Super sleuths needed for LNAB and DOD for stepmother

Question

I spent the better part of two days sorting out and sourcing my aunt's six marriages. My last clean-up chore was to find my stepmother's LNAB and her date of death. I recall my mother telling me in 1964 - 1968 that she had died. (Family dynamics pretty messy)

Dorothy May Elder was a divorcee, born 23 Sep 1918 in Chicago, Illinois. Married Delbert Lyle Thomas in 1960, Kitsap County, Washington. I have the marriage certificate.

Thanks in advance for any assistance!

Comments

Hi the link to the ancestry library marriage license application doesn't work for me.

I looked for a bit and couldn't find any death records, which is frustrating.

One thing that might help is the husband - I found a newspaper article in 1976 reporting he was fined $200 for a DUI - maybe legal records could help, though they might be sealed

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I'm looking at births for the time being - Dorothy's in Cook County

Oct 12: https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:N7SD-74Y
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:N7SG-XR3
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:N798-GXH

Family Search Cook County doesn't have any Dorothy's born on an October 13, only Oct 12

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I found 4 different Dorothy's born in Cook County on 13 Oct 1918 on ancestry:

Dorothy Lilian Trask (Frank, Emma Albertim)

Dorothy Elizabeth Krey (John J, Mary)

Dorothy Elizabeth Jenen (Nicholas, Anna)

Dorothy Jane Davis (Evan R, Annie)

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What paper died you find it in? I am thinking that her death might have been published in the Bremerton paper because that was the largest town near where they lived. Port Orchard is the county seat and their news would be in the Bremerton paper.

I'll upload the marriage application. Like looking for a needle in a haystack.

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It was published in two different papers:

1) Statesman Journal on April 8 1976

2) The Capital Journal on April 8 1976

Both in Salem, Oregon

It says he was 55 at the time, which implies a birth date of anywhere between Apr 9 1920 to April 8 1921. I don't know if this is the same Delbert Lyle Thomas, but it does seem to match the general information we have about him and I don't think Delbert Lyle Thomas is a particular common name, but there have been unlikelier coincidences.

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it's him. He had returned to Oregon early 70s. His sisters all lived in Salem and he returned "home". Thank you for your help. I will wait until after COVID and hit  Kitsap County resources in person.

Answer 1

From their marriage record, just above ''years of age'', is the date Sept. 23, 1920 for him, and Sept 23, 1918 for her. Are these their birthdays? Were they really born on the same day two years apart? Do you have another source that states October 13 or am I reading this wrong?

You say she had six marriages, but you only have the marriage to Mr. Thomas and the one to Mr. Elder. Who were her other husbands?

Is there any way we can build back a timeline for her?

Do we know when he died? Is it possible they were buried together or she was mentioned in his obituary?

Is there any way to access divorce records for the States?

Comments

Is this his Find A Grave memorial?

There are a couple of trees on Ancestry with him in them, and there is a copy of an obituary but I can't see it since I don't have American access.

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Yes. That his memorial.

Obituary - "Delbert Thomas, 80, of Salem died Friday. Born in Independence....Survivors include his daughter, Nancy Thomas of Seattle; and sister, Mildred Walling of Salem"

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I certainly had a senior moment when I entered her date of birth. You pointing it out triggered a memory - they were born on the same day.

Dorothy was not married six times to my knowledge. My Aunt Ellen was the serial bride.  Smith-142914

Dorothy died in Washington State to my knowledge. My father died many years later in Oregon. Dorothy was not buried with or near him - I have the funeral home and cemetery records. He remarried in 1968 and moved to Oregon in the early 70s.

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OK! So we need a Dorothy May (something), born on September 23, 1918 in Chicago, married once to Mr. Elder.

Can anyone use Ancestry to find a birth record for September 23, 1918 in Chicago?