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.

Lockard, Harry C.

Harry C. Lockard
Feb. 3, 1880*-Feb. 23, 1933


Niles Daily Star, Friday, February 24, 1933, Page 1. col. 7, cont. page 5, col. 1, microfilm Niles District Library

H.C. Lockard, Treasurer of Niles, Is Dead

 

Harry C. Lockard, city treasurer of Niles, died suddenly last evening at 10:30 in his home, 329 Pokagon street. Mr. Lockard became ill on Thursday while at the city hall engaged in his work and went home. He had since been confined to his bed but his condition was not regarded as serious.

[His wife] was in Grand Rapids for a few days on account of the illness of her aunt, Mrs. D.c. Hunter, a sister of her mother, deceased, and when apprized of Mr. Lockard's illness she returned home yesterday. Last evening Mr. Lockard had callers but about 8 o'clock he became alarmingly ill and sank rapidly. The immediate cause of death was heart disease.

Mr. Lockard was a native of London, Ont. When a youth he left London and went to Chicago where he entered the employ of the National Printing and Engraving company as a lithograph feeder. When the plant was moved to Niles, or about 28 years ago, he was among the employes transferred to Niles and he had since lived here.  A few years after coming to Niles he entered the employ of Geo. E. Calvin as a clerk in the Calvin Bros., shoe store and continued to work for Mr. Calvin for 21 years.  In 1929 Mr. Lockard was elected to the office of city treasurer for a term of two years and in April, 1932, was reelected for a second term.

Mr. Lockard was married in Niles to Evelyn Schmidt on Aug. 7, 1907, who survive [sic] him. She was a daughter of Charles Schmidt, a former city treasurer and Niles business man. Besides the widow he is survived by two daughters, Mrs. Katheryn Lockard Bolster, wife of Donald Bolster of Buchanan, and Virginia Lockard, at home and a Niles high school student, also by his mother, Mrs. Albert L.  Lockard, of London, Ont., and by the following brothers and sisters, Wilbert Lockard of Detroit, Albert of Toronto, Orville, London, Ont., Ralph, of Flint, Mrs. Mabel Kinney of Detroit, Mrs. Florence Smith of Toronto, Alice of Snellgrove, Ont.,and Eva and Shirley Lockard of London.

Mr. Lockard was a member of the various fraternities of the Masonic order in the city and held offices in them. The organizations to which he belonged and the offices he held at the time of his death were as follows: Niles Commandery, Knights Templar, recorder; Niles Council, No. 19, R. and S.M., recorder; St. Joseph Valley Lodge, No. 4, F. and A.M., past worshipful master. He had served the latter fraternity as worshipful master for two terms.

Mr. Lockard was a past patron of Niles chapter, Order of the Eastern Star and was "Dad" of the Niles chapter of DeMolay.  As "Dad" of the chapter of DeMolay he had been given the Crown of Honor, the highest honor for a DeMolay in recognition for distinguished service for DeMolay.

The funeral services will be held in the home on Monday afternoon at 2:30, and will be under Masonic auspices. The Rev. G.W. Simon, pastor of the Presbyterian church, will be the officiating minister. The committal will be in Silverbrook cemetery.


Niles Daily Star, Monday, February 27, 1933, Page 4. col. 3, microfilm Niles District Library

