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.

PInkerton, Catherine 1865-1946

Catherine Pinkerton
Jan. 3, 1865-Jan. 17, 1946

Niles Daily Star (Niles, Berrien Co., MI), Thursday, January 17, 1946, page 2, col. 5, microfilm Niles District Library

Wife of Accident Victim Dies in County Hospital

Mrs. Catherine Pinkerton, 81, rural route four, Niles, a lifelong resident of this region, died this morning in Berrien Center hospital after an illness of six years.

Her husband, John, was killed in a highway accident last May. A son, Earl Dowd, of St. Joseph, and two grandchildren survive.

Mrs. Pinkerton was born in Berrien county Jan 3, 1865 and lived here all her life. Funeral services will be held at the Pifer funeral home Saturday at 2 p.m. The Rev. J.W. Hyink, Bertrand, will officiate and burial will be in Silverbrook cemetery.

 

 

Ray, Sadie 1889-1946

Sadie Ray
Aug. 10, 1889-Jan. 3, 1946

Niles Daily Star (Niles, Berrien Co., MI), Friday, January 4, 1946, page 2, col. 4, microfilm Niles District Library


Mrs. Sadie Ray, Life-Long Niles Resident, Dies

Mrs. Sadie Ray, 56, of 110 ½ East Main street, a life-long resident of Niles, died Thursday evening at her home. She was born in Niles Aug. 10, 1889.

Surviving is her husband, James; five children, Mrs. Mable Phillips, Ohio; Mrs. Francis Self, Ill.; Mrs. Clayton Boht, rural route three, Niles; Mrs. Walter Babbish and Charles Webber, both of Niles. A brother Frank Merritt and a sister, Mrs. Arthur Thompson, both live in Niles. Six grandchildren also survive.

Funeral services will be conducted at the Pifer funeral home Saturday at 2 p.m. The Rev. L. George Beacock will officiate. Burial will be in Silverbrook cemetery.

Ritter, Floyd W. 1900-1945

Floyd W. Ritter
July 28, 1900-Nov. 22, 1945

Niles Daily Star (Niles, Berrien Co., MI), Friday, November 23, 1945, page 2, col. 8, microfilm Niles District Library

Rites Set for Floyd W. Ritter

After being in ill health for a year, Floyd W. Ritter, 45, of 741 Platt street, died at his home at 6:30 Thursday morning.

Born in Marion, Ind., on July 28, 1900, he came here from Gas City, Ind. 18 years ago and was employed by a St. Paul, Minn. firm

In addition to his widow, Maude, he is survived by a son, Floyd, Jr., with the United States Navy in China, his parents, Gola Ritter, of Gas City, and Mrs. Mary Nichols, of Elwood, Ind.; a sister, Mrs. Mildred Fite, of Elwood,; and two step-brothers, Kenneth and Donald.

Friends may call at the Pifer funeral home where services will be conducted at 2 Monday afternoon by the Rev. L. George Beacock, pastor of the Methodist church. Burial will be in Silverbrook cemetery.

Maxson, Hulda 1874-1956

Hulda Maxson
Sept. 7, 1874-March 4, 1956

 

Niles Daily Star (Niles, Berrien Co., MI), Monday, March 4, 1956, page 2, col. 5, microfilm Niles District Library

 

Mrs. Hulda Maxson, 81, 1637 Superior Street, died at 5:40 a.m., Sunday in the Berrien County Hospital at Berrien Center following a brief illness.

Mrs. Maxson was born Sept. 7, 1874, in Mansfield, O., and came to Niles about 30 years ago from Van Wert, Ohio. Surviving are: three sons, Raymond Croghan, of Clark lake, Mich., Elmer Groghan, of Fort Wayne, Ind., and James Marshall, of San Francisco, Calif.; two daughters, Mrs. Nora Johnson, of Mendon, Mich., and Mrs. Ben Jasper of Niles; 34 grandchildren, and a half-brother, Jacob Hoover, of Fort Wayne, Ind.

