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.

Bell, Ruby

Mrs. Ruby Bell
1913-1946

Funeral Planned Friday for Mrs. Ruby Bell, 32, Who Died Tuesday

    Services will be held Friday at 2 p.m., for Mrs. Ruby Bell, 32, rural route five, who died Tuesday in Pawating hospital after a short illness.
    She was born in Ruleville, Miss., Oct. 21, 1913, and came to Niles from Indianola, Miss., five years ago.
    She is survived by her husband, Sylvester Bell, at home; one sister, Mrs. Willie Athony, Niles; and a brother, A.Z. Riley, of Detroit.
    The Rev. Dale Alexander will conduct the services from the Second Baptist church, and burial will be in Silverbrook cemetery under the direction of the Pifer funeral home.

(Source:  Niles Daily Star, Wednesday, August 28, 1946, page 2, col. 5, microfilm Niles District Library)

Lochinaw, Fred

Fred Lochinaw
Aug. 16, 1887-Aug.27, 1946
Fred Lochinaw, 59, Dies Tuesday in Ann Arbor Hospital

Berrien Springs, Aug. 28--Fred Lochinaw, 59, of rural route two, died Tuesday in University hospital, Ann Arbor, following a six month illness.
    He was born Aug. 16, 1887, in Berrien township, and had been a lifelong resident of this area.  He had been actively engaged in farming until his illness.  On Oct. 19, 1941, he was married to Lydia Radewald, in South Bend.
    Survivors include his wife, at home; three daughters, Mrs. William Forbes and Mrs. N.I. Ressler, both of Berrien Springs; and Mrs. Charles Swanstra, Bangor; two sisters, Mrs. Lillian Andrews, Benton Harbor; and Mrs. Ray Toney, Berrien Center; and two grandchildren.
Services on Friday
    Services will be conducted Friday at 2 p.m. in the Methodist church with the Rev. Paul Robinson officiating.  Burial will be in Silverbrook cemetery, Niles, under the direction of the Kiger funeral home.  Friends may call at Kiger's until Thursday at 4 p.m., when the body will be removed to the residence.

(Source: Niles Daily Star, Wednesday, August 28, 1946, page 2, col. 3, microfilm Niles District Library)

Brockway, Cyril E.

Cyril E. Brockway
Jan. 4, 1894-Aug. 24,1946


Services Tuesday for C.E. Brockway Who Died Saturday

Services will be conducted Tuesday at 2 p.m. for Cyril E. Brockway, 52, who died Saturday at 6:20 p.m., in his residence at 1401 Ferry street. He died suddenly as the result of a heart attack.

He was born in Galien, Jan. 4, 1894, and came to Niles about 25 years ago.  He had been an engineer on the Michigan Central railroad.  He was a member of the Brotherhood of Locomotive Firemen and Engineers.

Survivors Listed

His wife, Mrs. Catherine Brockway, died Sept. 27, 1945. He is survived by one son, Eugene, at home; one daughter, Mrs. Paul Mansfield, 1401 Ferry street; six sisters, Mrs. Ethel Thompson, Niles; Mrs. Gertrude Weed, 1432 Hickory street; Mrs. Edith Weed, Belle Plaine, Ia.: Miss Iva Brockway, and Mrs. Gladys Cradit, both of Kalamazoo; Mrs. Elmina Ferguson, Dayton; two brothers, Elwood, of Three Oaks; and Oliver, of Galien.

The Rev. Clarence K. Graham will conduct the services from the Pifer funeral home, and the burial will be in Silverbrook cemetery.  Friends may call at the funeral home.


Niles Daily Star, Monday, Aug. 26, 1946, page 2, col. 4, microfilm, page 2, col. 4, microfilm Niles District Library

Smith, John W.

J.W. Smith
Died July 6, 1923


J.W. Smith Dies Suddenly Today

    J.W. Smith, 72, died suddenly this morning about 10 o'clock at 110 South St. Joseph avenue.  Mr. Smith suffered a fall about three weeks ago and broke his hip.  He was apparently recovering and this morning appeared to be in usual health, when he was suddenly stricken with a heart attack and died just as the physician reached the house.
    The deceased had, for the last two years, been the efficient caretaker of Island park in the employ of the city, and was well known and highly respected.  He came to Niles about eight years ago.  He is survived by his wife and by five children.  The children are Horace Smith, Elm street; Mrs. Jessie Stone, Parkway; Mrs. Beulah Campbell, State street, Mrs. Bertha Bishoff of Buchanan, and Mrs. Blanche Mitchell of Morriston, Tenn.
    The funeral arrangements have not been made, pending word from the daughter in Tennessee.

