Membership information available for genealogy or other purposes?

I'm wondering what the church does with membership information of deceased members?

I have a neighbor whose husband was a member of the church, but she is not. Her husband had not been active in many years and died recently. She wanted to make sure some things were correct on his membership record before I record his death. I don't know if she will want children recorded or not.

I'm wondering what the church does with membership information of deceased members? For example, could it ever be made available for genealogy research? What if a family member wanted temple ordinances performed for this individual (they have not been)? It may be helpful if I can explain to her how the church handles these records.

I plan to print her an individual ordinance summary after I've completed any updates so she has it for her family records.

As I understand it, a deceased member's records are entered into FamilySearch with all the ordinance information. Since FamilySearch doesn't list information about the living, it won't show his spouse or children (at this time).

There is a lag between when a death is recorded by the clerk and when the data shows up in FamilySearch, but basic information that's relevant to FamilySearch, excluding information about living family members, does get copied over.

I have a sister of a deceased member who is asking for her brother's membership records. He passed away back in January, I was not the clerk at that time. Just wondering if this is even possible? I have not been able to find anywhere that I can request this info or print it. Apparently Family Search doesn't show the info she wants.

floripaman74 wrote:I have a sister of a deceased member who is asking for her brother's membership records. He passed away back in January, I was not the clerk at that time. Just wondering if this is even possible? I have not been able to find anywhere that I can request this info or print it. Apparently Family Search doesn't show the info she wants.

First off, I'd refer to Handbook 1: 13.6, paragraph 5 and 6. Members are not to be given their membership records, but they are encouraged to have their IOS.

However, since the brother has been recorded as deceased, I don't know of any way you can get any information about him from the computers. You'd have to contact support. I'd start with finding out what she wants to know. She may be expecting to see a lot more information, such as past callings.

russellhltn wrote:However, since the brother has been recorded as deceased, . . .

I would make sure that the clerk has recorded the death on the membership record. Within a few days of that, all of the genealogical and ordinance information will show up in FamilySearch for all the world to see.

Correct. In the weeks and months following a member's death, you will find that FamilySearch make's the deceased member's record visible in Family Tree. You will also usually find several duplicates of that record appear, as relatives mark their "Living" records of that person as now deceased. The duplicates will need to be merged.