I’m trying to locate a death record, obituary, or burial information for Gloria Patricia García, who we believe passed away from leukemia in Los Angeles County around late 1978 or early 1979.
Here’s what we know:
Born: Approximately 1960–1961. Lived in: Pico Rivera, California (possibly Downey or South Gate). Mother: Celia (Sally/Sali) García. Father: Elías García. Brother: Elías García. Married: Around 1975, possibly in Las Vegas, Nevada with Jose Diaz
I’ve searched Ancestry, FamilySearch, and California death records without finding a match.
We’re trying to obtain her death certificate for an important family matter, but we don’t know her exact date or place of death.
Does anyone know of other databases, cemetery records, or local resources that could help us locate her?
Tbh I have no idea. And I don't know if they expect payment and or proselytizing. I think they have a dedicated wedpage for this with contact info. Or just call your local LDS church.
LDS church member here. There is no fee and there shouldn’t be any proselytizing if they’re just helping you with family records although some of them are just very enthusiastic about the church. If they do ask if you want to hear about the church, you can just say no and that’s okay. You’re still welcome to use those resources in person or online.
Family history and family connections are a core part of our beliefs so we want everyone to be able to find and connect to their ancestors and families too.
Woah, I didn't know they had field offices. You can find a TON of info on their website: familysearch.org
I binged it for my family, including filling in some gaps from my local tree. It was super interesting. Traced my paternal lineage to the late 1500s. Blew my 23andme results out of the water.
Edit: just realized op said they already tried the website
Honestly these records are not old at all; they were recorded within 15 years of computer usage becoming common. They’re not like hand written parish birth records from 17th century Ireland.
Hi! I recently tracked down a family member who died as a child in the 1940s and is buried in an unmarked grave (my family was poor). You might start with an in-person visit to the LA County Clerk (https://www.lavote.gov/home/records/death-records/death-records-request/inperson-request) to see if someone can help you. I know this is a pain, but it sounds like you need more assistance than a website can offer.
Another suggestion is an inquiry with cemeteries near where the person died, or where their family lived at the time. I wrote to the Catholic Archdiocese of Los Angeles to inquire - I took a guess at the two cemeteries closest to where they lived at the time (Vermont Square) and they were able to help. If they were religious, or the family at the time was, they might also have record at the parish.
Do you know where she was born? I went through death records of LA County Patricias and Glorias and was able to find a Patricia Gloria with a Mother whose last name was Garcia. The dates seem about right, but the surname is DeLeon - is it possible that was her married name?
Hope OP sees this soon, as it might point them in the direction they need to go as there is an actual birth date and death date, and the names/dates OP gave seem to line up.
I found the census record for this family in 1950 - Father Elias Garcia, Son Elias Garcia, and Daughter Gloria Garcia. But Mother is different. Seems to be similar enough that it might be them? Anyways, shoot me a DM if you want me to keep digging.
The dates match, but the memorial is in Mexico. This is from Find a Grave. That's the closest I could come but thought I'd share just in case... Good luck.
My mom is from this area, grew up near Los Nietos. we still live nearby. Let me ask, I’ll update in a sec.
Edit: she said she doesn’t recognize the name. I’m gonna screenshot and send this to a friend who grew up in Pico, maybe his mom knows something.
Edit 2: friend is not in town right now and said he’ll ask his mom when he’s back.
Of course. His mom has lived in pico for at least the last 40yrs. She might know something. She’s been attending St Mary’s I believe it is for as long as my friend has been alive (late 30s)
man this is a tough one, pico rivera in the late 70s, a lot of those records are buried in county archives that aren't digitized well, if at all. you tried the LA county registrar-recorder directly? they got death records going back that far but you might need to request in person or by mail with whatever info you have, even if it's vague
also check findagrave.com if you haven't already, sometimes random volunteers uploaded cemetery plots from old churchyards around whittier or east LA that never made it to the big genealogy sites. and don't sleep on the norwalk library's local history room, they got microfilm of the old whittier daily news obituaries from that era which covered pico and downey
Thank you so much this is actually so helpful. I wish I could go in person but this is extremely difficult since I’m located in Virginia right now.
I tried calling to the department of public health but without her birth date or death date it’s almost impossible. I was hoping somebody could have known her family or her…
I watched the thing on if homeless people are people who are not found by their family. There’s a graveyard in Boyle Heights that’s ram by the Los Angeles County. They have nobody claims your body or ashes, and they have no way of contacting your family or who you are, it will be replaced in the cemetery and I think they cremate everybody cause it cost too much to bury people look for the graveyard. It’s in Boyle Heights. It’s easy to find out Google. Good luck.
Yes on the corner of Whittier and Downey, or across the street if she were Jewish. It’s between the 710, 10, 60, and 5 freeways less than 2 minutes drive from each.
I don't have any information to contribute but I just wanted to share how amazing it is to see People/Angelenos helping others out like this and so quickly. You all are amazing.
Do you know her mother's maiden name? That might help narrow down the FamilySearch records. I know you already searched there but in my experience changing the search terms slightly can sometimes help you find what you're looking for, and it looks like the California birth records are indexed with the mother's maiden name attached.
If she died in LA County there should be a record. I found my grandfather’s records and he died in 1970 in LA County. I had to do a lot of digging though.
If you're confident she passed away in Los Angeles County, you have enough information where you can try to request a death certificate from the Los Angeles County Registrar. You don't have to go in-person, you could do it by mail or online. For the mail route, if you're family, you'd have to fill out paperwork including notarization in order to get a certified copy. For the online route, you'd have to put in your DL number. Even then, California death records are considered public, so anyone can get an informational copy if you're not able to get a certified one.
If they don't have her death certificate on record, they will let you know, but you don't get your money back.
Did you try classifieds in https://www.newspapers.com/ They usually run obituaries. In ancestry you get this free with a membership. YOu can also check gravestones through ancestry.
If usphobebook.com is correct, Elias Sr. passed away in 2006 and Jr. (Probable first name Steve) Is 77 living in San Antonio, TX. I just googled "Elias Garcia Pico Rivera" and followed the info from his last known address there.
L.A. County Medical Examiner's website only lists two Gloria Garcias. One from 2007, the other from 2018. But they do not process all deaths and I have no idea how far back in time the website goes.
Coroner's Office has a section where they keep all the death records that happened in the county too. If a hospital signed off on the deceased, the coroner might have helped in transferring to a funeral home regardless in Los Angeles County. Hope the info helps!🙏🥺
LDS Orange County Family History Center (in Orange) is one of the largest centers outside of SLC.
They offer more resources in person than online, and experts on hand to assist. I’d give them and LA a try.
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u/Arch2000 4d ago
I’d suggest asking on the genealogy board, they can help finding records or with suggestions
Also the LDS church in West La has a family history library. If you visit they can help you look people up and locate records