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Scrappytable@reddit

Never ever…. I only delete people I hate! 🤣

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DiamondContent2011@reddit

Both aunts, my little brother, both cousins, and my parents' numbers are staying in my Contacts/Groups.

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My nephew died at the age of 27 ten years ago. I still have his number programmed, four phones later. Also my brother in law is still in there and he died almost 5 years ago. I haven't deleted their texts either.

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gatorman98@reddit

I leave them in.

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if_a_flutterby@reddit

I used to purge my contacts new year's eve. Drunken chopping block style. Then it started making me cry so I stopped

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GiaStonks@reddit

I keep their numbers and messages. Most of them are people who were in my cancer support group years ago. I'm the last one standing and I miss them dearly.

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PrisonNurseNC@reddit

Forever.

I've got quite a few post-life people in my contacts, including my parents, other family, even and ex-boyfriend now, so I'm reticent to delete any.

I just can't do it.

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defmacro-jam@reddit

Till *I too, am dead. Obviously.

Those uncertainties can really eat away. I really hope you can find peace despite that very loose thread. I'm so sorry you have this on your mind in addition to your loss.

Thanks guys. /s

Last week I wrote a song for my new band about this. Haven't set it to music yet, but it goes like this:

Pocket mausoleum

Death looms as I scroll

They're now non-existent

Life's a brief parole

Real life digital immortality

Not a tech bro fever dream

Haunts my devices

Automatically slip-streamed

Stop remember

Hand-held immortality

Embrace them

Hand-held immortality

Can't delete you

From my pocket mausoleum

Won't delete you

From my pocket mausoleum

🤗 hugs!

I keep them forever.

Can’t bring myself to do it yet.

Never. I keep them alive, at least on my phone.

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Elchimpy1@reddit

I don’t want to do that yet

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Robviously-duh@reddit

I leave them in so they are remembered.. a pause and a thought, they deserve it..

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Von_Quixote@reddit

I keep voicemails, and their names. It warms my heart to bump into them from time to time.

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Beauphedes_Knutz@reddit

punkr0ckpapa@reddit

I don't delete any of the phone numbers from peopleFrom people that have passed away because you always die twice physical death and the last time someone says your name or remember who you were I'd like to keep their memory alive RIP to everyoneTo everyone that someone care about them enough to keepTheir memory alive

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jerylsburk@reddit

Too long.

I’ve lost close friends and family over the years and I’ve never felt the need to remove their contact information from my phone or social media accounts. I even have saved voicemails from my grandmother, just so I can hear her voice again. For me, it’s comforting to scroll by their number or social media page.

I agree, it’s sobering af to sit back and think about how many people you’ve lost in your lifetime, especially when you still feel like a kid yourself some days.

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Dewellah@reddit

I have a voice-mail from an old family friend that is still in my saved messages. I listened to it over the weekend. He was asking if he put a CD into his cassette player, would it still play the music. I woke up early for work a few years ago to that vm and smh/laughed because he had no idea about how any electronics worked. I still laugh when I hear it.

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neo101b@reddit

The real trick is to get their phone, and stat messaging people on their Birthday.

"Frank, are you there, why wont you call me anymore"

I still have all my dead contacts, I think i always will.

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Lizakaya@reddit

Mine are all
Still in there

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webelos8@reddit

My dad died in 2010. I'm sure someone else has that phone number now, but I'll never delete the contact.

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Xarda1@reddit

Snapchat keeps recommending a dead friend of mine, I’m guessing his number got recycled. At first it was a gut punch, but now it’s like a little reminder he existed. I miss him deeply.

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MariettaDaws@reddit

An online friend (who I know for a fact is dead) had his Twitter/X hacked and the company did not care 🙃

BananaEvening5267@reddit

My mother died 17 years ago. I like keeping her number in my contacts. And, Verizon hasn’t to this day reassigned her old number. I like that also.

