How do you locate a friends grave?

Question

I had a friend who died when he was seven and I can't find his records or family. I think I have his full name.

I'm not sure what state or city he was buried in.

Answer 1

You need to break this down into steps. Assuming you have his legal name and he had a Social Security Number, you can go to the Social Security Death Index to find out where and when he died. There are several different websites (listed below) that will let you check the index. Children now need a Social Security Number to enter school. If this was many years ago, he probably did not have one and so will not be in this index. You don't need to know the number to search--the person just needs to have had one.
If you can get this far, then you can start visiting or writing to cemetaries. Or perhaps you can find some other family member and trace the family that way.
Good luck.

Answer 2

Trying to find his grave when you don't even know what state he was buried in, would be close to impossible. You would have a better chance of locating his family. Start with the last town they were known to live in, then do a name/address search on the Internet.

Answer 3

Your friend may not even have been interred--many people's ashes are scattered with no marker. However, if you believe he was buried:

Find out the date of the death (local paper for the area would be a good start). This should list who handled the arrangements (the funeral home)--if they're still in business. Often, the obit will even list the place of burial. Otherwise, the place of his religious affiliation may keep some records.

Answer 4

I believe cemeteries keep records. That would be the first place I would check, assuming you know the town that he was buried in.

Answer 5

You may also check the files of local newspaper of the town, there may be an obituary listed that will give some clues.

Answer 6

Ask the Morman Church.

Answer 7

See the cemetery manager.