Social Face of Death, 1996-1997
A Guide to the Collection of Oral History Interviews at Indiana University
Bloomington
Finding aid prepared by the staff of the Center for
the Study of History and Memory with a grant from the National Endowment for the
Humanities Division of Preservation and Access, 2000-2002
Overview of the Collection
Repository
Indiana University Center for Documentary Research and Practice
Indiana University
Franklin Hall 0030B
601 E. Kirkwood Avenue
Bloomington, IN 47405
Phone: 812/855-2856
Fax: 812/855-0002
E-mail: ohrc@indiana.edu
http://mediaschool.indiana.edu/cdrp/oral-history/
Creator
Indiana University Center for the
Study of History and Memory
TitleSocial Face of Death, 1996-1997
Project No.
ohrc111
Interviews
24 interview. Audiotapes, transcripts, and collateral
materials.
Physical Location
Interviews are housed in Franklin Hall, Room 0030B. Copies of interview transcripts are also held by the IU Libraries University
Archives.
Contact archives@indiana.edu for more information. For other locations housing the interviews
from this project, please contact the Center for Documentary Research and Practice office.
Language
Materials are in English.
Abstract
This project includes people living in and around Paoli, Indiana.
The project includes people's experiences and attitudes toward death, dying,
and illness. The interviewees share their feelings on losing loved ones. They
discuss the roles of religion, family, fear, and medical interventions in the
process of death and dying. They also discuss the various preparations involved
including, funerals and wills, as well as personal preparations.
Scope and Content Note
This collection contains twenty-four interviews conducted over two years. The interviews range from 30 to 100 minutes. All
interviews consist of audio tapes and typed transcripts.
Administrative Information
Acquisition Information
Oral history interviews conducted by the Indiana University Center for the
Study of History and Memory from 1968 to the present, with particular focus on the
history of twentieth-century America and the Midwest.
Usage Restrictions
The archive of the Center for Documentary Research and Practice at Indiana University is open
to the use of researchers. Copies of transcript pages are available only when such copies
are permitted by the deed of gift. Scholars must honor any
restrictions the interviewee placed on the use of the interview. Since some of our earlier
(pre-computer) transcripts do not exist in final form, any editing marks in a transcript
(deletions, additions, corrections) are to be quoted as marked. Audio files may not be copied for
patrons unless the deed of gift permits it, and a transcript is unavailable for that
interview. The same rules of use that apply to a transcript apply to the audio interview.
Interviews may not be reproduced in full for any public use, but excerpted quotes may be
used as long as researchers fully cite the data in their research, including accession
number, interview date, interviewee's and interviewer's name, and page(s).
Preferred Citation
[interviewee first name last name] interview, by [interviewer first name last
name], [interview date(s)], [call number], [project name], Center for Documentary Research and Practice, Indiana University,
Bloomington, [page number(s) or tape
number and side if no transcript; if digital audio and no transcript, cite time when quote occurs].
Interview List
Interviewee
Babcock, James
November 1,
1996
Call Number
96-150
Physical Description
27 pages, 1 tape, 1 7/8 ips, 75 minutes; index
Interviewer
Granbois, Judith A.
Access Status
Open
Scope and Content Note
James Babcock, born June 19, 1957, discusses the impact death
has had on his life. He discusses the recent deaths of his parents as well as
his mother-in-law. He expresses the pain he continues to feel and talks about
how he and his immediate and extended family handled these deaths. He talks
about how one can prepare and be prepared for death and dying, and how he feels
he would cope were he faced with a serious illness. He discusses his close-knit
family and that changing times may affect how his children prepare for his
death as opposed to how he did for his parents, or his parents, theirs. He
discusses his deep faith and the great importance it has in his life and in his
feelings regarding death. As a principal, he discusses his view of the death of
a parent or a child, how children deal with it, and the unexpectedness of
death.
-
Keywords
-
-
Occupation Names
- school principal
-
-
Subjects
- child death
- family relations
- fear of death
- funeral preparations
- grieving process
- health care decisions
- illness
- parental death
- religion
- wills
Interviewee
Bosley, Hazel
November 21,
1996
Call Number
96-154
Physical Description
28 pages, 1 tape, 1 7/8 ips, 55 minutes; index
Interviewer
Granbois, Judith A.