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M2LA@reddit

never delete any. 30+ one today 2014, carlos soto of santa barbara. hugh dude in the local road cycling scene. always in a good mood. always there to lend a push. rip buddy

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Swmboa@reddit

Condolences for your loss. Really close friend got hit and killed biking one year ago next week. The freaking worst. Such an unnecessary one not even related to age. RIP.

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Swmboa@reddit

Yeah nope. I have about 5. And I keep them in there. I can’t deal with taking them out. Therapists in the group—I would *love* to know what that says about me.

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ChaosRainbow23@reddit

I deleted my mom's number after her phone was shut off.

Before then, I called it a lot to leave her messages and listen to her voice in the greeting.

Damn. That made me tear up just writing those two sentences.

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Alot2unpack@reddit

I missed a birthday call from my Ma in 2017. She sang Happy Birthday and made a silly joke. She passed in 2020. I listen to that message 100 times a year.

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ChaosRainbow23@reddit

I have one recording of my sister. Her and her husband produced some music where she was singing a few weeks before she died.

Alot2unpack@reddit

Nope. My Ma and my Father will stay. Even though their numbers have been recycled. I’m not removing them from my contacts.

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phunkygroovin@reddit

I don't know, it's weird. I wasn't very close to my grandma, so she was deleted out of my phone pretty quickly when she died. I have a friend who died almost 15 years ago and I still have her number in there and probably will never delete it.

I just went through my phone the other night and deleted a bunch of contacts. I moved states back in 2014 and as a result, lost contact with a lot of people that I was actually really close to when we lived in the same area. I finally deleted those people since we haven't spoken in so long.

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spidermans_mom@reddit

I still text mine. 2023.

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StrangeAssonance@reddit

I will keep my mom in there until the day I die. Years of iMSG texts. There is no universe where I will remove those and her number attached to them.

I keep them all, adding a note for when they died.

I even have some contacts that only include a note for birth and death dates. These are people I knew personally and went to their funerals, but for whatever reason never had a phone number, email, or physical address.

I have our current and deceased pets in my contacts too, with their respective dates. Sometimes the topic comes up about when we had such and such pet, and having them as contacts is the most convenient way. Bonus, their birthday automatically shows up in my calendar, and a pet birthday is a convenient excuse to celebrate a family event.

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MommaLaughing@reddit

Your pets are listed in your contacts? Now THAT is a new one for me.

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eristicforfun@reddit

I do a purge once a year or so. I have other ways to remember them.

I lost three friends in the last month, all to cancer. Another friend just got diagnosed, stage 4. He has a few months, maybe.

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Nvrm1nd@reddit

Fuck. I didn't even think to delete them. I just checked, and they're all in there. Every one.

I haven’t but I do delete contacts in which 1. If I called they wouldn’t pick up 2. If I texted they wouldn’t call or text back 3. Haven’t had any form of communication or interaction with in years and years 4. I scratch my head and think “who the f is this person”?

I use same approach on LinkedIn….this weekend I deleted at least 20 people. When people say “yeah but it’s good to show you have a lot contacts”. I,more than enough that I don’t hand to think that way and to close to retirement to care

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Gwsb1@reddit

😅

None that I am aware of on my contacts on phone.

I finally got rid of 14 last month. Fucking dope really hit the class of 99. Here's to all our friends who cant be here ! Love you all...

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Smorsdoeuvres@reddit

gif

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MoltenMirrors@reddit

I keep them there so I can easily look up and read our old conversations when I miss them.

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Turbulent-Band-6728@reddit

I have so many to delete…

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bigtonearcade@reddit

52 years old. I got 12 in mine

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SatansLoLHelper@reddit

I've put 5 ppl in the grave. They are all still in the contacts. It is a nice reminder of their picture.

I recently made a mistake and added my google voice contacts to my phone. A good hundred contacts of faces I forgot.

Same. I’ve got one on there from 20 yrs ago. A friend who was a victim of suicide.

