[stuartcw]

Before social media people religiously read the local obituaries column in the local newspaper and called their friends if someone they both knew had died.

Families would call all the close contacts and relatives to make sure that they knew.

For several years after my father died in 1985 people called our house to speak to him. Most were not close acquaintances but some were still pretty shocked to hear of his death.

[cbr]

> Families would call all the close contacts and relatives to make sure that they knew.

I think people generally still do this? When my mother died a few years ago we took turns calling her relatives and close friends. We wanted them to hear the news verbally.

[CodeWriter23]

Before social media, when someone died, you went through your address book and called everyone you knew who knew that person. And everyone you called would do the same.