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.

Brockhaus, Bessie

Bessie Brockhaus
April 24, 1881-Feb. 6, 1974


Niles Daily Star, Thursday, February 7, 1974, page 2, col. 1-2, microfilm Niles District Library

NILES--Bessie Brockhaus, 92, of Benton Harbor, a Niles native, died at 11:25 a.m. Wednesday in Mercy Hospital, Benton Harbor, after an illness of one week.

Born April 24, 1881, in Niles, Mrs. Brockhaus moved to Benton Harbor 39 years ago. Her husband, Frank, died in 1912.

Survivors include two daughters, Mrs. Veronica B. Mason of Benton Harbor and Mrs. Annetta Zehner of Oakland, Calif., and one granddaughter.

Funeral Services will be held at 1 p.m. Monday in the Halbritter Funeral Home, with the Rev. Donald A. Cozadd of Grace United Methodist Church officiating. Burial will be in Silverbrook Cemetery.

Friends may call after 2 p.m. Sunday at the funeral home.

 

Havener, Leroy B.

Leroy B. Havener
Dec. 9, 1919-Jan. 23, 1982


Niles Daily Star, Monday, January 25, 1982, page 2, col. 4, microfilm Niles District Library

Leroy B. Havener, 62, 610 North Seventh St., died late Friday at Pawating Hospital after an extended illness.

A lifetime area resident, he was a 35 year employee of Garden City Fan Co., and was a veteran of World War II.

Survivors include his wife, Niadah T.; two sons, Dale Myer of Niles and Gregg Myer of Buchanan; a daughter, Denice Myer of Niles; two brothers, Claude Havener of Niles and Elmer Havener of Grand Rapids; two sisters, Hazel Goss of Bangor and Florence Reid of Niles, and 11 grandchildren.

Services for Mr. Havener will be at 11 a.m. Tuesday at the Halbritter Funeral Home. Elder Jack E. VanArsdall of the Fairland Christian Church will officiate with burial at the Silverbrook Cemetery's veterans section. Friends may call after 2 p.m. at the funeral home.

 

Havener, Lillian A.

Lillian A. Havener
Aug. 25, 1904-Jan. 29, 1966


Niles Daily Star, Monday, January 31, 1966, page 2, col. 1, microfilm Niles District Library

Funeral services for Mrs. Lillian A. Havener, 61, of 131 Ontario St., will be conducted at 2 pm. Tuesday in the Pifer Funeral Home. Maj. Alvan Parker, commander of the Niles Salvation Army Citadel, will officiate. Burial will be in Silverbrook Cemetery.

She died at 3:42 p.m., Saturday in Berrien General Hospital, Berrien Center, where she had been a patient eight days.

Mrs. Havener was born Aug. 25, 1904, in Lansing, and came to Niles from that city 33 years ago.

Surviving are her husband, Albert; and a son, Robert, at home.

Friends are being received at the funeral home.

 

Havener, Otis Grant

Otis Grant Havener
Feb. 10, 1909-Aug. 26, 1935


Niles Daily Star, Monday, August 26, 1935, page 1, col. 6, microfilm Niles District Library

O.G. HAVENER DIES AFTER LONG ILLNESS

Services to Be Held Tuesday for Victim of Lung Ailments


Grant Havener, 26, died early this morning of abscess of the lungs from which he had been suffering for two years.  His death occurred at his home 1542 Maple street.

Mr. Havene    Otis r was born at Eau Claire, Feb. 10, 1909. He came here from Bangor six years ago, and until his illness was employed as a garage mechanic.

Surviving are his wie, Mrs. Florence Havener; his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Arthur Havener; five brothers, Albert, Ernest and Leroy, of Niles, Claude, of Traverse City, and Helmer, of Grand Rapids; and three sisters, Mrs. Orville Carpenter, Niles; Mrs. Boyd Goss, Osceola, Ind., and Gorden Carpenter, Mishawaka, Ind.

He was married Oct. 24, 1929, at South Bend to Miss Florence Ittes by the Rev. Covert, of the South Bend Baptist church.

Funeral services will be held Tuesday afternoon at 2 o'clock at the Rutherford Funeral home where friends may call up to noon Tuesday.

Burial will be in Silverbrook cemetery.