(Source:  Niles Daily Star-Sun, Friday, July 6, 1923, page 7, col. 3, microfilm Niles District Library)

Steiner, Eliza

Eliza Broceus Steiner
February 27, 1841-January 3, 1929

Niles Daily Star, Thursday, January 8, 1929, page 1, col. 2, cont. page 4, col. 4, microfilm Niles District Library

MRS. ELIZA STEINER IS STRICKEN AFTER LIFE OF 88 YEARS IN COUNTY


The death this morning at 4:45 of Mrs. Eliza Steiner, widow of J.H. Steiner, brought to a close a long and interesting life at the age of 88 years.
Mrs. Steiner was quite active until about two weeks ago when she was stricken with a heavy cold and form of influenza, but although she seemed to recover from the cold she was not aagin[sic] able to leave her bed and complications arising from her advanced years caused her death.  Her death occurred at the home of her daughter, Mrs.George White, at 1029 N. Front street, where Mrs. Steiner had for a number of years practically made her home.
Mrs. Steiner's maiden name was Eliza Broceus. She was born on Feb. 27, 1841, a daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Abram Broceus, who had come to the district of Glendora, Berrien County from Ohio.  Mr. Broceus cut green logs for a cabin for his family and completed it about Christmas time.  Six weeks later the daughter, Eliza, was born.  She went through woods where wolves and Indians were not infrequent sights to the Hills Corners school. One of her teachers, Jacob Ullery, still resides in Berrien county on the old Ullery homestead north of Niles.  He will be 91 years old on January 21.
In 1860 she was married to Justus (continued on Page 4) H. Steiner and moved to a farm on Portage Prairie, south of Buchanan.  Thirteen years later they moved to the Steiner farm four miles north of Niles and the farm still remained in the possession of Mrs. Steiner at the time of her death and she had spent part of the summers there for several years, although her husband died in 1911.  Among her cherished possessions was the old spinning wheel which which Abram Broceus had bought for her mother in 1845.
Of the seven children born to Mr. and Mrs. Steiner, five survive their mother.  They are Mrs. William Wells, Dowagiac, Mrs. H. Elmer, Winona, Minn., William Steiner, Niles, Frank Steiner, South Bend, and Mrs. George White, of Niles.  Among the surviving grandchildren is Miss Stella Hammond, a supervisor of music the public schools.  Besides her children and grandchildren, Mrs. Steiner is survived by four sisters who are Mrs. Mary Ann Quint, [illegible], Iowa, Mrs. George [illegible] Fowler, all of Buchanan.  Mrs. Steiner enjoyed a wide acquaintance in Berrien county and many mourn the passing of the prominent and highly respected pioneer.
The funeral plans are not completed pending word from Mrs. Elmer but the services will probably be held on Sunday afternoon at the home of Mr. and Mrs. White. Mrs. White is confined to her bed by influenza but a slight improvement is noted in her condition today.

Niles Daily Star, Friday, January 4, 1929, page 4, col. 4, microfilm Niles District Library

The services for Mrs. Eliza Steiner, 88, who died on Thursday will be held on Sunday afternoon at 1:30 at the home of her son-in-law and daughter, Mr. and Mrs. George White, 1209 N. Front Street.  Rev. W.H. Campfield, pastor of the Evangelical church in Buchanan, will officiate.  Burial will take place in Silver Brook cemetery.

Steiner, J.H.

Justus H. Steiner
Died February 11, 1911


BURIAL WEDNESDAY
J.H. Steiner Died Saturday after long illness

    J.H. Steiner, father of Mrs. L.J. Hammond of 1001 N. Front street, who died at his country home north of Niles Saturday afternoon at five o'clock, will be buried Wednesday afternoon, February fifteenth.
    Services will be read at one o'clock at the home by Rev. Kring, pastor of the Evangelical church of Portage Prairie of which Mr. Steiner has been a member for years.  Burial in the Riverside[sic] cemetery.

(Source; Niles Daily Sun, Monday, February 13, 1911, page 1, col. 5, microfilm Niles District Library)

    Funeral services for J.H. Steiner were held at 1 o'clock this afternoon from the house, four and a half miles north. Rev. Kring of the Portage Prairie Evangelical church conducted the services. There was a large attendance.  Many beautiful floral emblems were in evidence.  Interment was at Silver Brook cemetery.

(Source: Niles Daily Star, Wednesday, February 15, 1911, page 3, col. 2, microfilm Niles District Library)

Steiner, Frank J.

Frank J. Steiner
1869-October 5, 1946

Niles Daily Star, Wednesday, March 6, 1946, page 2, col. 6, microfilm Niles District Library

FRANK J. STEINER DIES ON TUESDAY


Frank J. Steiner, 77, father of Dr Gail Steiner, 1615 Broadway, died in his home in South Bend Tuesday at 2:30 p.m. after five months of illness.
The son of Mr. and Mrs. Justice Steiner, he was born in Portage Prairie near Niles in 1869 and was married in 1892 in Niles to the former Miss Frankie Case.  As a young man he moved to South Bend and for the past 40 years has been employed by the Samuel Spiro company in the clothing business. He was a member of the Methodist church in South Bend.
He is survived by his wife; two daughters, Mrs. Otto Baker, and Miss Sylvia Steiner, both of South Bend; three sons, Dr. Charles Steiner and Robert Steiner, both of South Bend, and Dr. Gail Steiner, Niles; and seven grandchildren.
Friends may call at the home after 5 p.m. today. The funeral has been set for 4:30 p.m. EST Friday in the Community church at Roseland, with the Reverend Mr. Meeker officiating.  Burial will be in Silverbrook cemetery at Niles.