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.

Asmus, William F.

William F. Asmus

July 7, 1873 – May 23, 1965

     Funeral services for William F. Asmus, 91 of 1312 N. Front St. will be conducted at 2 p.m. Wednesday in the Halbritter-Swem Funeral Home. The Rev. Earl J. Wickstrom, pastor of the First Baptist Church, will officiate. Burial will be at Silverbrook Cemetery.

     He died at 11:48 p.m. Sunday in the Dor-A-Lin Nursing Home here following a three year illness.

     Mr. Asmus, a retired foreman of the Kawneer Company, was born July 7, 1873 in Frauenbreitungen, Germany. He came to Niles from that country in 1886. His wife, Minnie, died Jan. 17, 1948.

     Survivors include three daughters, Mrs. Jessie Behm, Mrs. Harry Atkins and Mrs. Ruth Griffith, all of Niles; eight grandchildren, 21 great-grandchildren and two great-great-grandchildren. He was a member of the First Baptist Church, the Maccabees, the 25 year club of the Kawneer Company and a former member of the Kawneer Management Club.

     Friends are being received at the funeral home.

Published Niles Daily Star, May 25, 1965.

Asmus, Minnie May

Minnie May Asmus
May 4, 1877-January 17, 1948

Niles Daily Star, Monday, January 19, 1948, page 2, col. 5, microfilm Niles District Library

Mrs. Minnie Asmus, 1312 North Front street, died of a heart attack on Saturday at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Carl Asmus, Pasadena, Cal., where she went last November because for her health.

Mrs. Asmus was born north of Niles on May 4, 1877, daughter of Matilda and Jesse Jones. On Aug. 7, 1895, she married William F. Asmus, Niles, at South Bend, Ind.  They had celebrated their golden wedding anniversary two years ago.

Besides her husband, she leaves surviving three daughters, Mrs. Jessie Welsher, Mrs. Harry Atkins and Mrs. Murrel Griffith, all of Niles, eight grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.

She was a member of the First Baptist church and of the Lady Maccabees.

Funeral arrangement have been tentatively set for 3 p.m. on Friday at the Kiger Funeral home to be conducted by the Rev. C.K. Graham, pastor of the First Baptist church. Burial wll be in Silverbrook cemetery.


Niles Daily Star, Thursday, January 22, 1948, page 2, col. 3, microfilm Niles District Library

Funeral services for Mrs. Minnie Asmus, 1312 North Front Street, who died of a heart attack on Saturday at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Carl Asmus, Pasadena, Cal., where she went last November because of her health, will be conducted at 3 p.m. tomorrow in the Kiger Funeral Home.


The Rev. Clarence Graham pastor of the First Baptist Church will officiate. Burial will be at Silverbrook Cemetery.


William Asmus and Mrs. Carl Asmus have arrived from Pasadena, CA, for the rites and are staying at the home of Harry Atkins, 93 Marmont Street.

Asmus, Herman C.

Herman C. Asmus
June 28, 1888 – Dec. 3, 1963,

Niles Daily Star, Tuesday, December 3, 1963, page 2, col. 3, microfilm Niles District Library

Herman C. Asmus, 75, of 1602 N. 11th St., died at 2 a.m. today in Veterans Hospital, Dearborn. He had been a patient in Veteran Administration Hospital for the past 30 years.

He was born June 28, 1888 in Niles. He lived here all of his life.

Mr. Asmus last employment was with the New York Central. He was a member of St. Johns United Church of Christ and Niles Elks Lodge 1332. He was a veteran of World War I.

Surviving are two sisters, Mrs. August Walter, Niles and Mrs. Clara Parker, Silver Springs.

Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. Thursday in Pifer Funeral Home, with the Rev  Richard Fraser, pastor of St. John’s Church officiating. Veteran participating in the committal serves. Burial will be at Silverbrook Cemetery.

Friends may call starting Wednesday evening at the funeral home.

 

Asmus, Harold L.

Harold L. Asmus

July 13, 1905 – Dec. 28, 1995

NILES – Harold L. Asmus, 90, of 949 Ruth Layne, died at 2:30 a.m. today in Lakeland Medical Center., Niles, of natural causes. Mr. Asmus retired in 1968 as a foremen from Kawneer Corp. He was born July 13, 1905, in Niles. On April 13, 1935 in Niles, he married Thelma E. Jurgensen. She survives with a daughter, Linda Villwock of Dowagiac; two grandchildren and a great-grandson. Mr. Asmus was a member of St. John’s United Church of Christ, Kawneer Management Club and Kawneer 25 year club. He played on the Niles High School State Champion Baseball Team.

Services will be at 10 a.m. Saturday in the church. Burial will be at Silverbrook Cemetery. Friends may call from 2 to 4 and 6 to 8 p.m. Friday in Pifer-Smith Funeral Home. Memorial contributions may be made to the church.

Submitted by family member; publication details unknown

Asmus, George Casper 1857-1930

George Casper Asmus
Aug. 26, 1857 – March 2, 1930

Niles Daily Star (Niles, Berrien Co., MI), Monday, March 3, 1930, page 1, col. 1, microfilm Niles District Library

George C. Asmus died after a long illness.
Passed away in 72nd year from a complication of diseases.

Death claimed George Casper Asmus, 72, 1715 N. Eleventh street, on Sunday evening at 8 o’clock at Pawating hospital where he had been a patient continuously with the exception of three weeks for nine months prior to his death suffering with complication of diseases. Mr. Asmus had been a resident of Niles for 50 years.