Funeral Services will be held at 2 p.m. Tuesday in the Pifer Funeral Home here with the Rev. Paul Blomquist, associate pastor of the First Methodist Church, officiating. Burial will be in Silverbrook Cemetery. Friends may call at the funeral home.

Pfister, Anna May 1884-1956

Anna May Pfister
Aug. 11, 1884-March 3, 1956

Niles Daily Star (Niles, Berrien Co., MI), Saturday, March 3, 1956, page 2, col. 5, microfilm Niles District Library

Mrs. Anna May Pfister, 71, of 1062 Bame Avenue, died at 5:20 a.m. today in Pawating Hospital following an extended illness.

Mrs. Pfister was born Aug. 11, 1884, in LaFayette, Ind., and came to Niles in 1920 from Michigan City, Ind. Her husband, Grant, died in April, 1955. She was a member of the Pythian Sisters.

Survivors are four daughters, Mrs. Willard Seeger, of Detroit, Mrs. William E. McLain, of Marshall, Mrs. Oscar Schrumpf and Mrs. Armond Baird, both of Niles; three sons, Harry Hoelscher, of Chicago, Elmer Pfister, of Flint, and Roger Pfister, of Niles; 10 grandchildren; eight great-grandchildren, and three sisters, Mrs. Cora Oglesby, of Laurel, Ind., Mrs. Emma Hoey, of Chicago, and Mrs. Lillian Russell, of Gary, Inc.

Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m., Monday in the Pifer Funeral Home with Dr. T.M. Greenhoe, pastor of the First Presbyterian Church, officiating. Burial will be in Silverbrook Cemetery. Friends may call at the funeral home.

 

 

Salee, Charles M. 1873-1945

Charles M. Salee
March 16, 1873-Jan. 8, 1945

 Niles Daily Star (Niles, Berrien Co., MI), Wednesday, January 9, 1945, page 2 col. 7, microfilm Niles Daily Star

 Heart Ailment Fatal to Man, 72

Charles M. Salee, 72, Elkhart died in his home Tuesday at 2 p.m. Of a heart ailment. A native of Niles, Salee had been ill since Christmas.

He was born March 16, 1873 in Niles, the son of Jerry and Eleanor Phillip Salee. He married Laura Emily Smith, who survives on June 25, 1896.

 Funeral Friday

 Other survivers[sic] are a son, George C. Salee, and two daughters, Mrs. L.V. Shearer and Mary Jane Salee, all of Elkhart; a sister, Mrs. Omar Lamberton, of Jones, and five grandchildren. A son, Charles Russell Salee, died Sept. 14, 1945.

Funeral services will be conducted Friday at 1 p.m. in the Charles Walley chapel in Elkhart, the Rev. B.C. Holm, pastor of the Augustina Lutheran church, officiating. Burial will be in Silverbrook cemetery between 3 and 3:30 p.m.

 

Note: This is a corrected transcription. In the original, lines in the last paragraph were interchanged.

Sherrick, Joseph E. 1885-1956

Joseph E. Sherrick
Sept. 28, 1885-March 21, 1956

Niles Daily Star (Niles, Berrien Co., MI), Thursday, March 22, 1956, page 2, col. 4, microfilm, Niles District Library

 Joseph E. Sherrick Sr., 70, of 306 North Second Street, retired New York Central Railroad conductor, died at 11:20 a.m., Wednesday in Sunnybrook Nursing Home at Roseland, Ind.

Sherrick was born Sept. 28, 1885, in LaPorte, Ind., and came to Niles in 1921 from Michigan City, Ind. He was a member of the Brotherhood of Railroad [illegible].

Survivors are his wife, Pearl; two sons, Larry Sherrick, of Phoenix, Ariz., and Joseph Jr. , of Niles; two grandchildren; a brother, William, of Michigan City, and a sister, Mrs. Frances Weber, of South Bend.

Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. Friday in the Pifer Funeral Home here with the Dr. T.M. Greenhoe, pastor of the First Presbyterian Church, officiating. Burial will be in Silverbrook Cemetery.