In today's environment I would be very, very careful about mentioning the cause of death.  There are are enough inheritable genetic conditions which area a contributing factor in death which one would not want that information to be public. That could be used in a negative manner against any descendants of that individual.  One just needs to look to the privacy controls present at firms such as 23andMe, AncestryDNA, FTNDA to understand the regulatory and legal controls present on heritable information.   While one may say that using a generic term such as dementia, breast cancer, or Parkinsons is OK the assumed potential presence of inherited genes associated with the condition(s) in offspring could result in unexpected exclusionary actions by insurance or medical area firms.

Yes, it would be intellectually VERY interesting to trace back the family tree and look at family siblings passed in order to establish where specific bad traits were present and where they might be present in current generations.  Really how many of you would want to know which ancestor(s) apparently had the APO4e variant which increases the odds of acquiring Alzheimer's dementia as you age?  [Yes, you can confirm a good number of items via the existing crop of autosomal tests.]
Before mentioning a cause of death make sure that all descendants are in agreement that they want that information to be publicized.
Wayne Kauffman

On Wednesday, April 30, 2025 at 12:33:10 PM EDT, Wayne Kauffman <dna_wayne@yahoo.com> wrote:  

In today's environment I would be very, very careful about mentioning the cause of death.  There are are enough inheritable genetic conditions which area a contributing factor in death which one would not want that information to be public. That could be used in a negative manner against any descendants of that individual.  One just needs to look to the privacy controls present at firms such as 23andMe, AncestryDNA, FTNDA to understand the regulatory and legal controls present on heritable information.   While one may say that using a generic term such as dementia, breast cancer, or Parkinsons is OK the assumed potential presence of inherited genes associated with the condition(s) in offspring could result in unexpected exclusionary actions by insurance or medical area firms.

Yes, it would be intellectually VERY interesting to trace back the family tree and look at family siblings passed in order to establish where specific bad traits were present and where they might be present in current generations.  Really how many of you would want to know which ancestor(s) apparently had the APO4e variant which increases the odds of acquiring Alzheimer's dementia as you age?  [Yes, you can confirm a good number of items via the existing crop of autosomal tests.]
Before mentioning a cause of death make sure that all descendants are in agreement that they want that information to be publicized.
Wayne Kauffman

On Wednesday, April 30, 2025 at 11:41:35 AM EDT, James G. Hermsen via List <list@maillist.saga-omii.org> wrote:  

Hoosierly Yours,

James G. Hermsen
8108 Laura Lynne Lane
Indianapolis, IN 46217
317-881-4600 main
317-679-1466 cell
Question Critically, Think Logically, Communicate Clearly, Act Creatively, Live Ethically.

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I have been asked this question before and have actually consulted with a legal team.  HIPPA only pertains to the living individual having his/her information publicly posted or shared.  Descendants cannot have any legal standing unless the decedent had left explicit instructions mandating the information to be kept confidential.  Posting an cause of death that was already posted in an obituary would not even make it to court if some generation down the line thought it "might" cause him/her difficulties.  That person would have had to make it well known that as to whom the ancestor was and probably their condition.  Besides, with the Obama Care Act, you cannot be denied insurance based upon pre-existing conditions of yourself or your ancestor who lived before you.  Besides a son/daughter only has 50% of the DNA, the grandchildren only 25% DNA, and it keeps dwindling with each generation.
Hoosierly Yours,

James G. Hermsen
8108 Laura Lynne Lane
Indianapolis, IN 46217
317-881-4600 main
317-679-1466 cell
Question Critically, Think Logically, Communicate Clearly, Act Creatively, Live Ethically.

On Wednesday, April 30, 2025 at 02:41:01 PM EDT, Walt Bauer via List <list@maillist.saga-omii.org> wrote:  

Reminds me of my 3rd great grandfather's death notice in the 1857 Lewistown PA Gazette (below). 
Also, in his Find-a-Grave entry, in comments, it notes he used ashes to write "You work me too hard" on the mantle above the fireplace. I've emailed the owner of that entry many times asking for the source of the story, but he never responds.
In the 19th century, they could be very explicit in newspaper reports. It can be valuable information for descendants. But it is also out there for anyone else to see. 
Walt Bauer

On Wed, Apr 30, 2025 at 1:06 PM Loren Johns via List list@maillist.saga-omii.org wrote:

Wayne:
Your caution surprises me ... which makes me think I should take it seriously and further ponder the implications of recording something.
I once encountered a death certificate that listed the cause of death as "nothing serious."
Loren L. JohnsStuart, Florida
-----------------------------------------------------------------------"I will accept no bull from your house." --Ps. 50:9, RSV

On Wed, Apr 30, 2025 at 12:56 PM Wayne Kauffman via List list@maillist.saga-omii.org wrote:

In today's environment I would be very, very careful about mentioning the cause of death.  There are are enough inheritable genetic conditions which area a contributing factor in death which one would not want that information to be public. That could be used in a negative manner against any descendants of that individual.  One just needs to look to the privacy controls present at firms such as 23andMe, AncestryDNA, FTNDA to understand the regulatory and legal controls present on heritable information.   While one may say that using a generic term such as dementia, breast cancer, or Parkinsons is OK the assumed potential presence of inherited genes associated with the condition(s) in offspring could result in unexpected exclusionary actions by insurance or medical area firms.

Yes, it would be intellectually VERY interesting to trace back the family tree and look at family siblings passed in order to establish where specific bad traits were present and where they might be present in current generations.  Really how many of you would want to know which ancestor(s) apparently had the APO4e variant which increases the odds of acquiring Alzheimer's dementia as you age?  [Yes, you can confirm a good number of items via the existing crop of autosomal tests.]
Before mentioning a cause of death make sure that all descendants are in agreement that they want that information to be publicized.
Wayne Kauffman

On Wednesday, April 30, 2025 at 12:33:10 PM EDT, Wayne Kauffman <dna_wayne@yahoo.com> wrote:  

In today's environment I would be very, very careful about mentioning the cause of death.  There are are enough inheritable genetic conditions which area a contributing factor in death which one would not want that information to be public. That could be used in a negative manner against any descendants of that individual.  One just needs to look to the privacy controls present at firms such as 23andMe, AncestryDNA, FTNDA to understand the regulatory and legal controls present on heritable information.   While one may say that using a generic term such as dementia, breast cancer, or Parkinsons is OK the assumed potential presence of inherited genes associated with the condition(s) in offspring could result in unexpected exclusionary actions by insurance or medical area firms.

Yes, it would be intellectually VERY interesting to trace back the family tree and look at family siblings passed in order to establish where specific bad traits were present and where they might be present in current generations.  Really how many of you would want to know which ancestor(s) apparently had the APO4e variant which increases the odds of acquiring Alzheimer's dementia as you age?  [Yes, you can confirm a good number of items via the existing crop of autosomal tests.]
Before mentioning a cause of death make sure that all descendants are in agreement that they want that information to be publicized.
Wayne Kauffman

On Wednesday, April 30, 2025 at 11:41:35 AM EDT, James G. Hermsen via List <list@maillist.saga-omii.org> wrote:  

Hoosierly Yours,

James G. Hermsen
8108 Laura Lynne Lane
Indianapolis, IN 46217
317-881-4600 main
317-679-1466 cell
Question Critically, Think Logically, Communicate Clearly, Act Creatively, Live Ethically.

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To unsubscribe send an email to list-leave@maillist.saga-omii.org
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