I'm looking for a man named Larry Fairbanks who lived in Butte in the late 1960's. He was apperantly an insurance adjuster. He is my biological father. If anyone has any info to his current whereabouts I'd appreciate info.

In the few years since I wrote my original post, I have found some information through the SSDI. He passed away in December of 1982 in Maricopa County Arizona at the age of 42. His full name was Larry Craig Fairbanks. He was born in Minnesota and by the time he applied for his social security card at the age of 13, he lived in Billings, MT. Unfortunately, since my mom chose not to have his name put on my birth certificate, I am not able to gain access to his death certificate. If anyone knew him, is related to him or knows of a way I can get the certificate of death without proof of being his daughter, I'd appreciate the help.

Terri Klemmer
Monroe, WA.

My email address is: Terri_Klemmer@hotmail.com

My email address is now that80smom@gmail.com.

Thanks!

~Terri Klemmer

Hi Terri. I don’t have anything life-altering, but I took a look on newspaperarchive.com and came up with two articles notices that might be of interest to you.
The only article for a Larry Fairbanks in Butte was the brief mention of the release of a Mrs. Larry Fairbanks and son from the hospital who lived at 1742 Elm St in 1969. Probably nothing of interest to you, unless he maybe married again in Butte, but I thought I’d mention it anyhow
Also, in the April 1st, 1969 of the Helena Independent, this article appears:

Violators Pay
$50 in Fines
A total of $50 was levied in
fines of traffic violators by
Peace Justice A. H. Mues.
Harold Robert Gustin; 43,
York nt., paid $20 for driving
without a license and $10 for
vehicle.
George William Collins, 55,
Fort Benlon, paid $10 for improper
passing; and Larry
Craig Fairbanks, 28, 1812 Capitol,
paid $10 for doing 78 mph
on the interstate at night.

Not really useful, but it looks like he might have been living in Helena as of 1969.

I see that Arizona’s state laws with death certificates are far more demanding and strict than any other state I’ve come across, and see where it poses a problem for you. Usually, you can get a non-certified copy of BMD certificates even as a third party with no direct relation, which might leave off a few personal details, but there doesn’t even seem to be the option in Arizona. Since his name isn’t on your birth certificate, I wouldn’t imagine that he and your mother were married, which would mean no divorce records and no paper trail to link you with this man, and no possible way of getting his death certificate until either Arizona state legislature changes or you manage to track down any other family he might have had. In that case, you’ll just have to track him down some other way.

I’m not sure what exactly you’re looking for on the death certificate (names of other family or a cause of death), but since his last address is listed as Phoenix, it might also be worth trying to contact the major newspapers at the time in Phoenix to see if there was an obituary as there’s a chance it will include both kinds of information (I checked newspaperarchives.com as well, but they don’t seem to cover this time or place). There should be archives with newspaper itself (which might still be around since the death was only in 1982), but, if not, I’d try contacting a local public library, as that is generally where old newspapers are kept. You might have to contact a few different newspapers, but given that you have his death date down to the month and year, someone should be able to help you find something. Maybe pose the question as to which paper might be the most likely in the Maricopa Co message boards here on Ancestry.com and catch the attention of someone with experience in the field. A factor to remember as well is that the zip code included in the SSDI as his last residence might narrow things down a bit as it’s just a small section of Phoenix (Along North 19th Avenue from West Glendale Avenue south to West Thomas Road – according to today’s boundaries of the zip code).

Here are two links to sites that offer Arizona obituaries. Not sure if they’re not out of date, but, again, it would be worth a try: http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~azclips/
http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~obitl/vola...

Also, given that his exact birth date is included with her Social Security Number information, have you tried ordering a copy of his birth certificate in Minnesota? Even if you don’t have an exact location or county, people at the state capital should be able to help you out. They also seem to be far more lenient about who can obtain vital records than Arizona. They limit access to these record to people of “tangible interest” (which includes children), though they don’t seem to ask for a paper trail or any kind of proof (such as your birth certificate). Here’s a link: http://www.health.state.mn.us/divs/chs/osr/tangible.html. There’s an e-mail address and phone number at the bottom for questions about “tangible interest”. I’d give it a try and tell them you’re his child.

And, if you get really desperate, I suppose you could look into the probate records in Billings, Butte, Helena and Phoenix in the off chance he or any other Fairbankses might be on them. I don’t know if that would help at all.

I hope that some of this might help and I’m not just rehashing things you’ve already tried over the years. Best of luck to you.

Thank you very much for your time and all the information that you have given me. Somehow I must of put you on the wrong trail of my MUES ancestry. I am trying to get info in Missouri, in the 1800s, which I am finding that there are not a lot of legal paper trails to follow. Missouri will let me copy death certificates online. I was following death certificates to find out the maiden names of the mothers of my relatives. All certificates dont have the same info, but a lot of my certificates dont have the maiden names, I dont know if people didnt remember or what? Thanks again.

Terry