# Possible recent death needs confirmation **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [August 31, 2011, 3:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/possible-recent-death-needs-confirmation/594749 "2011-08-31T15:39:07Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Bongmaster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Bongmaster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bongmaster)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2011, 3:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/possible-recent-death-needs-confirmation/594749/1 "2011-08-31T15:39:07Z")
I recently saw something online that leads me to believe an old friend of mine passed away in 2002. I’d like to see if I can verify that information somehow. I know the name of her mother and that they lived in Ohio near Columbus. She supposedly died in 2002 according to [oa.newsbank.com](http://oa.newsbank.com) but they want money to see the archive. Does anyone know if there is a free online database of some kind I can reference to see if this is true? All the sites I am finding either return ambiguous results or want me to subscribe to do one simple search. ---
**Author:** ![anson2995](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c77e96/32.png) [@anson2995](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/anson2995)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2011, 3:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/possible-recent-death-needs-confirmation/594749/2 "2011-08-31T15:43:18Z")
It’s likely you can confirm her death through[the Social Security Death Index](http://ssdi.rootsweb.ancestry.com/), although that will only provide her DOB, DOD, and her last address. ---
**Author:** ![Lasciel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e79b87/32.png) [@Lasciel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lasciel)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2011, 3:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/possible-recent-death-needs-confirmation/594749/3 "2011-08-31T15:47:40Z")
Get in touch with the reference department of the Columbus OH Metro Library. Phone number for Reference Questions is 614-645-2275 Online options: [http://ebranch-prod.columbuslibrary.org/ebranch/index.cfm](http://ebranch-prod.columbuslibrary.org/ebranch/index.cfm) That page is the one for Obit requests - looks like you can do it online if you are a local with a library card. If you aren’t a patron, or don’t actually want a copy of the obit in question, then you can email their Reference Desk at this page: [http://ebranch-prod.columbuslibrary.org/ebranch/index.cfm?pageid=40](http://ebranch-prod.columbuslibrary.org/ebranch/index.cfm?pageid=40) ---
**Author:** ![Bongmaster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Bongmaster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bongmaster)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2011, 3:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/possible-recent-death-needs-confirmation/594749/4 "2011-08-31T15:51:34Z")
Thank you, I will check those links. The Death index isn’t getting any hits but I see lots of (hidden) references to it. Thanks. ---
**Author:** ![Bongmaster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Bongmaster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bongmaster)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2011, 4:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/possible-recent-death-needs-confirmation/594749/5 "2011-08-31T16:10:25Z")
I didn’t get anywhere with the links above but decided to pay the $3 to see the obit from [newsbank.com](http://newsbank.com). Unfortunately it was her, she died from cancer at 26. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2011, 5:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/possible-recent-death-needs-confirmation/594749/6 "2011-08-31T17:45:55Z")
Aw, that’s too bad. Sorry for your loss. ---
**Author:** ![janeslogin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/df788c/32.png) [@janeslogin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/janeslogin)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2011, 7:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/possible-recent-death-needs-confirmation/594749/7 "2011-08-31T19:12:11Z")
[Social Security Death Index Interactive Search](http://ssdi.rootsweb.ancestry.com/) is a quick way to check unless the person has had name changes you don’t know about.