# Finding an Obit **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [December 25, 2003, 6:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/finding-an-obit/220982 "2003-12-25T06:26:15Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 15\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Tuckerfan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/eada6e/32.png) [@Tuckerfan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tuckerfan)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2003, 6:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/finding-an-obit/220982/1 "2003-12-25T06:26:15Z")
Okay, tonight I found out that a gal I went to high school with died a few months ago. Neither her or I were particularly close in high school, but I’d kind of like to know what happened to her. There were only 57 in my graduating class, and AFAIK, she’s the first one to die since graduation. I checked my hometown newspaper’s website and for a fee, I could find out, but like I said, she and I weren’t particularly close, so I don’t want to shell out the money just to find out what happened (or when, since I don’t have the specific date for that, either). Anybody have any suggestions? ---
**Author:** ![Rico](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rico/32/3582_2.png) [@Rico](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rico)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2003, 8:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/finding-an-obit/220982/2 "2003-12-25T08:06:27Z")
For the _when_, you can try the [Social Security Death Index](http://ssdi.genealogy.rootsweb.com/), assuming, of course, that the person was American and had a Social Security number. As to the _why_, your best bet is to keep scouring the internet until you find a free site that has information. Warning: it may never be found. Good luck. ---
**Author:** ![Lsura](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7993a0/32.png) [@Lsura](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lsura)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2003, 2:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/finding-an-obit/220982/3 "2003-12-25T14:16:34Z")
You can try your library (or Nashville Main) for a couple of things: Is it possible that they will have a copy of the town newspaper (either print or microfilm)? If not, will they be able to get a copy for you through inter-library loan? This is _generally_ a free service, but you’re likely going to need to know the specific item that you need to get. ---
**Author:** ![Tuckerfan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/eada6e/32.png) [@Tuckerfan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tuckerfan)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2003, 5:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/finding-an-obit/220982/4 "2003-12-25T17:59:47Z")
Well, I tried the SS Death Index, but didn’t find her, so I’m assuming that she got married and changed her last name (only 1 hit under her first and last name and that was someone who died in 1978 at the age of 75, so definately not her), which will make it a mite bit harder. (A google search under her first and last name turns up a ton of hits all talking about a British actress/director.) **Lsura** , its doubtful your suggestion would work, since I grew up in Ohio, so it’s unlikely that any libraries here would either have a copy of the paper or be able to get it. ---
**Author:** ![drewbert](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/drewbert/32/15890_2.png) [@drewbert](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drewbert)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2003, 6:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/finding-an-obit/220982/5 "2003-12-25T18:13:47Z")
Actually the inter-library loan will get you microfilm from other states - I’ve used it at the Nashville main branch before, a couple years ago. I think there is a small charge for it, though. ---
**Author:** ![spingears](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ebca7d/32.png) [@spingears](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/spingears)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2003, 6:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/finding-an-obit/220982/6 "2003-12-25T18:25:15Z")
Try the geneological records maintained by the Mormons. They might provide a/some clues. * * * "Beware of the Cog: ---
**Author:** ![Hyperelastic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a3d4f5/32.png) [@Hyperelastic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hyperelastic)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2003, 11:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/finding-an-obit/220982/7 "2003-12-25T23:00:40Z")
I don’t think the Mormons are going to have something that recent. They don’t get records until someone microfilms them and sends them in. Your best and cheapest bet is probably to just email or write the newspaper and ask them for a copy of the obituary. People do it all the time. They aren’t going to charge you for just one obituary. ---
**Author:** ![KP](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/a9adbd/32.png) [@KP](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KP)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2003, 1:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/finding-an-obit/220982/8 "2003-12-26T01:36:42Z")
I don’t know what this person means to you, but it may be worthwhile to check. When I was young (and living in Europe), I was told by mutual friends that someone close to me had died. It was 20 years before we reunited. She believed I didn’t want to talk to her anymore (there were reasons). I believed she was dead. Much mutual self-kicking ensued. Violent kicking of others should have followed. ---