Access Status
Open
Scope and Content Note
Hazel Bosley, born May 11, 1899, discusses her life and her
family, both immediate and extended. She talks about the changes surrounding
death and dying over the years, such as doctor home visits, and laying out the
body in the home for a wake or funeral. She talks mainly about the deaths of
family, especially her parents. She discusses preparations which must be made
before or after a death and those that she has made for her own death. She
discusses illnesses of her loved ones as well as her own and there effects.
Bosley also talks about religion and its role in her life.
-
Keywords
-
-
Subjects
- family relations
- funeral preparations
- illness
- religion
Interviewee
Conley, David
June 11, 1997
Call Number
96-172
Physical Description
25 pages; 1 tape, 1 7/8 ips, 55 minutes; index
Interviewer
Granbois, Judith A.
Access Status
Open
Scope and Content Note
David Conley a minister, born February 20, 1948, describes his
experiences with the death of loved ones. He talks about how he dealt with the
deaths of his parents and their illnesses. He discusses the importance of
funeral services and community support for the patient and their family. Conley
also shares his experiences with pain management, hospitalization, and helping
others through funeral pre-planning.
-
Keywords
-
-
Occupation Names
- minister
- physician
-
-
Place Names
- Bedford, Indiana
-
-
Subjects
- death preparations
- dying process
- funeral preparations
- funeral services
- grieving process
- hospitalization
- medical technology
- nursing home care
- pain management
- parental death
- personal effects
- physician-patient relationship
- terminal illness
Interviewee
Cornwell, Bethel
November 21,
1996
Call Number
96-155
Physical Description
16 pages, 1 tape, 1 7/8 ips, 20 minutes, index
Interviewer
Granbois, Judith A.
Access Status
Open
Scope and Content Note
Bethel Cornwell, born December 7, 1915, discusses the deaths of
friends and family, particularly those of her husband and her parents. She
discusses how and when they died as well as the time leading up to their
deaths. She talks about the toll illness takes on the sufferer and on friends
and family. Cornwell discusses the preparations that must be made before and
after a death, spiritually, practically, and personally. She speaks of her own
death, her hope for a peaceful one, her ailments, and her preparations.
-
Keywords
-
-
-
Subjects
- death preparations
- family relations
- funeral preparations
- illness
- religion
- wills
Interviewee
Cornwell, Brenda
November 18,
1996
Call Number
96-152
Physical Description
19 pages, 1 tape, 1 7/8 ips, 50 minutes; index
Interviewer
Granbois, Judith A.; Pimple, Kenneth D.
Access Status
Open
Scope and Content Note
Brenda Cornwell discusses the death of her father and the ways
in which it effected the family. She also discusses the deaths of her
grandparents and how her parents dealt with it. Cornwell discusses the deaths
of friends and coworkers due to illness, how they prepared for it, and her
feelings afterwards. She talks about how differently people prepare for their
own deaths and how differently they grieve. She discusses preparing for her
own death and the decisions she had to make such as a living will and funeral
preparations.
-
Keywords
-
-
Subjects
- family relations
- funeral preparations
- illness
- living wills
- parental death
- religion
Interviewee
Dillard, Arthur
November 18,
1996
Call Number
96-151
Physical Description
27 pages; 1 tape, 1 7/8 ips, 70 minutes; index
Interviewer
Pimple, Kenneth D.; Granbois, Judith A.
Access Status
Open
Scope and Content Note
Arthur Dillard, born in 1938, discusses losing a parent at a
very young age. He discusses friends and family members who have died
throughout his life. He discusses illness and physicians. Dillard discusses the
financial issues people face today due to Medicare, nursing homes, and other
health care expenses. He talks about how differently people adjust to the loss
of a loved one and the problems often faced by the next of kin including the
lack of a will, decisions concerning funeral arrangements, or the lack of a
support system. As a lawyer, Dillard talks about issues he deals with
concerning the will or living will and other legal issues that arise following
a death He also discusses his own death, what preparations he has made, and how
he hopes for a good death.
