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.

Hand, Ella (Green)

Ella Hand
Sept. 27, 1856-Jan. 24, 1948


Niles Daily Star, Monday, January 26, 1948, page 2, col. 5-6, microfilm Niles District Library

MRS. ELLA HAND, 91

Mrs. Ella Hand, 1401 Regent street, lifelong resident of Niles, passed away Saturday at the Carson Convalescent home, Benton Harbor. She had been ill for one year.

Services will be held at 3:30 p.m., Tuesday at the Kiger funeral home. The rev.L.George Beacock, pastor of the First Methodist church, will officiate. Burial will be in Silverbrook cemetery.

Mrs. Hand was born Sept. 27, 1856 in Berrien township. She had been a member of the Methodist church.

Her husband, Joe, preceded her in death in 1944.

Surviving are a son, Merl Hand, Berrien Springs; a daughter, Mrs. Carl Dick, Niles; a niece, Mrs. Robert Davis, Berrien Springs; four grandsons, Joseph A. Hand, Lakewood, O., Robert M. Hand, McDonald, Pa., LeRoy Hand, Berrien Center, and Carl Dick,Jr., Niles; two great-grandchildren.

 

*Michigan Marriages, Ella Green m. Jo Hand, Dec. 14, 1881.

 

Humphrey, Marshall

Marshall Humphrey
June 13, 1867-May 17, 1949


Niles Daily Star, Wednesday, May 18, 1949, page 2, col. 5, microfilm Niles District Library


Marshall Humphrey, of 1120 Merrifield street, died at 3 p.m. . .[illegible]

Surviving are his widow, Lurena, and their children, Clarence Charles and Harry of Niles, Mrs. Irene Brunaell and Mrs. Violet Griffin, both of Chicago; 11 grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren.

Born June 13, 1867, in Knox, Ind., Humphrey came to Niles from there 23 years ago.

Friends may call at the Pifer funeral home where services will be conducted at 2 p.m Thursday by the Rev. Theo. Laesch, pastor of St. Paul's Lutheran church. Burial will be in Silverbrook cemetery.

 

Hutchinson, Camilla


Camilla Hutchinson
Jan. 16, 1924-Nov. 14, 1992


Niles Daily Star, Monday, November 16, 1992, page 2, col. 2-3, microfilm Niles District Library

Camilla Hutchinson
1924-1992
Baha-i religion pioneer

Funeral services for Camilla Hutchinson, 68, 201 Cass St., Niles are scheduled for 11 a.m. Monday at Pifer-Smith Funeral Home in Niles.

Burial will follow at Silverbrook Cemetery in Niles.

Hutchinson died at 2:09 p.m. Saturday at Pawating Hospital following an lengthy illness.

Born Jan. 16, 1924, in South Bend, Hutchinson moved back to Niles in 1991 after living in Mexico.

She was married to George Hutchinson, who preceded her in death.

She was a retired dental hygienist of the Wayne County Public Health Department.

She had a dental hygienist degree from the Meharry School of Dentistry in Nashville, Tenn.

She was a 1942 graduate of Niles High School.

She was a pioneer for the Baha-i religion in Haiti, Mexico and the Bahamas.

She is survived by two sons, Robert Love of Niles and Dr. William C. Love of Mt. Juliet, Tenn.

Friends may call at Pifer-Smith Funeral Home, one hour prior to the service.

Memorials may be made to the Berrien County Cancer Service.

 

Jantzen, Henry D.

Henry D. Jantzen
April 6, 1882-Jan. 25, 1948


Niles Daily Star, Monday, January 26, 1948, page 2, col. 5, microfilm Niles District Library

Henry D. Jantzen, 65, retired locomotive engineer for the Michigan Central railroad, succumbed at his home at 3:45 a.m. yesterday. He had been ill two days.

Last rites are set for 2:30 p.m. Wednesday at the Kiger funeral home. Officiating will be the Rev. Theo Eisen, pastor of the St. John's Evangelical and Reformed church. Interment will be in Silverbrook cemetery.

Born in Germany, April 6, 1882, Mr. Jantzen came to Michigan City, Ind. Forty years ago he moved to Niles where he lived since. He was a member of the Locomotive Engineer society.

Surviving are his widow, Anna; a daughter, Genevieve Vaughn, Niles; a grandson, Raymond Vaughn, Niles; a twin sister, Mrs. Anna Delinde, Portland, Ore.; two other sisters, Mrs. Margaret Debrich, Lodi, Cal., and Mrs. Martha Campbell, Jackson; a brother, Martin, Michigan City, Ind.

 

Meyers, Lloyd A.

Lloyd A. Meyers
Aug. 18, 1947-Jan. 24, 1948


Niles Daily Star, Monday, January 26, 1948, page 2, col. 6, microfilm Niles District Library

RITES FOR INFANT

Funeral services for Lloyd A. Meyers, Jr., infant son of Mr. and Mrs. Lloyd A. Meyers, rural route four, were held this afternoon in the Pifer funeral home. The child, born Aug. 19, 1947, died Saturday in Pawating hospital after a week's illness.

The Rev. T.M. Greenhoe, pastor of the First Presbyterian church, officiated. Burial was in Silverbrook cemetery.

Besides the parents three sisters survive, Jeannette, Carol,and Shirley.

 

Moss, Lucy

Lucy Moss
Feb
. 11, 1856-May 16, 1949

Niles Daily Star, Tuesday, May 17, 1949, page 2, col. 7, microfilm Niles District Library

Miss Lucy Moss, 98, of rural route three, Niles, died at 10:45 a.m. yesterday at the Emmanuel home in Covert, after an illness of one year.

Miss Moss was born Feb. 11, 1856, in Niles township. She lived in the Niles area all her life and was a member of the Second Baptist church.

Survivors are a niece, Mrs. Elsie Jackson, of Niles, and two nephews, Alton Johnson, of Inkster, Mich.,and Alva Johnson, of San Francisco.

Friends may call at the Kiger funeral home. Services will be held there at 2 p.m. Thursday with the Rev. Richard Alexander officiating.  Burial will be in Silverbrook cemetery.

 

Neal, Richard N.

Richard N. Neal
Dec. 2, 1918-Nov. 23, 1992


Niles Daily Star, Tuesday, November 24, 1992, page 2, col. 1, microfilm Niles District Library

Richard N. Neal
1918-1992
Retired from Bendix

Funeral services for Richard N. Neal, 74, 308 Ontario St., Niles, are scheduled for 11 a.m. Wednesday at Pifer-Smith Funeral Home with the Rev. Robert Freitas, of Bertrand Bible Church, officiating.

Burial will follow at Silverbrook Cemetery.

Neal died at 1:50 p.m. Monday at Pawating Hospital following a short illness.

Born Dec. 2, 1918, in LaPorte, Ind., he moved to Niles in 1940.

On Jan. 21, 1940, in Roseland, Ind., he married the late Betty J. Finn, who preceded him in death on May 8, 1985.

He retired in 1984 after 35 years at Bendix as a forklift driver.

He is survived by a daughter, Treana Kay Rock of South Bend; two grandchildren and three great grandchildren.