Obituaries and family members can easily hide a key detail in a person’s life. According to family members, my great-grandfather died at home. His obituary in the paper indicated he died at home. He did not. After suffering from a series of strokes, the family could no longer take care of him and he was put in a state hospital several counties away where he died a few weeks later. They cared for him at home for years, but were no longer able to towards the end of his life.
That’s why it took me forever to locate his death certificate–I was looking in the wrong place.
3 Responses
So true re family obits.
-I think remember you postings this at an earlier date or of a difference relative.
-Yes, obits written of a person – “keeping up appearances” – in the family and surrounding
communities.
Thank u for this reminder,
GJ
I have a similar story wiith a 1st cousin twice removed. The obit says she died at home but the death certificate states she was found dead in her cell at the Northampton (Massachusetts) State Hospital for the Insane. She was a widow and only 48 years old. I suspect that if this happened today rather than in 1912, medication may have kept her out of the hospital.
Speaking of looking in wrong places, if future generations were to search for my father in his place of death they would not find him. He died in 2000, so I know where he died, but records show he died in another county.
This is because the funeral home sent his body to another county for cremation. Final disposition of the remains is sometimes listed as his place of death. Yup, a 21at century snafu.