Born in Salzungen Kries Meinigen, Germany on August 26, 1957, he grew to manhood there and was married there to Hulda Janson.  Soon after the birth of their first child, now Mrs. Augusta Walters, wife of Charles Walters, Mr. Asmus came to American alone and directly to Niles.  In order to establish a home for his family, which he did and they then came to Niles to make their home. Mrs. Asmus died 25 years ago. Of the five children born to them, four survive their father. They are Mrs. Charles Walters, Mrs. Mirto Bigsby, Mrs. Edward Parker and Herman Asmus who served during the World War and who for 18 months has been in the Veteran hospital in Camp Custer on account of ill health contracted during the war.  He will be unable to come to Niles for the funeral services.

Another daughter, Anna Asmus died 19 years ago a victim of diphtheria. Besides the children Mr. Asmus is survived by a brother, Ernest, who lives in Germany.

Mr. Asmus was a member and faithful attendant of St. John’s Evangelical Church and active in its organizations. He was last employed at the Kawneer Plant. He was a member of St. John’s Brotherhood and of the German Workingmen’s Benevolent society.

The funeral services will be held Wednesday afternoon at 2 o’clock in the home of Mr. and Mrs. Walters, 1602 N. 11th Street. Rev. W.G. Webbink will officiate. Burial will be made at Silverbrook Cemetery. 

 

Niles Daily Star (Niles, Berrien Co., MI), Tuesday, March 4, 1930, page 4, col. 1, microfilm Niles District Library

Niles News in Brief: FUNERAL GEO. ASMUS

In the account of the death of George Asmus published on Monday the name of a deceased daughter was incorrectly given as Miss Anna Asmus. The daughter who died 15 years ago of diphtheria was Miss Hattie Asmus. Besides the four children who survive Mr. Asmus, five grandchildren survive. The funeral services will be held tomorrow afternoon in the home of Mr. and Mrs. Charles Walters, 1602 N. Eleventh street. The Rev. G.W. Webbink will officiate. Burial will be made in Silver Brook cemetery.

 

Niles Daily Star (Niles, Berrien Co., MI), Wednesday, March 5, 1930, page 4, col. 3, microfilm Niles District Library

Niles News in Brief: FUNERAL GEO. ASMUS

Funeral services for George Asmus were held this afternoon in the home of his daughter, Mrs. Charles Walters, 1602 N. Eleventh street. The Rev. G.W. Webbinck[sic], pastor of St. John's church officiated. Burial was made in Silver Brook cemetery.

 

Ausmus (Asmus), Elizabeth

Elizabeth Ausmus

Feb. 25, 1868 – Nov. 3, 1936

Mrs. E. Ausmus, 78, resident of Niles 74 years stricken.

     Mrs. Elizabeth Ausmus, 68, of 1201 North Sixth Street, died at 7 o’clock this morning at her home. Mrs. Ausmus had been ill for the past six years, seriously for the past five months.

     Born in Germany Feb. 25, 1868, Mrs. Ausmus moved to Niles at the age of four. On April 14, 1884 she was married to Adam Ausmus in the St. John’s Evangelical Church by Rev. Walter. The couple celebrated their 50 wedding anniversary in 1934.

     Beside her husband she is survived by a daughter, Mrs. Rex Leach and a sister, Mrs. Charles Deutsch, both of Niles.

     Mrs. Ausmus was a member of the St. John’s Evangelical church and also the St. John’s ladies aid.

     Funeral services will be conducted at the home at 2 o’clock Friday afternoon by the Rev. Theo Eisen. Burial will be at Silverbook Cemetery.

     Friends may call at the home to view the body.

(Source: Niles Daily Star, Tuesday, Nov. 3, 1936, page 1, col 7, microfilm Niles District Library)

Asmus, Duane E.

Duane E. Asmus

Aug. 13, 1926 – Feb. 10, 1999

      Mr. Duane E. Asmus, 72, of 1415 Sioux Trail, Niles, Mich., died following an extended illness at 3:35 p.m. on Wednesday, Feb. 10, at his home.

     Mr. Asmus was born on Aug. 13, 1926 in Niles, to DeVerne and Ella (Villwock) Asmus, and had lived in Niles all of his life.

     He was retired in 1981 from the City of Niles, having served more than 24 years as a firefighter.  He had also been employed for 22 years by the Niles community Schools as a bus driver, and had been employed for the past seven years as the school crossing guard at Sarka Lane and Chicago Road.

     He was a lifelong member of Saint John’s United Church of Christ, Niles, where he had served on many boards and in many offices.   He was a veteran of World War II, serving in the United States Army, and was a member of the Loyal Order of Moose, Lodge 449, Buchanan, MI.  He enjoyed camping and bird watching, but his greatest interest was his grandchildren.

     On Oct. 21, 1950, in Saint John’s Church, he was married to the former Lois Jane Siebert, who survives.

     He is also survived by their children and their families; a son, Garry Duane and Sandy Asmus of Niles, and their sons, Brian and James; a son, Steven Edward and Kathy Asmus of Vandalia and their children, Edward, Amy, Matthew and Kristin; and daughter, Sue Ann and Bart Benjamin of Niles and their children, Bradley and Anna.

     Funeral services for Duane E. Asmus will be at 10 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 13 in the Halbritter Funeral Home, Niles, with Rev. Al Bastin of Saint John’s United church of Christ officiating. Committal services will be at Silverbrook Cemetery, Niles, followed by the veteran’s flag presentation by American Legion Acting Commander Harry Roberts.

     Visitation will be from 5 to 8 p.m. today in the funeral home. An honor guard of the Niles City Fire Department will serve at the visitation and funeral.

     Contributions in memory of Mr. Asmus may be made to Saint John’s United Church of Christ or to Hospice at home.

Submitted by family member; publication details unknown.