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.

Carpenter, Wyman

Vickie Caison Obituaries February 28, 2009

Wyman Carpenter
July 17, 1861-October 15, 1939

Wyman Carpenter, 78, Dies Sunday at home on Route 2.

Wyman Carpenter 78, resident of Milton township and vicinity all his life, died Sunday morning in his home on route 2 east of Niles. He had been ill three months.

Except for six year employment with the Grand Trunk railway lines he had spent his entire life in farming.

Surviving are his wife, Addie; a daughter, Mary Jane at home; a brother, Alva Carpenter, Niles and a sister, Mrs. Flora Martin, Elkhart.

He was born in Milton Township July 17, 1861, and was married in 1883 to his wife who survives.

Services will be at the home Tuesday afternoon at 2 with the Rev. G. W. Simon officiating. Burial will be in Silverbrook Cemetery. The I.O.O.F, of which he was a member will conduct the committal services.

Submitted by family member; publication details unknown

Carpenter, Sophia (Kelner)

Vickie Caison Obituaries February 28, 2009

Sophia Carpenter
March 6, 1860-April 7, 1951

Mrs. Sophia Carpenter, 932 South Thirteenth Street, died at 5:15 a.m. today in her home after an illness of 10 days.

Surviving is a son, Carl Carpenter, and two daughters, Mrs. Alma Shook and Mrs. Louise Moneysmith, both of Niles; 15 grandchildren; 22 great-grandchildren and thee great-great-grandchildren; and one brother, George Kelner of Wawaka, Ind.

Mrs. Carpenter was born on March 6, 1860 in Noble county Wawaka, Ind., and came here from the Community in 1883. She was a member of the First Methodist church.

Friends may call at the Pifer funeral home, where services will be conducted at 2 p.m. Monday by the Rev. L. George Beacock, Methodist pastor. Burial will be in Silverbook Cemetery.

Submitted by family member; publication details unknown

Carpenter, Ruth Fay (Hartman)

Vickie Caison Obituaries February 28, 2009

Ruth Fay (Hartman) Carpenter
March 30, 1895-June 13, 1958*

Mrs. Ruth Fay Carpenter, 63, 196 East Villanova Drive, Claremont, Calif., after an illness of several months.

Mrs. Carpenter came to Niles from Akron Ind., in 1911 and formerly lived at 627 James Street. She also resided with Mr. Cora Carpenter, 940 North Fifth Street until September 1957, when she moved to California to reside with her daughter, Mrs. George Chickar.

Her husband, Harvey E. Carpenter, died Feb. 6, 1955. survivors are her daughter, four granddaughters; two sisters, Mrs. Lottie Purdue and Mrs. Goldie Hartman, both of Rochester, Ind.; and four brother, Roy Hartman, Fulton, Ind., Willard Hartman, Paw Paw, Robert Hartman, Peru, Ind., and Willis Hartman, Rochester, and. friends may call at the Kiger-Halbritter Funeral Home, where services will be conducted at 2 p.m. Tuesday by the Rev. Forrest Anderson, pastor of the First Assembly of God. Burial will be in Silverbook Cemetery.

Submitted by family member; publication details unknown

*DOB/DOD from California Death Index, 1940-1997

Carpenter, Otto Wilson

Vickie Caison Obituaries February 28, 2009

Otto Wilson Carpenter
January 22, 1888-June 25, 1950

Otto Wilson Carpenter, 62, 1121 North Sixth Street, died suddenly Sunday evening in his trailer at Eagle Lake where he had gone to do some work.

Surviving are his sons, Wilson J. and Joseph, and a daughter, Jean, all at home; and his brotherw, Frank, Ray and Wilbur Carpenter, all of Niles and Arthur Carpenter of Tucson. Ariz.

Carpenter was born in Wabash, Ind., Jan.22, 1888, and came here from Indiana four years ago. He was a carpenter by trade.

Services will be conducted at 2 p.m. Wednesday by the Rev. L. George Beacock at the Pifer Funeral home, where friends may call. Burial will be in Silverbrook Cemetery.