My stepdad passed away 6 yrs ago this month. His is still in my favorites list. I did move it to the bottom but it’s still there in those top 10-12#s.

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rimshot99@reddit

Maybe we need a new death?

The first death is when the body stops functioning — biological death.
1. The second death is when the body is buried or returned to the earth, removed from sight.
2. The final death is when the last person who remembers you dies, or the last time your name is ever spoken aloud. At that moment you truly cease to exist, because no living memory holds you anymore.

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jmsferret@reddit

Hemingway, I believe, kinda mentioned this, and it's also said about warriors. As long as their name is spoken, they're not dead.

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Babylove1967@reddit

Wow! #3 really made me think, and made me sad

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DebaucherousHeathen@reddit

Forever

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drewkawa@reddit

My mother passed over a year ago. I had her on my location services. Her phone still says “Can see you location”

Well fuck me I just realized I had 2 in there. I’m just gonna leave em for now.

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NL_Gray-Fox@reddit

My mom, grandmother and aunts.

I mainly keep them for the birthdays, we still always go out for family dinner on my mom's birthday.

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kagiles@reddit

I had to delete my mom almost immediately. A few months later, I deleted my entire extended family. They weren't dead, just raging assholes.

My mom took over a year to get through her death. It took another year to even attempt to deal with her things at my home. It's now 9 years later and I'm finally parting with things that had history. My kids don't want any of it (27/29). I don't want them to have to go through all kinds of shit after we die.

I still miss her. I don't miss the stress and drama. I'm so thankful I got to take care of her dog for a year before she passed. We know have our own chihuahua who is turning 8.

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JuliusSeizuresalad@reddit

Moms been in there 16 years and like 4-5 phones

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Hands_Of_Serenity78@reddit

All of mine are still in my phone. I change their names to all lower case, everything else stays the same.

No one else ever gets their ring tones, either.

My dad's phone was on my list of Apple devices because we shared location. When he passed away five years ago, I never removed him from the list.

I still have the contact in my phone as my older brother instead of Spare Parts.

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Arkhamina@reddit

Oof. For me, it's FB, and I have a ton of dead people. It seems... disrespectful.

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Affectionate-Arm5784@reddit

I hate when their birthday rolls around and FB reminds me to wish the a happy birthday. Just makes me sad.

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SLyndon4@reddit

My grandma passed in 2014, my mom in 2019, an uncle in 2023, and my bio father last year. I still have all their numbers in my phone.

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Dangerous-Art-Me@reddit

Ouch.

I’m so very sorry.

Alex went rock climbing and fell to his death. That was 1992.

I happened upon his photo when i cracked open an old year book this weekend. He will never age. always 21.

Yeahhh that one still hurts

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AlucardD20@reddit

My best bud from High School died about 10 years ago at this point. I can’t delete it. I keep it so when I see his name I can think about the good times and I tell my wife about the silly crap we did.

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Dost_is_a_word@reddit

When my kids became adults I realised that they were now captains of their own appointments, so goodbye to all school contacts, paediatricians, dentist, doctors, camps, school friends parents numbers.

Texan19er@reddit

I keep,the contacts with this as their contact photo - kind of a electronic memorial…

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Round-Place548@reddit

I have never deleted them. I still have my text history with my sister who passed in 2021.

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MaddestMissy@reddit

Forever. Well, usually. I mean there was this woman I couldn't stand I met in hospital who added me on Facebook. She was histrionic and annoyed all of us extremely. One day I was on the phone with a friend who I also knew from said hospital stay whilst scrolling through my fb friends when I saw her and told my friend: "Eew, right, Meggy (yeah, she spelt it like that), she added me a while ago on fb. I don't know what to do with her, telling her what I actually think of her once and for all, or just deleting her from my friend list." Miriam then answered quite awkwardly: "Oh, you don't know...? She died around a month ago from breast cancer." Me: "Hm, well... I guess then deleting it is."

