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.

Jones, Deo E.

Deo E. Jones
May 25, 1922-August 27, 2003

Deo Earl Jones, 81, who resided at 22451 Painter Street, Edwardsburg, Mich., passed away at 2 a.m. Wednesday, Aug. 27,  2003, in his home.

He was born May 25, 1922, in Beloit, Wis., the son of the late Arthur and Edith (Taylor) Jones.  He was also preceded in death by a brother, Robert Burr, and by a sister, Emma Bochover.  Deo had lived in Niles, Mich., and Mishawaka, Ind., before moving here in 1971. He was a retired machine repair technician for Miles Lab in Elkhart, Ind.

Deo was married Sept. 6, 1958, in Niles, to Lucille (Conrad) Kirkendall, who survives.  He is also survived by two daughters, Anita Vickery of Kalamazoo, Mich., and Jean (Lloyd) Huber of Niles; four sons, Richard (Linda) Jones of Three Rivers, Mich., Michael Jones, Robert Jones of Niles and George W. (Joyce) Kirkendall of Zephyrhills, Fla.; and by 13 grandchildren, 28 great-grandchildren and three great-great-grandchildren.

Friends will be received from 2 to 4 and 6 to 8 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 31, (Mich. time) in the Paul E. Mayhew Funeral Home. Services will be at 11 a.m. Tuesday, Sept. 2, (Mich. time) where friends may call one hour before services. Pastor Mike Owen of the 1st Baptist Church, Newberg, in Jones, Mich., will officiate. Burial will be at Silverbrook Cemetery, Niles.

Deo was a veteran of the U.S. Army during World War II, a member of Edwardsburg American Legion Post 365, a member of the V.F.W. of Mishawaka, and was a member of Cass County Senior Citizens.

Memorials may be made to the Cass County Council on Aging, P.O. Box 5, Cassopolis, MI 49031-0005.

Submitted by family member; publication details unknown  

Johnston, Miriam M.

Miriam M. Johnston
April 26, 1918-Sept. 8, 2007

Miriam M. Johnston, 89, formerly of North Thirteenth Street, died Saturday, Sept. 8, 2007, in Riveridge Manor following a brief illness. She was born April 26, 1918. She was preceded in death by her parents Simeon and Maude Johnston. Miriam had no siblings and was never married. She is survived by a circle of neighbors, fellow telephone company retirees, and friends from her church.  Funeral services will be at 11 a.m. Thursday, Sept. 13 in Wesley United Methodist church.  Friends may call from 6 to 8 p.m. Wednesday in Halbritter Funeral Home.

Submitted by family member; publication details unknown.

Johnson, Robert E.

Robert E. Johnson
March 5, 1928-April 29, 2007

Robert E. Johnson, 79, of Oak Street,  Niles, died following a brief illness on Sunday, April 29, 2007, in Lakeland Hospital.  He was born March 5, 1928.  He is survived by his wife, Jennie Marie Johnson; children, Kathy (David) Sullivan of Buchanan, Susan (David) Hare of Niles and Becky (Roy) Paturalski of Buchanan; six grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren.  Services will be held at the graveside 3 p.m. Friday at Silverbrook Cemetery. There will be no visitation. Arrangements made by Halbritter Funeral Home.

Submitted by family member; publication details unknown 

Johnson, Marjorie A.

Marjorie Ann Johnson
November 12, 1930-January 1, 2007

Marjorie Ann Johnson, 76,  of Niles, died at 7:55 p.m. Monday, Jan. 1, 2007, in her home. She was born Nov. 12, 1930.  Survivors include a son, Todd C. (Jane) Johnson of Buchanan; daughter, Kristy Hall of Niles; grandchildren, John (Stacy) Hall, Jennifer Hall, Amanda Johnson, Charles T. Johnson and Rose Johnson; and an aunt, Irma Monahon. There will be no services or visitation. Burial will be at Silverbrook Cemetery. Hoven Funeral Home, Buchanan, is handling arrangements.

Submitted by family member; publication details unknown

Johnson, Irene M.

Irene M. Johnson
1920-February 6, 2007

Irene M. Johnson, 86, died Tuesday, Feb. 6, 2007 in West Woods of Niles of an illness. Survivors include her daughters, Barbara Brockhoff of Fort Wayne and Ilene Johnson of Dover, DE; a son, William H. Nichols III of Niles; 11 grandchildren; 12 great-grandchildren and three great-great-grandchildren and a special friend, Mary Presley, who grew up at the Johnson home. Services will be at 11 a.m. Feb. 12 in Halbritter funeral Home, where friends may call from 2 to 4 p.m. Sunday.

Submitted by family member; publication details unknown 

Johnson, Harold V. Sr.

Harold V. Johnson
January 3, 1913-March 28, 2001

Harold V. Johnson Sr., 88, was born on Jan. 3, 1913, in Warsaw, Ind.  He passed away of cancer on Wednesday, March 28, 2001, after a brief illness, at Harborside Healthcare, Palm Harbor, Fla.

At an early age he moved with his family to Niles, Mich.  He is survived by two sons, Vance of Reston, Va., and David of Pine Island, Fla., and Martin, Mich.; five grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren. He is also survived by his lifelong friend and recent companion, Lucille Hand of Saranac, Mich.

Harold graduated from Niles High School in 1931.  In 1937 he married Shirlee Eleanor Freyer of Niles and they raised their two sons in Niles.  Shirlee died in 1998 after 60 years of marriage.

He was a tool and die maker, first for the Kawneer Corporation in Niles and then for Bendix Aviation of South Bend and Mishawaka, Ind.  He retired in 1972.  He was a summer resident of Indian Lake, Dowagiac, Mich., for 27 years.  For many years he was a resident of Sandy Pines Recreation Park in Hopkins, Mich., in the summer and Holiday, Fla., in the winter.  He had been a year-round resident of Holiday for the last 10 years.

There will be a private service for the family, and interment at Silverbrook Cemetery, Niles.

Donations in his memory may be made to the Moffitt Cancer Center Foundation, 12902 Magnolia Drive, Tampa, FL 33612.

Thomas B. Dobies Funeral Home, Holiday, Fla., is handling arrangements.

Submitted by family member; publication details unknown

Johnson, Gunther M.

Gunther M. Johnson
Sept. 20, 1944-November 21, 2000

Gunther M. Johnson, 56, of 2006 Ontario Road, Lot 96, Niles, Mich., died on Tuesday, Nov. 21, 2000, in Lakeland Regional Medical Center of natural causes.

He was born on Sept. 20, 1944 in Germany.  He was a customer account specialist.  He served in the armed services.

On Feb. 9, 1973, he married Marilyn Smith who survives. Also surviving is a son, Joseph Johnson of Niles.

Services will be at 11 a.m. on Monday, Nov. 27, in Pifer-Smith Funeral Home. Burial will be in Silverbrook Cemetery, Niles.

Friends may cal from 6 to 8 p.m. on Sunday in the funeral home.

Submitted by family member; publication details unknown