Niles Daily Star, Tuesday, August 27, 1935, page 2, col. 1, microfilm Niles District Library

HAVENER RITES TODAY


Funeral services for Otis Grant Havener, 26, who died early Monday morning after two years' illness of an lung ailment, were held at 2 o'clock this afternoon in the Rutherford funeral home. Arthur Zimmerman officiated and burial was in Silverbrook cemetery. Pallbearers were Joseph Van Dusen, Boyd Goss, Gordon Carpenter, Orville Carpenter, Albert Tuttle and Frank Jones.

Kater, Fred

Fred Kater
May 13, 1894-July 14, 1959


Niles Daily Star, Wednesday, July 15, 1959, page 2, col. 5, microfilm Niles District Library

Fred Kater, 65, formerly of Niles, died at 9:15 a.m. Tuesday in Kalamazoo Hospital. He had been ill for some time. Mr. Kater was born in Chicago May 13, 1894, and came to Niles from there 41 years ago.

Surviving are four sons, Fred, Jr., William, Richard, and Walter, all of Niles; two sisters, Mrs. Thomas Crocker and Mrs. Lelan Weaver, both of Niles, 18 grandchildren; one great-grandchild; a sister, Mrs. William Jarmes, of Cleveland, and a brother, Emil Kater, of Chicago.

Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. Friday in the Pifer Funeral Home, the Rev. John P. MacLachlan, pastor of the First Presbyterian Church, officiating. Friends may call at the funeral home. Burial will be in Silverbrook Cemetery.

 

Kater, Phyllis J. (Russell)

Phyllis Kater
Dec. 19, 1929-Dec. 9, 2001


Niles Daily Star, Tuesday, December 11, 2001, page 2, col. 2, microfilm Niles District Library

Funeral services for Pyllis J. Kater, 71, of 309 S. State St., Niles will be Wednesday, Dec. 12 at 2 p.m. at Halbritter Funeral Home in Niles. The Rev. Richard  L. Rice of Niles will be officiating.

Burial will be in Silverbrook Cemetery, Niles.

Kater died Sunday, Dec. 9 at 7:35 p.m. at Fountain View Retirement Village in Buchanan, following an extended illness.

Kater was born Dec. 19, 1929 in Bremen, Ind. to Lester Russell and Irene Young. She lived in Niles most of her life. On May 8, 1948, she married Walter E. Kater in Niles.  He survives. She retired from Michigan Bell Telephone Company in 1977, after 26 1/2 years of employment. She was a member of Michigan Pioneers of America. She enjoyed fishing, going to fairs, Ice Capades, and spending time with her family.

Survivors (in addition to her husband) include: one daughter, Pamela J. (and Mark) Miars of Niles; one son, Mark E. (and Cheryl) Kater of Hudson ville; six grandchildren; and two sisters, Marge Merica of Niles and Janet Walters of Mishawaka, ind.

Friends may call one hour prior to services at the funeral home. Memorial contributions may be made to the Alzheimer's Association.

 

 

 

Kater, Richard P.

Richard P. Kater
Oct. 30, 1927-Feb. 13, 1974


Niles Daily Star, Wednesday, February 13, 1974, page 2, col. 7-8, microfilm Niles District Library

NILES--Richard P. Kater, 46, of Vandalia, formerly of Niles, was dead on arrival at 1:50 a.m. today at Wayne County Hospital after suffering an apparent heart attack. Mr. Kater was in the Detroit area on business for TEK Homes, Elkhart.

Born Oct. 30, 1927, in Niles, Mr. Kater was a lifetime resident of this area. On Dec. 11, 1948, in Niles, he married the former Gwendolyn M. Davis, who survives.

Mr. Kater was a member of the American Legion Post 26 and was a World War II Navy veteran.

Surviving, in addition to his wife, are two sons, Craig of Elkhart and Scott of Fremont, Ohio; his mother, Mrs. Arthur Burger of Niles; three brothers, Fred, William and Walter, all of Niles; two sisters, Mrs. Leland Weaver and Mrs. Thomas Crocker, both of Niles, and two grandchildren.

Funeral services will be held at 1 p.m. Friday in the Halbritter Funeral Home, with the Rev. Donald A. Cozadd of Grace United Methodist Church officiating. Burial will be in Silverbrook Cemetery.