Overlooked: Don’t Forget to Locate All the Sources That Document a Death
When documenting the death of my grandmother, Pansy Louise Lancaster Johnston ("Mam-ma"), I collected many different documents. Even though I know the date of her death, as I was with her just an hour before her death, it is important to locate physical records. Locating multiple documents about an event even helps us follow the Genealogy Proof Standard (GPS). For my grandmother, I have an official copy of her death certificate. My sister is the informant and I helped her with the information. Other records we should search for include: Obituaries My grandmother’s obituary was in the East Bay Times and announced the time and place of the funeral service. In earlier times, there might be both an obituary and a funeral notice placed by the funeral home. In large cities, this might be all you find. Also, check the newspaper after the funeral for a “card of thanks” thanking the community for their support in their time of sorrow. Funeral card or program My sister designed th...