-
Keywords
-
-
Occupation Names
- attorney
-
-
Subjects
- family relations
- financial issues
- grieving process
- illness
- parental death
- physicians
- religion
Interviewee
Dillard, Lucille
December 12,
1996
Call Number
96-156
Physical Description
36 pages; 1 tape, 1 7/8 ips, 80 minutes; index
Interviewer
Smith David H.
Access Status
Open
Scope and Content Note
Myrna Lucille Dillard, born in the 1920s, discusses growing up
in Paoli, Indiana. She talks about the deaths of her parents, of her husband,
and of other family members. She discusses the effects the deaths had on her
and the great importance of family and family ties, especially in the grieving
process. Dillard speaks of religion and spirituality in her life. She discusses
her own death, preparing for it, and in some cases defying it. She talks about
the wonderful relationship she has with her physician and the helpful nature
she has found in physicians in general. She also speaks of the writing she has
done since her youth, and how the hobby still keeps her busy.
-
Keywords
-
-
Place Names
- Paoli, Indiana
-
-
Subjects
- family relations
- grieving process
- physicians
- religion
Interviewee
Fahey, Patrick
April 22, 1997
Call Number
96-174
Physical Description
36 pages; 1 tape, 1 7/8 ips, 75 minutes; index
Interviewer
Granbois, Judith A.
Access Status
Open
Scope and Content Note
Patrick Fahey, a minister, born May 16, 1956, discusses his
personal experiences with the death of his grandparents and the deaths of
members of his congregation. He discusses advance preparations and funeral
services. Fahey discusses his children's responses to death. He describes his
ideal death and his hopes for his family in the event of his death. He also
talks about the support one recieves from the church and the community after
the loss of a loved one.
-
Keywords
-
-
Occupation Names
- minister
-
-
Place Names
- Orange County, Indiana
- Paoli, Indiana
- Syracuse, New York
-
-
Subjects
- advance directives
- dementia
- financial preparations
- funeral services
- grandparents' death
- grieving process
- medical technology
- nursing home care
- open casket
- pain management
- personal effects
- physician-patient relationship
- quality of life
- religion
Interviewee
Forbes, Dan
April 2,
1997
Call Number
96-163
Physical Description
36 pages; 1 tape, 1 7/8 ips, 70 minutes; index
Interviewer
Granbois, Judith A.
Access Status
Open
Scope and Content Note
Dan Forbes describes being a funeral director in Indianapolis
and Paoli, Indiana. He shares his feelings and thoughts on his father's
illness, final wishes, and death, and his mother's illness. Forbes discusses
helping others plan for funerals, the importances of a funeral service and
support from the community. He also discusses planning his own funeral and
living will. He shares his wishes for his graveside service and his family's
happiness.
-
Keywords
-
-
Corporation Names
- American Medical Association
- Indiana College of Mortuary Sciences
-
-
Occupation Names
- funeral director
- minister
-
-
Personal Names
- Babcock, James
- Moseman, Luke B.
- Quinlan, Karen Ann
-
-
Place Names
- Indianapolis, Indiana
- Paoli, Indiana
-
-
Subjects
- artificial nutrition
- Baptist church
- bypass surgery
- convalescent center
- family deaths
- family disagreements
- family relations
- funeral dinners
- funeral homes
- funeral preparations
- funeral services
- good death
- health care
- hospice
- illness
- living wills
- nursing home care
- pain management
- personal effects
- visitation services
Interviewee
Gray, Mabel
November 19,
1996
Call Number
96-153
Physical Description
18 pages, 1 tape, 1 7/8 ips, 25 minutes; index
Interviewer
Granbois, Judith A.
Access Status
Open
Scope and Content Note
Mabel Gray, born June 31, 1912, discusses her experiences with
the deaths of friends and family, particularly her parents and her husband. She
discusses how and where they died, their health, how they prepared, and what
had to be done following their deaths. She talks about her own death and,
preparations and decisions she has made, and the role religion plays in the
process. Gray also discusses the changes that have come about in funerals over
the years.
-
Keywords
-
-
Subjects
- family relations
- illness
- religion
- suffering
Interviewee
Greenberg, Miriam
June 4,
1997
Call Number
96-169
Physical Description
15 pages; 1 tape, 1 7/8 ips, 35 minutes; indexed
Interviewer
Granbois, Judith A.
