What Happens When You Die? A Genealogist’s Perspective

Posted on by

into the light

Many of you may have heard recently that former FGS Treasurer, FGS Director and ISGS board member Kim Kasprzyk passed away this week after a brief illness. I had the pleasure of working with Kim at both FGS and ISGS and I admired not only her commitment to both organizations through her volunteer work, but also her intense passion for genealogy.

Having now witnessed the passing of two different FGS board members in less than 18 months, naturally I begin to think not only of my own mortality, but also there’s a natural curiosity as to what that journey out of life must be like and what can be expected on the other side.

Do you think that place beyond life is different for genealogists than it is for most people? I think it is. Here’s what I believe I’ll find “over there.”

  • There won’t be any genealogy research on my family lines.  Not one bit.  Because it will already be done.
  • I’ll get to meet all my ancestors, I’ll learn about their lives, I’ll hear their stories, I’ll have all the time I need to become acquainted with them and enjoy their company.
  • In an instant I’ll understand how that crazy puzzle I worked on for oh-so-many years fits together. And I’ll realize which parts of my research were accurate or inaccurate.
  • I and my genea-buddies will haunt and harass legislators and others who continue to block access to records and data important to genealogists.
  • Did I say no research? I mean none of my own research. I know I’ll be guiding my nieces and nephews and other descendants in their own journey to understand their roots.
  • And not just guiding my own family. I intend to push along all my genealogy friends as well. There will be Random Acts of Genealogical Serendipity and I hope to be the cause of quite a few of them. Someone has to make sure that book falls off a library shelf as you walk by, right?

On a personal note, the ancestor I most want to see again is my great-grandmother who inspired me to get involved with genealogy. Perhaps I’ll be able to tug the sleeve of her favorite cotton dress, catch a whiff of her favorite perfume – Emeraude – and maybe even try to scrounge in her purse for a butterscotch candy like I did as a child. I’ll hold her close and tell her, “Thank you for what you did for me and how you changed my life.”

And mostly I’ll be at peace and so will all my genealogy friends already over there on the other side. No worries. No concerns. We’ll have at our disposal the biggest library you could ever imagine. We’ll have a big genealogy party without end. We’ll laugh and we may cry, but we’ll continue to be reunited by our driving passion.

Genealogy doesn’t end.  It just keeps getting better.

[So what is your vision of a genealogy afterlife? I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments below.]

Photo: Into the light, digital image by Somebody_ via Flickr. Used via Creative Commons License 3.0.

© 2012, copyright Thomas MacEntee

Print Friendly

14 thoughts on “What Happens When You Die? A Genealogist’s Perspective”

  3. What a sweet post! You have such a nice way of looking at the afterlife that I am going to use it as my own. I now look forward to meeting my extended family and asking where some of those photographs were taken. What a nice thought. Thanks Thomas!

  5. Nice post!

    I always tell people I’m not afraid to die, because I’m looking forward to meeting the people I researched all these years, and finding the ones I never could solve the mysteries for.

    My only worry is what will happen to all my stuff? No-one in my immediate family shares my passion. I’ll haunt them forever if they throw all my research into a dumpster!

  7. I really like this post. You are quite a guiding spirit, even while alive! There are many people over there I’d also like to thank for supporting my life. And we do so need more haunting and harassing of legislators. (Maybe some of this during life.) I hope our friends on the other side have streaming videos of past events all prepared and ready to show us. It’s only fair.

  9. My views are a little bit different than most…being a born-again Christian I KNOW what Heaven and the after-life will be like – mostly praising our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. I would hope that most of my ancestors I’ve learned about (and those I couldn’t find) will be joining me there – since we will be eternally happy I would like to think if they are there that I will know them and they will know me. I want to be reunited with my parents, my brother, and my ancestors. But if that’s not God’s plan for heaven then I don’t think I will be even giving it a 2nd thought.

    I don’t say this to start a theological discussion on different beliefs,,,,I just replying to the question stated by Thomas. Good subject Thomas, thanks!

  10. Thomas-
    I love this post. I got all teary at the thought of reuniting with my grandma and getting the clarity over my research. I love the thought of the haunting and nudging the book off the shelf. Really touching. Thanks for writing this!!! Jen

  11. sniff, sniff, there you go making me cry so early in the day. I love your vision Thomas, thanks for a beautiful post, sounds like heaven!

  12. Thank you, Thomas. I thought this was great. I love you image and I have lots of questions I want to ask my ancestors.
    Now I just wish Grandma would give me some hints about her ancestors since she wrote decades ago that she could trace 3 of her 4 family lines to this continent before the Revolutionary War. Of course, she didn’t leave any notes. Oh, well.

  13. Thomas what a great post! It truly makes you think. I grew up never knowing any of my grandparents, great grandparents or great aunts and uncles but I know so much about them thru my years of research that I know I will meet them on the other side! My son (now 16) knows how important my family tree paperwork is and he has been instructed to give it to someone in the family that becomes the family historian, like I have been all these years.

Comments are closed.