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Bereavement

Do you delete numbers off your phone when someone dies?

(86 Posts)
Liz08 Fri 09-Mar-18 11:42:35

It seem that quite a few people still have the phone numbers of family and friends who were no longer alive on their mobiles.

My dearly beloved Dad passed away just over a year ago and I deleted his number a few weeks later, now I feel bad.

I did keep the string of texts sent to my sister as I sat by his hospital bed in the weeks before he died. They remind me of the unfolding story.

Marieeliz Sat 10-Mar-18 10:17:43

I don't change my phone much. I still have my brother's number on, he died in 2010. Also his last message to me which was "Night Night". Could not delete it for the life of me.

icanhandthemback Sat 10-Mar-18 10:15:15

Funnily enough, I was talking to my husband about this the other day. I still have the numbers of people who died 10 years ago on my phone. It somehow feels too final to deliberately delete them. However, if I ever started a new address book, I wouldn't put them in it.

patriciageegee Sat 10-Mar-18 10:05:00

No I don't delete them but I find as phones get upgraded over time that's a kind of natural, organic way to let go of texts/phone numbers from our beloved.

Funnygran Sat 10-Mar-18 09:56:30

I have e mails from my sister from a few years back. She died 18 months ago and I do read them occasionally as she used to write in the same way that she spoke. It makes me sad but I don't think I could ever delete them.

coast35 Sat 10-Mar-18 09:54:15

I still have my son’s phone number on my phone. So does my husband. Our son, Gary had a fatal cardiac arrest on Nov 13th 2016. It was such a shock because apart from the occasional man cold he’d never had a days illness in his life. I’ve kept his number and his texts. I can’t bear to get rid of them yet.

Nanny123 Sat 10-Mar-18 09:35:56

I still have my dad’s number on my phone, along with his address after 6 years. I just cannot delete them

LynneB59 Sat 10-Mar-18 09:34:02

Yes, I delete texts, numbers, etc, connected with the deceased person. I don't want to be reminded of the sad times - I like to try to remember the happier occasions and the relationship I had with that person

Twopence Sat 10-Mar-18 09:33:40

For a long time after the sudden death of my very dear cousin her message was still on the answer phone of her land line. I was rather disconcerted at first but then found it a comfort to be able to hear her voice.

Harris27 Sat 10-Mar-18 09:28:45

I hadn't really thought about this until I read this thread my mil died two weeks ago after recently going into a home and I deleted her new room/ phone number as it upset me. As it was only 4 weeks in my phone I think that's why.

Purpledaffodil Sat 10-Mar-18 09:27:49

I do delete numbers of the deceased, but still get reminders on FB of a younger friend who died. Her family haven’t deleted her account and so her comments on old posts still pop up. She had a great sense of humour and I find her comments strangely comforting. ?

TwiceAsNice Fri 09-Mar-18 23:53:16

I have the number of two friends who have died on my phone. I especially could not bear to delete the most recent one and I am still in regular contact with her husband, I had been friends with them both for many years. The first friend was single

Willow500 Fri 09-Mar-18 19:26:44

My parents didn't have mobile phones but I can't delete their birthdays or anyone else who has died from my online diary so the dates pop up several days beforehand.

grannyactivist Fri 09-Mar-18 19:16:09

Yes, I delete. The reminders are just too poignant.......and in the recent past there have been too many. In the case of a very recently deceased friend I deleted her number and put in her husband's - whose number I had never needed before as all our contacts were through my friend. sad

MamaCaz Fri 09-Mar-18 18:35:59

I was on the point of deleting my dad's contact numbers from my phone a couple of months after he died, but then changed my mind. Six months on, I still don't feel ready to do that.

Inadvertently, I gave a few relatives a shock when I used Dad's email account to send them copies of his life story. They must have thought, albeit briefly, that he was contacting them from beyond the grave blush

FlorenceN Fri 09-Mar-18 17:30:58

I'm the odd one out here. I deleted a relative off my phone because it was upsetting to see his name/number.

kittylester Fri 09-Mar-18 17:18:47

I don't delete - ridiculously that seems to imply the people never were.

mcem Fri 09-Mar-18 16:57:16

Exactly a year ago I was exchanging texts with my best friend as we planned a trip to Amsterdam. She became ill on Easter Sunday and we cancelled our trip. She died on 1 August and I can't bring myself to delete her.

LadyGracie Fri 09-Mar-18 16:37:26

My dad died nearly 5 years ago, I still have his mobile number on my phone, along with pictures and messages.

OldMeg Fri 09-Mar-18 16:31:48

I’ve deleted a couple but there are others I simply cannot bring myself to take off. Silly I know.

callgirl1 Fri 09-Mar-18 16:26:03

My husband died 17 months ago, but his number is still in my mobile, which I only use in dire necessity, I hate it.

MissAdventure Fri 09-Mar-18 13:52:52

Yes, I probably could put one on. I'll have to find out, but my phone memory is almost full, so not sure i'll have room.
It just gives me a pang sometimes, when something pops up unexpectedly.

Jalima1108 Fri 09-Mar-18 13:51:16

I can't remember if this is the one I used but it should work if you have Chrome
chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/ad-blocker/kacljcbejojnapnmiifgckbafkojcncf

Jalima1108 Fri 09-Mar-18 13:49:11

Can you put an adblocker on MissA?
I've done that, if I can remember (or find out) how I did it I'll let you know.
It could hamper other things you may want to look at as some other sites ask you to disable it before you can look (Radio Times is one) but it is worth it.

TerriBull Fri 09-Mar-18 12:58:26

I've kept both my mum's mobile and home numbers in my phone, Quite pointless she died in 2008, but just want to hang on to them, I'd love to be able to ring her and hear her voice again sad

hildajenniJ Fri 09-Mar-18 12:25:19

I've deleted the phone number of my Dad, but I have loads of photos and mementos of my parents and grandparents. In my Christmas card address book, I have neatly scored through the names and addresses of deceased friends and relatives, but you can still read them. I believe that my cousin still uses a recording of my mother's laughter as his mobile phone ringtone.