Access Status
Open
Scope and Content Note
Miriam Greenberg, a physician, born June 10, 1954, describes her
experiences with death. She describes her feelings about those who have died
during her childhood and funerals she has attended. She also discusses death
from a physician's perspective. She talks about pain management and her grief
over the deaths of young patients.
-
Keywords
-
-
Occupation Names
- physician
-
-
Place Names
- Mitchell, Indiana
-
-
Subjects
- breast cancer
- child death
- funeral services
- grieving process
- pain management
- personal effects
- physician-patient relationship
- terminal illness
Interviewee
Hall, Blanche; Hall, Exum
January 29,
1997
Call Number
96-158
Physical Description
36 pages; 1 tape, 1 7/8 ips, 80 minutes; index
Interviewer
Pimple, Kenneth D.
Access Status
Open
Scope and Content Note
Blanche and Exum Hall discuss the deaths of those they've known,
especially their parents. Blanche discusses her mother's poor condition and the
hardship illness brings to both the sufferer and the family. Both discuss
health care in hospitals and nursing homes. They talk about Exum's health
problems and surgeries. They discuss the changes that have occurred in the
factors surrounding death and dying since their childhoods, including funeral
traditions. The Halls talk about preparations and decisions which must be made
in regard to death such as wills, health care, funerals, and financial issues.
They also discuss the role of religion and their personal beliefs. They talk
about their own deaths.
-
Keywords
-
-
Subjects
- caregiving
- financial issues
- funeral preparations
- health care decisions
- illness
- religion
- suffering
- wills
Interviewee
Hall, John M.
June 12,
1997
Call Number
96-173
Physical Description
25 pages, 1 tape, 1 7/8 ips, 60 minutes; index
Interviewer
Granbois, Judith A.
Access Status
Open
Scope and Content Note
Reverend John M. Hall, born November 17, 1953, discusses his
father's illness and death. He talks about the great attitude his father had
despit his ailmet, during his last year of life. He discusses health care
providers in their various forms, including hospitals and home care. As a
priest, Hall discusses his experiences with death through his parishioners. He
talks a great deal about the importance of grieving and of support. He
discusses the preparations and decisions that must be made before and after a
death such as health care decisions, funeral arrangements, and spiritual
readiness. He discusses his own imminent death, his fears and hopes. He also
talks about the suffering death causes for both the individual and for the
friends and family.
-
Keywords
-
-
-
Subjects
- caregiving
- grieving process
- health care decisions
- health care givers
- illness
- religion
- suffering
Interviewee
Hall, Stanley
April 22, 1997
Call Number
96-144
Physical Description
17 pages; 1 tapes, 1 7/8 ips, 30 minutes; index
Interviewer
Granbois, Judith A.
Access Status
Open
Scope and Content Note
Stanley Hall, born April 29, 1956, discusses the deaths of his
grandparents and his aunt. He discusses their illnesses and their funerals. He
discusses health care providers and the frustration his mother felt with them.
He talks about the medical technologies that are now available to keep a person
alive. Hall talks about different preparations to be made before and after a
death. He discusses the importance of family and religion. He also discusses
his own death.
-
Keywords
-
-
Occupation Names
- pig farmer
-
-
-
Subjects
- farming
- funeral services
- health care givers
- illness
Interviewee
Jackson, Gerald
December 11,
1996; February 1, 1997
Call Number
96-160
Physical Description
50 pages; 2 tapes, 1 7/8 ips, 70 minutes;
index
Interviewer
Granbois, Judith A.
Access Status
Open
Scope and Content Note
Gerald Jackson, born on November 8, 1946, discusses his early
life and education. He discusses the deaths of his father and his grandmother,
and the huge impacts they made on him both in life and in death. He discusses
their lives including his father's involvement in World War II, and his
grandmother's simple yet vast wisdom. He talks about illnesses they had and how
it effected those around them as well as the health care they received. Jackson
discusses grieving for the deaths of loved ones, how necessary it is, and how
the process seems to change from generation to generation. he talks about the
preparations which must be made before or after a death, including funeral
arrangements, wills, health care decisions, and spiritual readiness. He
discusses how his father and grandmother had prepared, and how he is preparing
for his own death.
