As we know, birth certificates sometimes are difficult to obtain in Illinois, if they were issued within the last 75 - 100 years. However -- IF that person is now deceased, IL Dept of Public Health has a "special form" just for this purpose; the form is called "Application for a Search of Birth Record Files of a Deceased Individual" [note - this form is only available upon request; not downloadable from IDPH website] In submitting the above application, one always had to submit some type of proof of death - usually a death cert or an obituary..... However -- I just learned something that opens a few more doors~ I needed a birth cert from late 1930's, for a person who died a couple of years ago. No obit was published, so I couldn't use that as a "proof of death"; couldn't obtain the death certificate, because it was issued within the last 20 years..... HOWEVER, since this person was born AND died in the state of Illinois, AND was listed in the SSDI (Soc. Security Death Index) - all I had to do was include a copy of the SSDI listing (including SS#) with the IDPH application!~ IDPH staff, using the SSDI information, provided the "proof of death" from their OWN records, for my request~ How cool is that? Wanted to spread this news, because it might be handy for others to know. molly Molly Kennedy P O Box 5785 Springfield, IL 62705 APRIL 2009 Illinois Death Certificate DISCOUNT = if more than one (1916-1947) ordered at the same time = only $4 each! (it's the only way I can think of, to help my fellow genealogical researchers, during these tough economic times) genealogical website: www.mollx.com Genealogy - Confusing the dead, and annoying the living.