Miriam sighed but come on. Shall I act all compassionate now, especially right after I mentioned how much I disliked her? I didn't wish her dead, I just didn't care. I never claimed to be good person, and I am not pretentious for no reason either.

Sorry man. Lost mine over a decade ago and it still hurts.

I’ll have a bourbon later and toast to them both.

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Mr_IT@reddit

So sorry man. It’s a shitty club to be a member of for sure.

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cofclabman@reddit

I copy/paste their obituary into the notes for the contact. This way if I’m trying to remember details later it’s very easy to look them up.

Therese died 2 years ago.

Her kids and friends still keep her FB page open.

They should just add a "Dead" category to contacts apps so you can leave them in for historical reasons but they don't show up in the regular listing and search.

I export everything using one of those windows programs that connects through iTunes and lets you save iMessages off to PDFs, photos and videos. Then I delete from my phone. And save to my NAS so I can remember later.

I don’t think OP intends to call them..

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Ronald-J-Mexico@reddit

I had lunch with my step day in 2017, hadn't seen in him in years. He said if you live long enough, all your friends die.

He passed away last year. But him telling me that has stuck with me. Death isn't easy, it's final, it's hard to accept. It's part of life. I don't want to kickstart the process (smoking/drinking to excess etc).

The grim reaper has a future appointment with everyone. I just want to delay it for a lil while longer.

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Thunderpuppy2112@reddit

I was looking thru my fb friends and I counted up to 10 dead people. I didn’t get half thru.

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USAFGeekboy@reddit

Mom passed in 2009, dad in 2010, aunt last year, cousin in 2022. I still have their voicemails.

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Famous_Cookie_7624@reddit

I think my mom will be in my phone forever 😥

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tc_cad@reddit

I refuse to delete my Dad. I just can’t. I downloaded as many voicemails as were left on my phone and I listen to them a few times of year.

Milky304@reddit

I’ve got 9, including my late husband, even though it’s been 8 years. I saved a few of his voicemails over the years. I wish I had more.
My late mother’s number I reluctantly deleted a few years ago and she’s been gone for over 15 treats now. I wish I had more of her voice. In her last months she was supposed to be recording her thoughts on to tape, but there were only two and the rest is empty: all her precious words lost to the ether because she was not pressing the right buttons.

My mom is still in my phone. I don't know that I'll ever delete her.

I was basically no contact with my father but I still have the last kind message he left me before he passed five years ago. I keep it to remind myself he wasn’t always an asshole.

Unblocked my asshole brother. Fuck it, he's still gonna be an asshole.

Had a couple dead contacts. I really don't want to get rid of them. One is my dad. Same reason I still have a voicemail from him from before he got sick with cancer. It's been almost 3 years and I still can't bring myself to listen to his voicemail.

The other is my old shipmate, Bony. Cancer sucks, Bony. Shoulda got that shit looked at, ya fuck.

BallisticHabit@reddit

A close friend of mine died suddenly from an overdose about 7 years ago while in treatment.

I still have her number saved, and still miss her.

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Sibby_in_May@reddit

I keep them forever.

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ll_JTreehorn_ll@reddit

Same.

WillDupage@reddit

Friend, I still have the address book I got as a high school graduation present. Want Uncle Albert & Aunt Augusta’s phone number from 1989? Got it. Never mind neither of them made it to this century.
I don’t delete that stuff.

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TeasenHS@reddit

Right away I don’t want them calling me and freaking me out

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Dry_Feedback_7090@reddit

This is the correct answer lol.

so, i think thats based on the person and why they dont delete it immediately. if someone i know would die (hasnt happened since the 90's...those were OD's), id delete their stuff right away.

my moms contact is a different story. i left that in my phone and left the texts we had intact for posterity. im 53 and expect that at some point people i know on a social level will die. unless there was something i wanted to keep, id delete them right away.

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MikeisET@reddit

Sadly, my brother is still on there

Not sure when or if I’ll delete it