-
Keywords
-
-
Subjects
- family relations
- funeral preparations
- grieving process
- health care decisions
- health care providers
- illness
- religion
- wills
- World War II
Interviewee
Lindley, Chris
March 18,
1997
Physical Description
18 pages; 1 tape, 1 7/8 ips, 40 minutes; index
Interviewer
Granbois, Judith A.
Access Status
Open
Scope and Content Note
Chris Lindley, a minister and school teacher, discusses the
deaths of his grandparents and his reaction to them. He discusses ministering
to the terminally ill and their families. Lindley acknowledges the patient's
fears of pain, loss of control of their bodies, and the high cost of medical
care, as well as a growing quest for immortality. He also shares that the
church becomes a source of support for mourning families and the ill even if it
has not been part of their lives otherwise.
-
Keywords
-
-
Corporation Names
- Indiana University
- Religious Society of Friends
-
-
Occupation Names
- minister
- teacher
-
-
Place Names
- Paoli, Indiana
-
-
Subjects
- elderly death
- estate division
- funeral preparations
- good death
- grieving process
- hospital bills
- living wills
- medical interventions
- nursing home care
- pain management
- physician-patient relationship
- Quakerism
- religion
Interviewee
Mathers, Elizabeth
February 12,
1997
Call Number
96-159
Physical Description
14 pages; 1 tapes, 1 7/8 ips, 60 minutes; index
Interviewer
Granbois, Judith A.
Access Status
Open
Scope and Content Note
Elizabeth Ann Weeks Hollan Mathers, born June 4, 1930, discusses
the sudden, accidental deaths of both her first husband and her brother as well
as the deaths of her parents. She discusses what she considers to be a good
death. Mathers discusses various preparations for death including wills and
spiritual readiness. She discusses her family and her religious
experiences.
-
Keywords
-
-
Subjects
- family relations
- health
- religion
- spiritual readiness
- wills
Interviewee
McAdams, Harvey
April 23,
1997
Call Number
96-167
Physical Description
27 pages; 1 tape, 1 7/8 ips, 55 minutes; index
Interviewer
Granbois, Judith A.
Access Status
Open
Scope and Content Note
Harvey McAdams discusses his experiences with the death of
friends and family. He also discusses his experiences with death in his work as
a funeral director. He discusses living wills, doctor-patient relationships,
personal effects, and community support for loved ones. He also shares the
benefits of pre-planning funeral arrangements.
-
Keywords
-
-
Occupation Names
- funeral director
- minister
-
-
Personal Names
- Allstott, Alma
- Stroud, Robert
-
-
Place Names
- Clark County, Indiana
-
-
Subjects
- funeral preparations
- funeral services
- health care
- health care providers
- living wills
- personal effects
- physician-patient relationship
- serious illness
Interviewee
Minton, Harold
February 5,
1997
Call Number
96-157
Physical Description
19 pages, 1 tape, 1 7/8 ips, 40 minutes; index
Interviewer
Smith, David
Access Status
Open
Scope and Content Note
Harold Minton, born September 4, 1929, discusses those he has
known who have died, especially his parents. He discusses the care his mother
needed prior to her death. He talks about the health care field as well as
preparations and decisions that must be made for death. He discusses the
responsibilities he had as a trust officer in a bank when it came to death and
the next of kin. Minton talks about funerals and their role in the grieving
process.
-
Keywords
-
-
Occupation Names
- trust officer
-
-
Subjects
- family relations
- grieving process
- health care
Interviewee
Pope, James
June 10, 1997
Call Number
96-170
Physical Description
35 pages; 2 tapes, 1 7/8 ips, 100 minutes;
index.
Interviewer
Granbois, Judith A.
Access Status
Open
Scope and Content Note
James Pope, born June 16, 1958, describes his experiences with
illness and death in his lifetime. He describes his wishes for his own death.
Pope shares how he deals with grief, his difficulties with funeral ceremonies,
and thr role of community support. He shares his opinion about the differences
in the grief experienced by families that deal with violent death as opposed to
a long illness.