Submitted by family member; publication details unknown

Carpenter, Messick

Vickie Caison Obituaries February 28, 2009

Messick Carpenter
June 3, 1872-Nov. 18, 1922

Messick Carpenter dies in hospital.

Messick Carpenter, 1424 Broadway died this morning at 1 o’clock at St. Joseph’s Hospital in South Bend where he had been a patient for about three months suffering with a complication of diseases. The body will be brought to the Troost undertaking rooms today. The funeral arrangements have not been made. Mr. Carpenter was about 54 years old. He is survived by three children, Mildred, Lloyd and Leon, whose ages range from eight to 15 years. Mrs. Carpenter whose maiden name was Bertha Starr, died four years ago. Besides the children, Mr. Carpenter is survived by his brother, Elmer, 1424 Broadway. Until ill health prevented Mr. Carpenter was employed in the freight department of the Michigan Central railway company.

Funeral services for Messick Carpenter, who died Saturday morning at St. Joseph Hospital in South Bend where held this morning at the Evangelical Church in west Niles. Rev. Peter Schurman conducted the services. Misses Dahlstrom and Willard sang. Burial took place in Silverbrook Cemetery.

Submitted by family member; publication details unknown

Carpenter, John Byron 1859-1933

Vickie Caison Obituaries February 28, 2009

John Byron Carpenter
Oct. 17, 1859-May 26, 1933

Niles Daily Star (Niles, Berrien Co., MI), Monday, May 29, 1933, page 2, col. 5, microfilm Niles District Library

John Carpenter Dies of Lobar Pneumonia

John Byron Carpenter, 73, died in his home, 932 South Thirteenth Street Sunday morning at 12:30 after a brief illness with lobar pneumonia. He became ill last Friday morning.

Mr. Carpenter was born in Milton Township, Cass county, a son of Purnell W. and Elvira French Carpenter on Oct. 17, 1859. He lived the greater part of his life in Cass and Berrien counties but had made his home also in Niles for a number of years.

Mr. Carpenter was married on October 17, 1865 in Miss Sophia Speckien at Wawaka, Ind, who with one son, Carl Carpenter of Milton Township, Cass County and two daughters, Mrs. John Shook and Mrs. William Moneysmith of Niles survive him. Five of the children born to Mr. and Mrs. Carpenter preceded him in death.

Besides the widow and children. Mr. Carpenter is survived by a sister, Mrs. Florence Martin of Elkhart, Ind., two brothers, Wyman Carpenter of Howard Township and Alva Carpenter of Milton township; a half brother, Elmer Carpenter of Niles; 16 grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.

More than 30 years ago Mr. Carpenter united with the Methodist denomination. He was a member of the Methodist church in Niles.

The funeral services will be held Wednesday afternoon at 3 o’clock in the Methodist church. The pastor, the Rev. Robert Meader, will officiate. Burial will be made in the family lot in Silverbrook cemetery.

Niles Daily Star (Niles, Berrien Co., MI), Wednesday, May 31, 1933, page 3, col. 2, microfilm Niles District Library

The Rev. Robert Meader, pastor of the Methodist church conducted the funeral services this afternoon in the Methodist church for Byron Carpenter, 72, who died Sunday of pneumonia. Burial was made in the family lot in Silverbrook cemetery.

Carpenter, James Elmer

Vickie Caison Obituaries February 28, 2009

James Elmer Carpenter
Feb. 22, 1868-March 9, 1952

Niles Daily Star, Monday, March 10, 1952, Page 2. col. 5, microfilm Niles District Library

James Elmer Carpenter, of rural route six, died at 3:15 a.m. Sunday in the Grand Rapids home of a son, Orsie Carpenter, where he had been visiting.

Also surviving are a son, Milford, of Niles; about 25 grandchildren, and one-half-brother, Alvie Carpenter, of Niles. He was born on Feb. 22, 1868, in Howard township, Cass county, and had lived all his lifelife in this community.

Friends may call at the Pifer funeral home, where services will be conducted at 2 p.m Tuesday by the Rev. T.M. Greenhoe, Presbyterian pastor. Burial will be in Silverbrook cemetery.

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