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.

Adams, Georgiana 1854-1930

Georgiana Adams
July 22, 1854 – Jan. 8, 1930

Published January 9, 1930 in Niles Daily Star

 Mrs. Georgiana Adams, 75, Dies in Arms of Daughter During Auto Trip – Taken Suddenly ill after visit at South Bend late Thursday afternoon and passes away before home is reached.

 Stricken with a heart attack while in South Bend on Wednesday afternoon.

      Mrs. Georgiana Adams, 76, 310 N. 7th Street, died in the automobile of her son-in-law, George Beall, of the Niles Fire Department before she reached her home.  Mrs. Adams and her daughter, Mrs. Beall spent yesterday afternoon in South Bend and Mr. Beall drove over to meet them at 4 o’clock and bring them home. As she was about to get into the care. Mrs. Adams complained of being ill and it was thought she had been stricken with a severe of attack of indigestion.

     On the way home Mr. Beall stopped the car at a store and secured hot water for Mrs. Adams to drink and then realizing that Mrs. Adams was desperately ill. Mr. Beall resumed the trip to Niles and sped over the slippery roads in the effort to get her home or to the hospital. On Third Street, near Bond, Mrs. Adams suddenly became unconscious and to save time Mr. Beall rushed to the home on North 7th Street and called the family physician, expecting to take the doctor to the hospital with him.

     The physician pronounced Mrs. Adams dead when he arrived and said she probably had died in her daughter’s arms as the car sped into Niles on South Third Street. The cause of her death was given as heart affliction by the physician.

      Mrs. Adams was the widow of William T. Adams who dropped dead in his home in 1908.

     She was born in Milford, Del, on July 22, 1854. When a little girl she came to Niles with her father. Mason Webb and she had since lived here. She was married to Mr. Adams, a local building contractor on Jan. 16, 187. She had lived in the house in which the funeral services will be held continuously for 52 years. Two children were born to Mrs. and Mrs. Adams, Mrs. Bessie Beall, wife of George Beall of Niles and Harry Adams of Winnipeg, Canada; a brother, Frank Webb lives in Winter Haven, FL. In response to telegram sent the son last night, a message was received today, that he had started for Niles and will be here on Saturday probably.

      The funeral services therefore are planned for Sunday afternoon at 2:30 in the home. The Rev. Elmer Ward Cole, pastor of the First Christian Church of South Bend, will officiate. Burial will be made at Silver Brook Cemetery.

 

Niles Daily Star (Niles, Berrien Co., MI), Saturday, January 11, 1930, page 4, col. 4, microfilm Niles District Library

News in Brief:  FUNERAL MRS. ADAMS SUNDAY

Funeral services for Mrs. Georgana Adams will be held on Sunday afternoon at 2:30 in the home, 210 N. Seventh street.  The Rev. Elmer Ward Cole, pastor of the Christian church in South Bend will officiate.  Burial will be made in Silver Brook cemetery.  Harry Adams, a son of the deceased, arrived in Niles last night from Winnipeg to attend the funeral services.

Niles Daily Star (Niles, Berrien Co., MI), Monday, January 13, 1930, page 4, col. 3, microfilm Niles District Library

News in Brief:  FUNERAL MRS. ADAMS

Funeral services for Mrs. Georgana Admas, widow of William T. Adams, were held on Sunday afternoon at the home, 210 N. Seventh street, with the Rev. Elmer Ward Cole, pastor of the Chirtsian[sic] church in South Bend officiating.  Mrs. E.B. Storms and Mrs. W.S. Wright sang. Burial was made in the family lot in Silver Brook cemetery.  Mrs. Adams died suddenly on Wednesday afternoon in the automobile in which she was being brought to her home from South Bend.

Adams, Eva

Eva Adams
June 14, 1897 – May 16, 1954

Niles Daily Star, Monday, May 17, 1954, page 2, col. 2, microfilm Niles District Library

Mrs. Eva Adams, 56, of 1231 South Thirteenth Street, died at 7:10 p.m. Sunday in Pawating Hospital. She had been ill a short time. 

Surviving are her husband, Floyd; nine children, Delbert, Mrs. Arthur Line, Mrs. Lawrence Mathews, Kermit, Robert, Mrs. Melvin Young, Damnon and Miss Sharon, all of Niles, and Donald of Galien; 17 grandchildren; one sister, Mrs. Clara Shields, of Battle Creek, and the brother, Arthur Brockman of Kalamazoo. 

Mrs. Adams was born on June 14, 1897, in LaPorte, and came here from Michigan City, Ind., early in her life. She had lived most of her life here, and was a member of the South Niles Community Church and of the Berean Class of the First Methodist Church.

Friends may call at the residence starting tonight and until noon Wednesday, when the body will be returned to the Pifer Funeral Home for services at 2 p.m. Wednesday.   Burial will be at Silverbrook Cemetery. 

All members of the Berean Class are to meet at 1:45 p.m. Wednesday at the funeral home to attend services. 

 

Adams, Delbert

Delbert C. Adams

June 13, 1916 – June 13, 1995

NILES – Delbert C. Adams, 79, of 1451 Fort St., died at 8:39 a.m. Tuesday in Pawating Hospital after an illness. He was born June 13, 1916 in Niles. On March 5, 1944 in Nashville, TN, he married Roberta Hold. She survives with a daughter, Patricia Adams of Edwardsburg; a son, Richard of Niles; six grandchildren; three sisters, Bonnie Brady and Barbara Rosebush, both of Niles and Olive Line of South Bend; and three brothers, Kermit and Damon, both of Niles and Robert of Mishawaka.

