When a family member or friend passes away, most people are notified of the pending funeral. However, imagine if, over the years, you lost touch with that family member or friend and never knew where they were buried. How would you find that information? What resources exist to help you in your search? Finding the final resting place of a loved one can present challenges, and even dead ends. That’s why Leslie Howell is passionate in her quest to help families find their loved ones.
Genealogy and Ancestry Organizations are Resources
Long before she graduated from Mortuary School and became Creative Director at Roper & Sons Funeral Home in Lincoln, Nebraska, Leslie was intrigued with genealogy. Her fascination stems from watching her Grandmother conduct genealogical research while growing up. “I remember my Grandma had me enter into a spreadsheet all the documented burials in the Fairbury Cemetery in an effort to digitize the records so that they wouldn’t be lost to another disaster like the fire that had destroyed them,” Leslie remembers. Her grandmother’s goal was to find a way to install an outdoor kiosk so people could enter a name and then be directed to the section of the cemetery where their loved one was buried.
Leslie’s passion for helping families is more than a leisure interest. She says anyone can utilize a variety of resources to locate their deceased loved ones. Some of the most effective tools she uses include:
- Death Certificates (Ancestry.com) – Death certificates can provide essential details, such as the burial location, cause of death, and funeral home information.
- Newspaper Archives (Newspapers.com) – Old obituaries and funeral announcements can often provide clues about burial sites.
- Church Records – Many religious institutions keep detailed burial records for their members.
- Cemetery Records –Cemetery offices maintain logs of burials and often have maps to help locate specific plots.
- Find A Grave (FindAGrave.com) – This volunteer-run website provides a searchable database of gravesites worldwide, often including photographs and additional biographical information.
Another resource that is extremely helpful is identifying a living relative of the deceased. Even a small detail–the name of the funeral home used–can be an important lead.
Challenges in Accessing Burial Records
Despite the wealth of resources available, finding a burial site is not always straightforward. One of the biggest challenges Leslie has run into is ensuring the accuracy of volunteer-based databases. While sites like Find A Grave and family genealogy forums can be great resources, they may contain errors or incomplete information which can lead to confusion or dead ends in the search process.
Another challenge is the sensitive nature of some records. Cause of death and other personal details may be restricted due to privacy laws or sealed, making access difficult. Additionally, historical records–especially minority groups–are often incomplete or don’t go far enough back in time. Many communities didn’t maintain thorough burial records, making it harder for families to trace their lineage.
“In some cases, I may know where a person was buried, but the records are not complete which takes extensive research to verify,” Leslie explains. “However, when I do make a breakthrough, it’s very rewarding.”
What impact does this have on families?
For many families, finally learning the burial location of a loved one is an emotional and meaningful discovery. Often, Leslie is able to track down information and through her research, she is able to pass this on to family members, giving them the opportunity to visit the gravesite and honor them. It provides closure and a renewed connection to family heritage.
“The impact on families who are contacted is mostly positive,” Leslie says. “They express gratitude for my efforts and for giving them the opportunity to honor their ancestors.”
The quest to finding the final resting place of lost loved ones is not just a historical or genealogical endeavor—it is a deeply personal journey for many people. Leslie Howell’s dedication to helping families navigate this process highlights the importance of preserving and sharing burial records.
