Your ward or branch clerk can update Church membership records for living and deceased individuals that are incorrectly displayed in Family Tree.
When the clerk records the death of a member, a public record for that person is created in Family Tree. The new record is different from the record in your personal tree. Add the death information to the personal tree record; then search for duplicates, and merge the personal record with the membership record. Family members who have records of this person in their own personal family tree spaces must do the same.
Updating the Church Membership Record in Family Tree
Users of Family Tree cannot add a death date to a Church membership record by themselves. If the Church membership record does not include a death date, however, it is not visible in the Private People list of close relatives.
If 2 membership records exist for the same person, you can merge the records.
To request that FamilySearch add a death date to a membership record, please contact us with the following information:
- The full name and Family Tree ID number of the deceased member.
- The individual's birth date and birthplace.
- The death date and death place of the deceased member.
- The full names of parents and spouse (or spouses).
- Supporting documentation for the death date. Acceptable documentation includes a death certificate, obituary, funeral program, or official death index. Scan and attach a copy of the supporting document.
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