searching for info about a death in Connecticut....

[mike_c]

There is a long story here but I'll restrict myself to the short one. Does anyone have ideas about how I can find out about someone's (possible) death?

In a completely unrelated context I recently came across an In Memoriam announcement about someone I have good reason to believe was a close friend of mine, years ago. If it is, she died about a year and a half ago (in July 2006) We have not kept in touch for over 20 years and I have no information about her current family, and although I could probably get it, I'm reluctant to impose on them. I'm not seeking any personal details, nor do I want to interject myself into their lives. Rather, I'm seeking information as a matter of personal curiosity and concern. She was once a very dear friend and I would like to know what happened to her. I'm not seeking any involvement with her if she's still alive or with her family if she isn't. I'd just like to know.

I've tried a variety of google searches under both her maiden and married names and haven't found anything. I've contacted the office of the local newspaper which was publishing at the time of her possible death but which is apparently no longer in business. Someone there said they'd speak to the original owner to see whether they published an obit, but I haven't heard anything back from them.

Does anyone have any other ideas? If there are any DUers from Litchfield County, CT who might be willing to make local inquiries in Winsted, please PM me!

on edit-- could I get an occasional kick for this to keep it from disappearing too quickly? Thanx!

[madinmaryland]

1. Would there be something in The Litchfield County Times?

Otherwise would there be something in the Torrington or Waterbury paper?

I lived in Watertown back in the early 90's, but I can't think of anything else?

[mike_c]

3. the LCT appears not to publish obits, at least online....

Maybe I can contact them directly. Thanks for the response.

[Gormy Cuss]

2. Check PM

Please ignore the typos!

[Silver Swan]

4. Do you want to see an obituary?

Or do you mainly want to verify whether she died?

You could check the Roots Web Social Security death index: http://ssdi.rootsweb.ancestry.com/

If she died, it may show up there.

[madinmaryland]

6. I think he wants to see an obituary to determine if the

person who died, is the one he knew, based on the persons relatives which appear in an obit.

[mike_c]

8. yes-- I want to confirm that my friend died, and find out...

...the circumstances of her death. So yes, an obit would be exactly what I'm interested in, especially if it gives some info about the cause of death.

[Midlodemocrat]

5. Check your PM.

[flvegan]

7. SSDI might work

if you know roughly when she was born.

http://ssdi.rootsweb.ancestry.com/

[mike_c]

9. hmmm, she's not there....

Maybe the memorial announcement was an error?

[madinmaryland]

10. I tried it for my grandmother who died five years ago,

and she did not show up. May not be up to date

[Gormy Cuss]

14. SSDI entries are primarily generated by filing for the SS death benefit.

Quick answer: if the person died without a spouse or minor child the death will probably not be shown.
SSDI is updated every month or so on Rootsweb.

[madinmaryland]

15. My bad. I found her. Darn typos!

[suninvited]

17. I must have been typing at the same time as you.

I just found a friend of mine that died last year, and he wouldnt have any eligible family for death benefits, but since he was recieving social security someone in his family had to file to get the payments to stop. I guess that is another time they show up.

[Gormy Cuss]

18. The longer answer is

when Social Security is notified of the death of a beneficiary the name will appear in the SSDI. Usually the notification is in the form of a request for the death benefit ($255) but in more recent years it's sometimes the result of a notification to cease benefits.

That's why when doing genealogical searches in the SSDI we tend to find grandfathers and other male relatives more than we find the female ones.

[suninvited]

16. It is my understanding

that in order for a name to show up on the SSDI, someone has to have filed a claim for benefits on that person. If they did not have an eligible spouse or minor child, they wont show up there.

My mother died in 1994, but my father never filed for the one time death benefit (something like $255), so she is not on that list.

[flvegan]

11. It's not an absolutely complete list

but it's usually pretty good (hence the "might").

Short of something foolproof like Accurint or a search of the public records in that county, I don't know what else to suggest.

[bigwillq]

12. Might want to call Hartford Courant

They're probably the closest major paper to the Litchfield County Area.

Here is there website

http://www.courant.com/

Phone number: Phone: [phone]

[Chan790]

20. The local major papers for Winsted are Torrington Register Citizen and Waterbury Republican American

The Courant might have it though as well. It tends to be a statewide paper, you can even buy it at the train station in New Haven.

http://www.registercitizen.com/

http://www.rep-am.com/obituaries/

Also, this might be important. Winsted is a village, not a town. That is, it's not a municipality and doesn't have a local government. It's part of the Town of Winchester, CT. Even if she lived her entire life within Winsted, she might be listed under Winchester.

[mike_c]

21. thanks-- I've emailed the obit desk of both papers....

Thank's for the info!

[Midlodemocrat]

13. Check your PM.

[mike_c]

19. thank you to all who replied....

So far it's looking like reports of her death might be premature. Here's hoping that's the case!