-
Keywords
-
-
Occupation Names
- hospital chief executive officer
- paramedic
- physician
-
-
Place Names
- Paoli, Indiana
-
-
Subjects
- assisted suicide
- cancer
- dying process
- family relations
- fear of death
- funeral services
- grieving process
- hospice
- living wills
- pain management
- personal effects
- physician-patient relationship
- sudden death
- terminal illness
Interviewee
Shepard, David G.
June 2,
1997
Call Number
96-171
Physical Description
24 pages; 1 tape, 1 7/8 ips, 80 minutes; index
Interviewer
Granbois, Judith A.
Access Status
Open
Scope and Content Note
David G. Shepard, born June 3, 1954, discusses the deaths of
those he has known, especially as a minister. He discusses illness, health
care, and health care givers, as well as medical technology and how it has both
helped and hindered the dying process. He talks about preparations which must
be made surrounding a death such as treatment decisions, wills and personal
effects, funerals, spiritual readiness, and the help that Hospice provides. He
talks about the lack of communication people have pertaining to death and the
problems surrounding death, including financial problems. He talks about the
stress of death and dying for the patient, for friends and family, and for him
as a minister. Shepard also discusses his hopes and fears about his own death.
-
Keywords
-
-
Corporation Names
- Hospice
-
-
Occupation Names
- minister
-
-
Subjects
- fear of death
- funeral preparations
- health care
- health care decisions
- illness
- religion
- wills
Interviewee
Trinkle, John
April 24,
1997
Call Number
96-166
Physical Description
20 pages; 1 tape, 1 7/8 ips, 40 minutes; index
Interviewer
Granbois, Judith A.
Access Status
Open
Scope and Content Note
John Trinkle, born September 27, 1947, discusses death and
dying. He discusses illness and health care, both at home and in a facility, as
well as health care givers. He speaks of his father's bout with Alzheimers and
the pain and difficulty such an illness brings to both the sufferer and friends
and family. He discusses the preparations which must be made in regard to death
including treatment decisions, funerals, and spiritual readiness. Trinkle
discusses the importance support from the church and community. He also
discusses his fears and concerns about his own death.
-
Keywords
-
-
Subjects
- fear of death
- funeral preparations
- health care
- health care decisions
- illness
- religion
Interviewee
Webb, Cynthia
April 24,
1997
Call Number
96-165
Physical Description
23 pages; 1 tape, 1 7/8 ips, 55 minutes; index
Interviewer
Granbois, Judith A.
Access Status
Open
Scope and Content Note
Cynthia Webb, born January 16, 1943, discusses the deaths which
have touched her life. She talks about illness, especially cancer, which took
the lives of many of her family members, and the pain it caused for both the
patients and their families. She discusses the care she gave to many of those
whom she talks about, as well as the health care field. Web discusses the
preparations that need to be made for death, those that were neglected by some
who have passed, and those that she has made for herself.
-
Keywords
-
-
Subjects
- caregiving
- death preparations
- funeral preparations
- health care decisions
- hospitalization
- illness
- spiritual readiness
- wills
Interviewee
Wellman, Anne
March 20,
1997
Call Number
96-162
Physical Description
36 pages; 1 tape, 1 7/8 ips, 100 minutes; index
Interviewer
Granbois, Judith A.
Access Status
Open
Scope and Content Note
Anne Wellman discusses her experiences with the death of her
husband in a work accident, a friend who died of AIDS, and the elderly in a
nursing home. She discusses her feelings on the tradition of open caskets and
funeral procedures. Wellman shares her appreciation for community support
during the time of her husband's death. She discusses making preparations for
her death and helping others make those preparations as well. She shares her
thought about her role as a social worker helping patients know that they will
not die alone.
-
Keywords
-
-
Occupation Names
- crop duster
- emergency medical technician
- social worker
-
-
Personal Names
- Babcock, Dorothy
- Babcock, James
-
-
Place Names
- Louisville, Kentucky
- North Carolina
- Paoli, Indiana
-
-
Subjects
- advance directives
- body donation
- cremation
- death preparations
- dementia
- disease denial
- elderly death
- fear of death
- funeral services
- HIV/AIDS
- homosexuality
- hospital bills
- living wills
- necrophobia
- nursing home care
- open casket
- spousal death