Friend/neighbour died - should I tell his ex-partner?

[LordRainInME]

One of my neighbours died recently.

I knew his ex-partner quite well in a neighbour-type way. Since they split up, I've had no contact with her.

They were together for a couple of years, she had all but moved into his house. They split up because of his drug use but it seemed fairly amicable.

I don't know if she knows that he's died. I would feel terribly if she didn't know but wanted to know, and perhaps wanted to be at the funeral. But I don't feel its my place to tell her because I'm not family or even a close friend.

What would you do?

I'd keep out of it

I'd stay out of it.

I wouldn't

Nothing.
If his family want to notify her they will.

If you had kept in touch it would be different but as you haven’t then it would be odd to contact her about anything let alone to say he had died.

Okay, I hear you. Thanks.

I don't think his family are still in contact with his ex-partner.

I'd tell her. Why not? I can't see why it would be any kind of secret.

@LaraDeSalle

If you had kept in touch it would be different but as you haven’t then it would be odd to contact her about anything let alone to say he had died.

I've told a few other people but that's been when I've bumped into them. I'd be contacting her specifically to tell her.

The man who died was young so I was thinking it wouldn't be that odd to contact her out-of-the-blue. I mean it'd be different than if he was in his 80s IYSWIM.

MYOB.

Maybe she knows already. Was it a sudden death? Did it appear in the local press?

@Georgeskitchen

Maybe she knows already. Was it a sudden death? Did it appear in the local press?

Yes, it was pretty sudden. He was a heavy drug user so unexpected and sudden but not as surprising as it might have been for someone who didn't use drugs.

No, it didn't appear in the local press.

Not if you haven't been in touch and weren't a close friend.

No I wouldn't tell her, it's not your place

Thanks everyone. I won't tell her.

You could make sure that the deceased's family know how to contact her. Up to them if they want to.