Masonic funeral services are being held this afternoon for Harry C. Lockard, Niles city treasurer, who died suddenly on Friday evening. The Rev. G.W. Simon, pastor of the Presbyterian church of which he was a member, was officiating minister.  Members of Niles Commandery, No. 12, Knights Templar, acted as pallbearers and escort to the body. Honorary pallbearers were chosen from the Niles chapter of DeMolay of which Mr. Lockard was the "Dad."  The committal service, held in Silverbrook cemetery, was in charge of officers of St. Joseph Valley lodge, No. 4, F. & A.M. The active pallbearers were V.M. Taggett, A.G. Stone, Ollie Blackmond of Dowagiac, Paul Thayer, C.S. Quimby and Lewis Krell. The honorary pallbearers were Lee Babcock, Dorwin Starke, Robert Ames, Carl Trattles, Robert Woodbridge and George Cooper. Mayor W.H. Corbett, the city council and other city officials, and the board of public works attended the services in a body. Among those from out of the city who attended the services were Mr. Lockhard's mother, Mrs. Albert Lockard of London, Ont., Wilber Lockard, and Mrs. Mabel Kinney of Detroit, Albert Lockard of Toronto, brothers and sisters of Mr. Lockard, also Mrs. Wilbert  Lockard and D.C. Hunter, the latter of Grand Rapids.

Note: DOB from WWI Draft Registration @Ancestry.com

Cullom, Calvin J.

Calvin J. Cullom
May 1, 1900-March 14, 1952


Niles Daily Star, Friday, March 14, 1952, Page 2. col. 1, microfilm Niles District Library

Calvin J. Cullom, of 14 1/2 East Main street, was pronounced dead at 1:10 a.m. today upon arrival at Pawating hospital. Police found Cullom collapsed upon the sidewalk near the entrance to his upstairs apartment.

Coroner Louis Kerlikowske, of St. Joseph, who arrived at the hospital at 2:20 a.m., pronounced the death as accidentally resulting from a skull fracture suffered in a fall.

Surviving are his mother, Mrs. Bell Cullom, of Sumnerville; his former wife, Prudence; two daughters, Mrs. Howard Griffendorf, of Berrien Springs, and Mrs. Paul Adam, of Cassopolis; two grandchildren; one sister, Mrs. Keith Elmore, of Sumnerville, and one brother, Wilson Cullom, of Niles.

Cullom was born in Warren county, Missouri, on May 1, 1900, and came here from St. Louis, Mo., in 1926. He was employed by the New York Central Railroad company as a switchman. He was a World War II veteran, a member of the American Legion, the Eagles and of the Brotherhood association of Railroad Employes.

Friends may call at the Pifer funeral home, where services will be conducted at 2 p.m. Monday. Burial will be in Silverbrook cemtery. The American Legion will have charge of the committal service.

 

Burnett, Eban Vernon

Eban Vernon Burnett
Sept. 27, 1894-March 16, 1952


Niles Daily Star, Monday, March 17, 1952, Page 2. col. 2-3, microfilm Niles District Library

Eban Vernon Burnett died at the Berrien county infirmary, Berrien Center, at 9 p.m. Sunday. He had been in poor health for several years.

Surviving are one son, Robert Burnett, of Detroit; one grandson, and two sisters, Mrs. Florence Ruhl, of Edwardsburg, and Mrs. Ardell Holmes, of South Bend.

Burnett was born on Sept. 27, 1894, in Niles.

Friends may call at the Pifer funeral home, where services will be conducted at 3 p.m. Tuesday by the Rev. T.M. Greenhoe, Presbyterian pastor. Burial will be in Silverbrook cemetery.

 

Hass, James Alan

James Allen Haas
Jan. 24, 1933-Feb. 10, 1933


Niles Daily Star, Friday, February 10, 1933, page 3, col. 2, microfilm Niles District Library

DEATH BABY HAAS


James Allen Haas, born on Jan. 24, this year to Mr.and Mrs. Paul Haas, 904 S. Seventeenth Street died this morning between the hours fo 2 and 6 o'clock. At 2 o'clock his mother arose to see that he was comfortable and he seemed to have no symptoms of illness. At 6 o'clock he was dead when she went to his crib. It is thought he might have choked to death but the parents heard no sound. The funeral services will be held tomorrow morning at 10 o'clock in the Rutherford Funeral Home. The Rev. W.H. Turner, pastor of the First Baptist church will officiate. Burial will  be made in Silverbrook cemetery.  Mr.and Mrs. Haas moved to their present address five years ago from Pokagon. Mrs. Haas formerly was Dorothy Carter. The baby was their only child.