**Author:** ![TheMadHun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/53a042/32.png) [@TheMadHun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheMadHun)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2003, 5:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/finding-an-obit/220982/9 "2003-12-26T05:50:19Z")
Beware of internet search sites. I’ve tried a few with poor results, or they located the wrong person with a sort-of-similar name, and they refused to answer requests for refunds. ---
**Author:** ![kirk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/f9ae1b/32.png) [@kirk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kirk)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2003, 11:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/finding-an-obit/220982/10 "2003-12-26T11:57:42Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Tuckerfan \* > \*\*Well, I tried the SS Death Index, but didn’t find her, so I’m assuming that she got married and changed her last name (only 1 hit under her first and last name and that was someone who died in 1978 at the age of 75, so definately not her), which will make it a mite bit harder. \*\* If it was a recent death, within 6 months, the internet sites might not have an updated SS Death index yet. It should have been recorded under her maiden name. Try variations on the spelling of her name. Also, it would be recorded under her last known address, so the state recorded with it, might be different then you think. ---
**Author:** ![Tuckerfan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/eada6e/32.png) [@Tuckerfan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tuckerfan)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2003, 11:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/finding-an-obit/220982/11 "2003-12-26T23:06:36Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by kirk \* > \*\*If it was a recent death, within 6 months, the internet sites might not have an updated SS Death index yet. > > It should have been recorded under her maiden name. Try variations on the spelling of her name. Also, it would be recorded under her last known address, so the state recorded with it, might be different then you think. \*\* Well, it’s been less than six months, I’m guessing (the only date I have is “fall”). I didn’t do a search using the state option since I’ve no idea where she was living when she died. She also had a sister about my age, so it might have been her sister and not her who died. (Mom only remembered the last name, not the first.) ---
**Author:** ![Frame\_Dragging](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/53a042/32.png) [@Frame\_Dragging](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frame_Dragging)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2003, 11:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/finding-an-obit/220982/12 "2003-12-26T23:32:59Z")
Oh for Christsake - pay the lousy $5 and get the Straightdope. ---
**Author:** ![Tuckerfan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/eada6e/32.png) [@Tuckerfan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tuckerfan)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2003, 11:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/finding-an-obit/220982/13 "2003-12-26T23:38:00Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by a1997xf11 \* > \*\*Oh for Christsake - pay the lousy $5 and get the Straightdope. \*\* If she’d been a close friend of mine, I would, but I barely knew her. I’m only casually curious about the reasons for her death. ---
**Author:** ![Walloon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/fbc32d/32.png) [@Walloon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Walloon)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2003, 4:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/finding-an-obit/220982/14 "2003-12-27T04:59:47Z")
The edition of the Social Security Death Index available to subscribers to the genealogy site [Ancestry.com](http://ancestry.com/search/rectype/vital/ssdi/main.htm) is usually the most recent. As I write, Ancestry’s SSDI has deaths reported to the Social Security Administration through September 2003. Many public libraries now have subscriptions to Ancestry Plus, the library version of their online genealogy service. > [@](#): > > **It should have been recorded under her maiden name.** No, not necessarily. The Social Security Administration uses whatever name a woman prefers, either her maiden name or her married name. Most married women in the SSDI appear under their married name. Ancestry also has an [Obituary Collection](http://ancestry.com/search/obit/): > [@](#): > > The collection contains recent obituaries from hundreds of newspapers. We scour the Internet daily to find new obituaries and extract the facts into our database. We also provide source information and links to the full obituary text. If you’re searching for a recently deceased ancestor, a living relative who might be mentioned in an obituary, or former classmates or neighbors then this is a great place to start. ---
**Author:** ![maralinn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d9b06d/32.png) [@maralinn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/maralinn)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2003, 6:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/finding-an-obit/220982/15 "2003-12-27T18:10:14Z")
The library in your hometown will be able to help. You can find their website via Google, or ask your local library to help you find it.