He was a member of South Niles Community Church and a World War II Army veteran. Services will be at 2 p.m. Friday in the church. Burial will be at Silverbrook Cemetery, with military rites. Friends may call from 2 to 4 and 6 to 8 p.m. Thursday in Halbritter Funeral Home.

Submitted by family member; publication details unknown

Adams, Charles F.

Charles F. Adams
March 28, 1874 – July 4, 1944

CHARLES ADAMS, EX-FARMER, DIES

      Funeral Services for Charles F. Adams, 70, of 1002 North Fifth Street, who died Tuesday morning in his home after an illness of three years, will be conducted at Price and Kiger Chapel Thursday afternoon at 3 by the Rev. J. Kenneth Hoffmaster. Burial will be at Silverbrook Cemetery.

     Adams, a retired farmer was born in Berrien county March 28, 1874, and lived in this vicinity all his life. He was a member of the Presbyterian Church and the Woodman Lodge.

     He is survived by the widow, Mrs. Mabel Adams; four daughters, Mrs. Arthur Schele and Mrs. Forest Hanna, South Bend, Mrs. Keith Jackson, Durham, NC, and Miss Mildred Adams, Niles; a son, Edgar Adams, Niles; three grandchildren and sister, Mrs. Emma Bair, Niles. 

Niles Daily Star, Wednesday, July 5, 1944, page 2, col. 4, microfilm Niles District Library

Abreu, Ruth

Ruth (Bachman) Abreu

June 19, 1916 – Oct. 21, 2000

     Ruth Bachman Abreu, 84, of 1241 N.E. 81 Terrace, Miami, Fl, died Oct. 21 in Regents Park at Aventura, FL. Survivors include sister, Joan Bachman Spenner of Niles; a niece and four nephews. She was preceded in death by her husband, Leopold Abreu on Feb. 15, 1990. sister, Dorothy Snyder; and brothers, Robert  Bachman (1975), Lyle Bachman (May 20, 1976), Roy Bachman (1975) and Clarence Bachman (May 2, 1988). 

     Mass of Christian Burial will be at 10 a.m. Thursday, Oct. 26, 2000 in Saint Mary Catholic Church, Niles. Friends may call From 6 to 8 p.m. Wednesday in Halbritter Funeral Home; evening prayers will be at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday.

 Submitted by family member; publication details unknown 

Abair, Gerald H.

Gerald H. Abair

Sept. 20, 1913-Dec. 5, 1994

BUCHANAN - Gerald H. Abair, 81, of 614 Circle Ridge Drive, died at 4:03 p.m. Monday in Hillside Manor, Kalamazoo, after an illness. Mr. Abair was retired from Allied Signal (formerly Bendix Corp.), South Bend.

     He was born Sept. 20, 1913, in Plymouth and had lived in Buchanan since 1920, coming from Indiana. On Nov. 14, 1935, in Plymouth, he married Dorothy VanSkiver. She died May 15, 1989.

     Surviving are a son, Monte of Buchanan; two grandchildren; and three sisters, Clarabelle Thwaits of Niles and Pauline Crawford and Louise French, both of California. He was a member of the United Auto Workers union in South Bend.

     Services will be at 2 p.m. Thursday in Halbritter Funeral Home, Niles. Burial will be in Silverbrook Cemetery, Niles. Friends may call from 5 to 7 p.m. Wednesday in the funeral home. Memorial contributions may be made to Alzheimer's Association.

Submitted by family member; publication details unknown

 

Koontz, Sidney K. "Keith"

Sidney K. "Keith" Koontz
Nov. 17, 1940-Nov. 17, 2008

Sidney K. "Keith" Koontz, 68, of Springfield Creek, Niles, died at 12:20 a.m. Monday, Nov. 17, 2008, following an extended illness.

Funeral services will be at 11 a.m. Friday, Nov. 21, at Holy Trinity Lutheran Church in Niles, with Wayne Shearier, minister of the church, officiating.

Interment will be at Silverbrook Cemetery, NIles. American Legion Post No. 26, of Niles will provide the Veteran's Flag Presentation and Taps.

The family will receive relatives and friends on Thursday from 5 to 7 p.m. at Halbritter Funeral Home, Niles.

He was born exactly 68 years ago on Nov. 17, 1940, in Traverse City to Sidney Thor and Florence Maud (Nink) Koontz.

He graduated from Traverse City High School and attended Northwestern Michigan College in Traverse City. He then graduated from Michigan State University in East Lansing.

During peacetime, he served in the United States Navy, including a tour of duty on the U.S.S. Intrepid.

He has lived in Niles since 1967 and was employed at Clark Equipment and Clark Credit Corporation.

He was a member of Holy Trinity Lutheran Church in Niles. He enjoyed studying the history of his family and World War II history. He also enjoyed photography, gardening and the restoration of a 1955 Studebaker.

On June 24, 1967, in Cadillac, he married the former Linda K. Sengelaub, who survives.

He is also survived by their son, Brian Koontz of Mishawaka, Ind.; his brother, Garner Koontz and sister, Sharon Gregg, both of Traverse City.

Memorial contributions may be made to Holy Trinity Lutheran Church in Niles.

Arrangements were by Halbritter Funeral Home, Niles.

Submitted by family member; publication details unknown