Finding Possible Membership Records for Cousin

[Scozart1]

In 2016, I created the Family Search profile for a close relative, who passed in 2011. I've never met him or any of his family beyond knowing that he was my grandfather's first cousin. Said grandfather was a convert to the church being baptized as a married adult, so my impression was none of his family were interested or even aware of the church. Today, I find an obituary for this cousin, and it states rather plainly that his funeral services are to be held in the church building in the town he passed away in. This heavily implies that he was at least baptized, and perhaps personally participated in other ordinances not recorded in Family Search. Is there a way to track down his membership records? Or will I have to contact Family Search about that?

[russellhltn]

I'd do a search of the FamiliyTree to see if you can find him. I think members appear sometime after they pass. But it might not be linked to your tree. You'll need to merge the "duplicate".

[sbradshaw]

It could also be that other family members who arranged the funeral are Church members, and it was a convenient location to arrange in short notice, even if the deceased family member wasn't a Church member.

[Scozart1]

I'd do a search of the FamiliyTree to see if you can find him. I think members appear sometime after they pass. But it might not be linked to your tree. You'll need to merge the "duplicate".

Already did that. I created his Family Search account 5 years after his death, and there was no remotely similar individual at the time. There still isn't now.

[munaish]

I'd do a search of the FamiliyTree to see if you can find him. I think members appear sometime after they pass. But it might not be linked to your tree. You'll need to merge the "duplicate".

Already did that. I created his Family Search account 5 years after his death, and there was no remotely similar individual at the time. There still isn't now.

I think their official FamilySearch profile appears on the tree when the clerk marks them as deceased in their membership record in the ward/branch. It's entirely possible that the records are in a location that doesn't match where they lived when they died (and the clerk might not know about their death; so, they might still be marked as alive in a ward somewhere in the world).

[davesudweeks]

I'd do a search of the FamiliyTree to see if you can find him. I think members appear sometime after they pass. But it might not be linked to your tree. You'll need to merge the "duplicate".

Already did that. I created his Family Search account 5 years after his death, and there was no remotely similar individual at the time. There still isn't now.

I think their official FamilySearch profile appears on the tree when the clerk marks them as deceased in their membership record in the ward/branch. It's entirely possible that the records are in a location that doesn't match where they lived when they died (and the clerk might not know about their death; so, they might still be marked as alive in a ward somewhere in the world).

This is correct. If they were not marked as deceased by a clerk, they will continue to be considered living and nothing will be passed from church membership to FamilySearch. One would expect clerks to be on top of this but my sad experience is that is not always the case. If they were sent to the old "address unknown" file, their record will likely be at church headquarters.

Your clerk could send a message to the GSD and provide their details to the best of your knowledge (full name, last known address, birth date, death date, etc.) and query if the record is in the address unknown file so they could be marked deceased.