Excuse me, but I need help with something and can't find a proper forum.

[sinkingfeeling]

I am the sole living member of my family and am trying to get ready for a massive estate sale.

I have many bound diplomas, military certificates, and award certificates bearing the names of deceased family members. How do I dispose of them?

Don't want them where someone could use name to make a new identity.

[msongs]

1. shredder, fireplace. if yer not keeping em or donating to a museum nt

[redstatebluegirl]

2. The ones family members didn't want we burned.

Forgers and bad people go out to estate sales to get those things so they can take on the identity of the person. I went to an estate sale recently and had to point out that a wallet they had for sale had the man's id in it, including his social security card. Burn those things if you don't want them for sentimental value.

[Sherman A1]

3. Might consider

a local historical society, before you head to the shredder with them.

[LisaM]

5. Ding ding ding!

I had the same thought!

[Sherman A1]

7. I volunteer at a local historical group and they just love to get this kind of thing

we preserve records on all the founding families in our community and the historic houses (both the existing ones and the ones that have been taken down through the years).

[sinkingfeeling]

9. None of them ever lived where I do. However, just found a 1922

US Passport. It's just water-marked paper.

[LisaM]

4. Are any of the deceased people important?

Sometimes historical societies might want something, though the identity thing is obviously an issue (and something I'd never thought of).

[Croney]

6. Before destroying, you could photograph each one

so you'll have a digital scrapbook in case you ever want to look up any records.

[msongs]

8. sadly when my WW2 dad died, local societies didnt want his stuff cuz they were swamped

with similar things from others passing. so I kept his authentic B17 bomber jacket and got rid of everything else

[applegrove]

10. Call local collectors of military stuff if the local historical society doesn't

want them.

[marble falls]

11. Who'd start an identy with your parent's information? "Gee Mr Jone, you sure don't look 94!"...

prop companies, antique stores buy that stuff, the local historical society might like to have them.

[essme]

12. I hope I can help- I trained as an archivist

but, be forewarned- I have shredded documents that would make people cringe

If the diplomas have any historical significance (were the people locally known for something? Maybe a Mayor) you should contact the school that conferred the degrees to see if they want them for their archives.

From around the late 1800's-- 1940 or 50 or so, there were many state normal or women's colleges that women attended to become teachers. If you have a diploma from an undergraduate institution and know that relative was a long time teacher in a school, you might call that school and ask if they would like to have it.

All over the country, there are small museums that use ephemera for displays. You could have some fun hours on google one day looking those up in areas that your relatives lived in.

I found myself fascinated by your post, and without offering personal information I would love to know about your family, if you are interested in being the historian, and what general area of the country you live in. Local history fascinates me. I am a school librarian now, and my last school was named after a tiny body of water that has since been "lost." I found it and then found an entire group of folks that are elderly that love to talk about the past.

Anyway- you have a neat story- and I would love to help in any way I can.

[sinkingfeeling]

14. Unfortunately, I live more than a thousand miles from where we all

grew up and where they lived out their lives. None were famous in any way. I inherited my mother's, sister's, and my sister's mother-in-law's belongings three years ago. Lost my BIL in 2014, my mom in 2015, and my sister in 2018. My BIL was an only child, so I have all the papers and photographs.

This is the second time going through things. I sit on the floor and cry, knowing I'm disposing of so much. I feel guilty and keep saying I'm sorry over and over. I still find myself throwing away or putting up for sale my belongings more than things that belonged to family. I have to reduce what I have by 95%.

[csziggy]

13. Check with the local history groups

I know some love that kind of thing so they can show "generic" examples of the local history.

As for the military stuff, depending on the war, you might find a larger organization that would like it. For instance The Institute on World War II and the Human Experience strives to preserve the photographs, letters, and artifacts of service members and their families.

Donate a Collection

We are always interested in collections that have a global or international perspective, especially related to the Holocaust, international humanitarian and refugee relief, and war crime’s investigations and trials.
https://ww2.fsu.edu/collections/donate-collection

For other periods, see if you can finds organizations that fit that niche.

My sister has been working with my parents' estate for several years, especially since Mom died in 2018. Since both were active in the local history group, a lot has gone there. I've talked to the WWII museum about some of the stuff they have but much of the military items are going to the local military academy since Dad was close to the commandant. Some of their clothes have gone to the FSU Theater Department. Some furniture has gone to other local history museums especially the one that celebrates the black history of their town, since they began with an unfurnished house.

We're still giving stuff away, but we're getting down to the end, I hope. Good luck to you and my condolences on the loss of your family.