I'm wondering how other folks out there list couples in your Annual Report on Giving when one of them dies after the gift was made and before the report is published.  For example, John and Ann Smith make a gift in January and Ann dies in June.  When the list is published the following January, would you list John and Ann Smith or simply John Smith?  We have always listed both since Ann was alive when the gift was made.  We're currently proofing the list and our director of annual giving spotted John and Ann Smith and Ann passed away a month ago.  She wants Ann's name removed but they made their gift together in honor of "the wonderful care Ann received at ..."  and she thinks it will "look weird" since many readers will know that Ann is deceased.  I want them kept together because they made the gift together and I know they chose to make it while Ann was still alive.  More importantly, I don't see this scenario as any different than an individual who makes a gift then dies in the same year.  I wouldn't dream of leaving them off the list.  Opinions please and thanks!

Leslie

Leslie,

We would list it as John and Ann+ Smith.  In the legend at the bottom of the page we list:   + deceased.

Joan

We use an asterisk to annotate deceased and it is listed in the key on the annual report. We usually would update the Publish salutation at the time we mark the record deceased so when we pull the data for the book there are fewer edits required. John & Anne* Smith

We also use a * to designate if someone died after they made a gift.  We also update the recognition name when we become aware of the death.  We go one step further for our long term or major donors.  If the death was not extremely recent (.... this month or so)  we have been known to ask the surviving spouse how he/she would like to be listed the first year. This often is a good "touch" by our development staff and is usually appreciated by the donor.

 Ditto. If someone gives in January and dies in March, they get listed in the annual report for that year and their name has an asterisk next to it to denote deceased. We have a legend on each page of the donor listings. Who knows, you may get a memorial gift out of it.  And in all seriousness it seems like you would offend more people by not listing someone in this case. You don't want people to think you don't recognize people's generosity since you can't get any more money out of them.

 laura

Leslie - A conversation with the surviving donor would also be appropriate. It's a sensitive subject & I could see the preference either way.

Thanks for all the feedback  I suggested that a call to the donor is in order but we'll see.  She can be quite stubborn at times!