Niles Daily Star, Saturday, February 11, 1933, page 3, col. 1, microfilm Niles District Library


FUNERAL BABY HAAS


Funeral services for the son born in January to Mr.and Mrs. Paul Haas, S. Seventeenth street, were conducted this morning by the Rev. W.H. Turner, pastor of the First Baptist church. Burial was made in Silverbrook cemetery. The baby was found dead in its crib yesterday morning having evidently strangled to death or had been smothered to death under the crib quilts.

Note: This is listed as James Alan Hass in Grave Search; unable to determine correct spelling of name.

Busse, Augusta

Augusta Busse
Nov. 17, 1854*-Jan. 4, 1934


Niles Daily Star, Friday, January 5, 1934, page 1, col. 1, microfilm Niles District Library


Mrs. Augusta Busse Succumbs Suddenly

 

While visiting in the home of a neighbor where a death had just occurred, Mrs. Augusta Busse, 79, died of a heart attack Thursday afternoon.

Mrs. Busse has been living with a housekeeper at 916 North Fifth Street for many years. She called at the John Gipner home, 921 North Fifth street, where Mrs. Gipner had died Wednesday evening. She suffered a stroke and died there.

The body is at the Troost and Turner Funeral Home. Arrangements for the funeral have tentatively been made pending the arrival of brothers and sisters, for Sunday at 2 o'clock in St. Paul's Evangelical Lutheran church with the Rev. Theo Laesch in charge. Burial will be in Silverbrook cemetery.

Mrs. Ida Hopfer, St. Paul, Minn., is a sister, and two other sisters and a brother, Julius Hannenam live in the Dakotas.

 

*DOB from Michigan Death records

 

Emanuel, James H.

James H. Emanuel
March 23, 1896-Feb. 1, 1960


Niles  Daily Star, Tuesday, February 2, 1960, page 2, col. 5, microfilm Niles District Library

James H. Emanuel, 3, route six (Ironwood drive), Niles, died at 2:55 p.m. Monday in Pawating Hospital where he was admitted Sunday after suffering a stroke at his home. He had been in failing health for the past two years.

Mr. Emanuel, a veteran of World War I, was born March 23, 1896, in Georgia and came to Niles 16 years ago from Muskegon. He had been employed at the South Bend Foundry.  Surviving are his widow, Lillian L., and a brother, Norman Emanuel, Portland, Ore.

Funeral services will be held at 10 a.m. Saturday in the Kiger and Halbritter Funeral Home here with the Rev. Theodis Hadley, pastor of Mount Calvary Baptist Church, officiating. Burial will be in Silverbrook Cemetery. Friends may call at the funeral home.

 

Hoppin, George S. Jr.

George S. Hoppin, Jr.
June 24, 1879-Feb. 1, 1960


Niles Daily Star, Wednesday, February 3, 1960, page 2, col. 4, microfilm Niles District Library

George S. Hoppin, Jr., 80, a native of Niles, died Monday at Henry Ford Hospital, Detroit, after a short illness. He had resided at 10064 Vernon Rd., Huntington Woods.

Mr. Hoppin was born in Niles June 24, 1879, and had lived in Detroit since 1903 when he began work in Detroit banks. he retired in 1946 as assistant casheir of the National Bank of Detroit, a position he had held since 1933.

He is survived by his widow, Lowella F. Hoppin; two daughters, Mrs. David D. Williams, and Mrs. Verne H. Sidnam, both of . . . [illegible]. . George S. Hoppin, III, Cincinnati, Ohio.

Services . . .[illegible] .. p.m. at the William R. Hamilton Funeral Home in Detroit. Committal services at Silverbrook Cemetery, Niles, will be conducted at 1 p.m. Friday by the Rev. John MacLachlan, pastor of the First Presbyterian Church.