Re: Deb Geisler -- 1957-2024

On 3/24/24 8:16 AM, Keith F. Lynch wrote:

Thanks.  But that just raises (I know better than to say "begs") the
question, how do *they* find out?  If I were to die tomorrow, I don't
think anyone would report my death to them.  If you were to die
tomorrow, would anyone report your death to them?  It would obviously
have to be someone who knew you were dead, so it couldn't be me.
 Similarly with any fan who isn't living with a fan.  Or who had
dropped out of fandom.

In today's world, I sometimes wonder if it's possible that people lie decomposing at home for months or more without anyone noticing. All their bills are automatically paid. They may have Social Security or other payments automatically going into their bank accounts, so the payments don't run dry.
If I died today at home, probably no one would notice today, but I make some regular appearances where I'd be missed. On Tuesday, a certain friend would wonder why I didn't show up or answer her calls. On Wednesday, the library would wonder why I missed my tech help appointments. By the next MASSFILC meeting at the latest (I'm clerk and send out the announcements), suspicions would be high and someone with a key would come to my house. (I'm thinking of specific people but prefer not to name them here.) It would get out to the MASSFILC mailing list, and I think that would be enough for someone to submit the information in due course to the Glasgow list.
The situation was somewhat like that for Ariel (Abby) Cinii. She was found dead at home, exact date and cause of death unknown. Some people checked on her when she stopped making her usual contacts.
It can take time for the news to reach everyone, especially if you shun Facebook. I learned about filker Rilla Heslin's recent death only from one post on Bluesky that didn't give her last name. She's on the Glasgow list. I make a point of citing filk-related obituaries on my Filk News Mastodon account, figuring some people might not otherwise learn.
Caution is necessary about reports, though. A few years ago a stalker falsely reported my death on Usenet and elsewhere, as a way to hurt my friends. The report had many inaccurate details, and of course I was around to deny it.
--
Gary McGath    http://www.mcgath.com