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Original poster

Dead people in my contacts list

60 replies

heatherblue · 06/11/2018 00:00

But of a morbid one maybe, sorry!
In my phone there are contact details for three family members who are no longer with us. One of them has been gone more than 10 years. From time to time I go through my contacts and delete any I don't expect to use again but can't bring myself to delete those three. Is that weird? Does anyone else keep the details of the deceased?

OP posts:
Pasithea · 06/11/2018 00:02

I couldn’t delete my godfathers details I ve even got his last texts and phone message. Just can’t do it. So you are not alone.

Bloodybridget · 06/11/2018 00:03

In the past it has taken me a long time to be able to delete contact details of people I loved, after they died. It really hurts and feels horrible. Not weird at all to still have them on your phone or in an address book.

HoppyHop · 06/11/2018 00:07

My dad and one of my best friends contacts are still in my phone. Not weird at all IMO. I just like seeing them there.

BinkyandBunty · 06/11/2018 00:08

I keep mine, can't see myself deleting them in future. It's nice to pause for a second and remember them fondly when I'm scrolling through.

I remember a book, a Marian Keyes one I think, where a woman kept her late husband's mobile connected and called his voicemail every day to hear his voice, I cried my eyes out reading it!

Original poster
heatherblue · 06/11/2018 00:10

Phew!

OP posts:
Tummywhining · 06/11/2018 00:13

Not weird. I phoned my grandad once! Got his voicemail, obviously! I didn't leave a message....

BettyBooJustDoinTheDoo · 06/11/2018 00:23

Crikey Binkey that has made me cry Sad

tabulahrasa · 06/11/2018 00:25

I keep them as well... well not so much keep them so much as don’t delete them... it seems too...final?

Ruffina · 06/11/2018 00:26

I hope this isn’t taken the wrong way, but I did think it was very funny...

There was a newspaper report a couple of years ago about a family who had buried their grandmother with her mobile phone, having closed her phone account after her death. The family would send messages and news to granny as a sort of emotional way of remembering her.

After a few months they started getting replies saying everything was fine in the afterlife, say hello to the grandkids etc. Freaked them out.

Turned out the mobile company had - against the rules - reused the number and the new user had realised what was happening and had some ‘fun’ with it.

UpsyDaisysarmpit · 06/11/2018 00:27

I have "Dad Mobile" still on my phone, 12 years on. Can't delete my dad off my phone. Even texted him one year in to wish him a Happy New year, and got a reply from someone as his number had already veen reassigned. Wish i could still call him on that number Sad

VanellopeVonSchweetz99 · 06/11/2018 00:31

Same, DH same. Sad

TheBeastInMsRooneysRoom · 06/11/2018 00:37

Yes, I have the same. It just feels so final. He's been gone 4 years, but I can't do it.

Confuzzlediddled · 06/11/2018 00:37

Same with my dad's number, almost 11 months now, I have him in my email contacts too...

OctoNo · 06/11/2018 00:39

One of my best friends died 9 years ago. I still have his number on my phone. I will never delete it.

BirdseyeFrozen · 06/11/2018 00:40

I was very close to someone who took their own life,
I can't bring myself to delete their messages/emails. It gives me a bit of comfort to read them sometimes. Sad

Witchesbritches · 06/11/2018 00:45

Absolutely, there’s no way I’d delete them.

BatCritter · 06/11/2018 00:48

I used to edit my contacts when someone died and change their job title to "dead". When I did a search I'd see all my late friends and relatives and remember them.
Then someone very close to me died and it suddenly seemed very cold and flippant. Now I just leave departed contacts as they are.

BlancheM · 06/11/2018 00:55

Aw I used to ring my then-boyfriend's voicemail to hear his voice too after he'd gone.

GinIsIn · 06/11/2018 00:59

My dad has been gone for nearly 4 years. Sometimes I phone him just to hear his voice on the voicemail.

6demandingchildren · 06/11/2018 03:55

Anyone who has messages from a deceased loved one, please screen shot the message and get it printed out, as so many times I have seen people distraught as their phones have broken and they have lost the messages, also regularly back up to the cloud xx

BikeRunSki · 06/11/2018 04:04

There was a similar thread recently. Someone posted this poem.

Dead people in my contacts list
Mulberry72 · 06/11/2018 08:14

My beautiful Mum passed away three years ago, I still have her number in my phone and will never delete it, ever.

We put her mobile phone in her coffin with her so I text her all the time, telling her about what we’re up to and what’s going on in my life. It’s very comforting to me, people think I’m weird but I don’t care.

ColinsVeryJolly · 06/11/2018 08:19

I’ve still got my mum’s and dad’s numbers in my phone.

Dad died 8 years ago, and for years we were able to call and listen to his voicemail message then it suddenly stopped connecting about 2 years ago.

I wish my mum had had a recorded message too, I’d love to hear her voice again.

BirdseyeFrozen · 06/11/2018 08:23

BikeRunSki that is such a touching poem, thank you.

GlasgowWorrier · 06/11/2018 08:26

Oh, that poem, bikerunski.

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