Jack Kerouac's Embossed Death Certificate, Estate Owned

Two vintage photostatic copies of Certificates of Death, each embossed, the first belonging to Jack Kerouac (1922-1969), the famous American writer who brought us "On The Road"; and the second belonging to his mother, Gabrielle-Ange Lévesque Kerouac (1895-1973). Each document has been embossed with the seal of "Pinellas County Health Board / Pinellas County Florida" at lower left. In addition, the documents were certified as true and correct copies of original documents when they were retrieved between 1971-1973. Each is stamped verso with the Jack Kerouac Estate stamp. Expected wear including paper folds. Else near fine. Jack's death certificate measures 7.25" x 9".

Kerouac expired at 5:15 am on October 21, 1969. The death certificate listed three causes which contributed to his premature death at the age of 47. The immediate cause was attributed to "Gastrointestinal Hemorrhage" due to "Bleeding Gastric Varix from Cirrhosis of Liver", both episodes of which lasted approximately 15 hours, and which were the results of "many years[']" worth of "Excessive Ethanol Intake". His "Usual Occupation" is listed as an "Author"; his "Kind of Business or Industry" is defined as "Fiction". Kerouac's remains were slated for removal to Lowell, Massachusetts's Edson's Cemetery, where his grave site can still be visited today.

Kerouac's mother, whom he called Memere, died at the same hospital, St. Anthony's Hospital in St. Petersburg, Florida, nearly four years later, on October 12, 1973. Her fatal stoke in 1973 followed a debilitating stroke which had left her partly paralyzed in 1966. Stella Kerouac (1918-2000), Jack's third wife, is listed as the "informant", or next of kin, on both death certificates: on Jack's as "Mrs. Stella Kerouac" and on Gabrielle's as "Mrs. John L. Kerouac".

This item comes with a Certificate from John Reznikoff, a premier authenticator for both major 3rd party authentication services, PSA and JSA (James Spence Authentications), as well as numerous auction houses.

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