at Silverbrook Cemetery.
Friends may call from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m. Tuesday at the funeral home. Memorials may be given to the Bertrand Bible Church.
(Source: Niles Daily Star, Monday, February 8, 1989, page 2, col 2-3, microfilm Niles District Library)
James Vail
May 4, 1902-May 24, 1968
Niles Daily Star, Friday, May 24, 1968, page 2, col. 3, microfilm Niles District Library
James Vail 1344 Oak St. died at 7 a.m. today at Borgess Hospital, Kalamazoo, where he had been a patient for the past three months.
He was born May 4, 1902 in Dowagiac and had lived here since 1923.
He was a member of the Niles Elks Lodge No. 1322 and retired supervisor at Worthington Co., of Cleveland, Ohio.
In addition to his wife, Mildred, he is survived by a daughter, Mrs. Robert Garst, Grand Rapids, five sisters, Mrs. Ruth Pischke, South Bend, Mrs. Hazel Dewey, Benton Harbor; Mrs. Alice Bundy, Three Rivers; Mrs. Nettie Davis, Mrs. Wava Dixon, both of Dowagiac, and two grandchildren.
Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. Monday in the Pifer Funeral Home with the Rev. John Wyngarden of the First Presbyterian Church officiating. Burial will be in Silverbrook Cemetery.
Friends may call at the Funeral home after 7 p.m. Saturday.
William H. Umholtz
June 14, 1881-April 7, 1934
Niles Daily Star, Saturday, April 4, 1934, page 1, col. 2 and continued page 2, col. 8, microfilm Niles District Library
WILLIAM H. UMHOLTZ SUCCUMBS SUDDENLY
Suffers Heart Attack While on Operating Table in Physician's Office
William H. Umholtz, 52, partner with his elder brother, Charles, in the Umholtz Brothers Feed store, 319 Front street, died at 11 o'clock this morning on an operating table in the office of Dr. B.D. Giddings.
Death was due to a heart attack, Dr. Giddings said and occurred almost immediately after the physician began administering an anaesthetic for extraction of a number of teeth. The patient was conversing with the physician and an attendant when the attack came. Death was instantaneous and without a warning sign.
Mr. Umholtz had been in ill health the last six years and had been under continuous treatment for asthma and the heart affliction for many months. Also he recently had been suffering acutely with bad teeth. This morning at 9 o'clock he left his farm home two and one-half miles southwest of Niles, going first to the feed store and later to the doctor's office.
He consulted for some time with Dr. Giddings about removal of the teeth, which were causing him intense suffering. Extraction of a number of the teeth was decided upon and the patient was placed upon the physician's operating table. Death came almost immediately, breaking off conversation in the middle of a sentence the patient was uttering.
Mr. Umholtz was born June 15, 1881, (continued on page 2) on the Indiana side of the state line on the west side of and near the St. Joseph river. The family home at the time stood upon the state line. He was the son of George Umholtz, now a resident of Niles. His mother died two years ago.
Mr. Umholtz was married June 14, 1904, to Miss Maude Young, only daughter of Walter D. and Sarah Cameron Young, widely known Bertrand township farmers. No children were born of the union, but a foster son, Jack Sigwold, has lived with the family many years. They had for some years resided on the Young farm and were preparing to move into Niles.
Surviving besides the widow, foster son, brother, Charles, and the father, are two sisters, Mrs. Edward Steinbauer, 444 South St. Joseph avenue, Niles, and Mrs. Howard Neib, residing in Niles township west of the St. Joseph river.
Mr. Umholtz was a member of the Blue lodge and Royal Arch Masons, Eastern Star, and for 25 years a member of the Presbyterian church in Niles. The body was taken to the Price and Kiger funeral home.
Funeral arrangements are incomplete.
Niles Daily Star, Tuesday, April 10, 1934, page 2, col. 2, microfilm Niles District Library
UMHOLTZ FUNERAL HELD
Funeral services for William H. Umholtz, who died Saturday morning, were held at 2 o'clock this afternoon at the Price and Kiger funeral home with the Rev. G.W. Simon officiating. Burial was in Silverbrook cemetery.
August 15, 1838-February 4, 1925
Leonard H. North, 87, a resident of Niles for 11 years until last June when he went to South Bend died this morning at 9:50 o'clock at the home of his daughter, Mrs. O.A. Dever, 806 Lincolnway East, in that city. Mr. North was born in Petersboro, England, August 15, 1838. During his residence in Niles he lived in Vernon Heights until two years ago when on account of failing health he went to the home of Mrs. Dever, who then lived on north Fifth street in Niles. Besides Mrs. Dever, Mr. North is survived by two daughters and two sons, who are: Mrs. Julia Flynn, Jack and Leonard North, of Chicago, and Mrs. William Lyons of California. Two granddaughters, Mrs. Lila Moran Renbarger of South Bend and Mrs. F.B. Hyland of Chicago.
Funeral services will be held Friday afternoon at 2 o'clock at the Dever home. Rev. H.T. Scherer, pastor of the Presbyterian church in this city, will officiate. Burial will take place in Silver Brook cemetery.
(Source: Niles Daily Star, Wednesday, February 4, 1925, page 1, col. 7, microfilm Niles District Library)
August 26, 1900-May 4, 1963
Carl S. Keck, 62, of 2533 S.3rd St., died at 6 a.m. today in his home. He had been ill two years.
Mr. Keck, a retired carpenter, was born Aug., 26, 1900, in Lakeville, Ind. He came to Niles from Florida in 1920.
Survivors include a daughter, Mrs. Joyce Kenyon, Long Beach, Cailf.[sic]; his mother, Mrs. Pearl M. Keck, two brothers, E.C. and Lewis, and a sister, Mrs. Ted Schrader, all of Niles; and four grandchildren.
Funeral services will be conducted at 2 p.m. Tuesday in the Pifer Funeral Home. The Rev. A.O. Marialke, pastor of the Assembly of God Church, will officiate. Burial will be in Silverbrook Cemetery.
Friends will be received at the funeral home beginning Sunday evening.
(Source: Niles Daily Star, Saturday, May 4, 1963, page 2, col. 1-2, microfilm Niles District Library)
October 13, 1919-January 27, 1989
S. Richard Harker, Sr., 69, 1002 Herbert St., Niles, died Friday, Jan. 27, at 6:30 a.m. at Veteran's Administration Hospital in Ann Arbor. Death followed a lengthy illness.
A Navy veteran of World War II, Harker was born Oct. 13, 1919, in South Bend, Ind. He was a lifetime resident.
He is survived by a son, S. Richard Harker Jr. of Mesa, Ariz.; a daughter, Sandra Crawford of Parma; three brothers, Donald, William and Jack of Niles; and four grandchildren.
Services are scheduled for 11 a.m. Tuesday at Halbritter Funeral Home. The Rev. Arthur C. Murphy of Trinity United Methodist Church will officiate. Burial will follow at Silverbrook Cemetery.
Friends may call Monday from 7-9 p.m. at Halbritter Funeral Home.
(Source: Niles Daily Star, Saturday, January 28, 1989, page 2, col. 2, microfilm Niles District Library)