Is it possible to see a teacher's recommendation if they passed away?

Applying to College
1

My teacher very recently passed away. He was definitely my favorite teacher and probably the adult I had the closest relationship with other than my parents. I got him a box of chocolates+card as a thank you for all he’s done for me last week. I was going to give it to him Friday as there was a special event in my school that day. However, he was not in his classroom. I ditched a portion of the event and waited 2-3 hours for him to come but he never did.
Now I am going through Facebook and looking at all his pictures and students giving eulogies about him. I am also going through the emails he sent me, and some were quite amusing (he would predict chances of a snow day and let us have a snowball fight if school wasn’t cancelled). He was the smartest person I’ve known, willing to tutor AP Chemistry, Biology, Physics C, multivariable calculus, as well as graduating from Yale Law School. He would offer students coffee or chips if they were feeling sleepy and even made first semester easier for us so that colleges would look favorably on our mid-year transcripts (though he said he would make the second semester rigorous so we do not slack off). Small things like this made me really admire the man he was. He died in his early sixties.

One person in a Facebook group transcribed a speech he gave to the class; this is a part of it:
And every community you will ever be part of, in college or in your career, will be the same – imperfect, and in need of correction, but ultimately not totally correctable. Your role as young people is to push as hard as you can, because coming to the world with fresh eyes and clever ideas and ample energy, you can see better than anyone what is in need of correction, and do what you can to change it. But your role as adults (which you are also now, for better or for worse) is to realize when pushing harder is not going to make change happen any faster, but only frustrate you more. So then you will settle on a pace of pushing that you can sustain. But never give up pushing, however gently. Know that far more effective than a lecture or a threat is an example or an invitation. Your greatest power is not necessarily the power of persuasion. It is the power of being a living example of what you believe in.

I would really like to see what else he has written, hence the reason for this post.

2

Probably not because you probably signed a release saying you give up the right to see if. And so it was written with that as a condition.

3

Yeah I assumed so. Well it was worth a try.

4

I believe if you tried you would be able to. It is not like you would be able to alter it or anything so I don’t see why not. Talk to your guidance counselor?

5

I think those letters are written in confidence with the assumption the student will not read them. It is not appropriate to ask – his death does not change that.

6

If you slightly alter what you’ve written here in a letter asking your guidance counselor for a copy you might receive it. Usually promises of confidentiality are moot after the death of one party. I’m sure you are asking for it because the teacher was important to you and you’d like to have some final personal words from him. Wait until after all your admissions results are in. I’m sorry you lost a beloved teacher. You said some nice things about him. You might want to repeat them in a note or card to his family.

7

Sounds like a lovely man and an inspirational role model. My condolences for your loss–the world needs more teachers like him.

May he rest in peace, wherever he may be.

8

I am sorry for your loss. It sounds like he was an amazing teacher, and you were so blessed to have had him.

9

I agree, if you waived your rights it is no more appropriate to ask to see the recommendation now than if your teacher was still alive. I’m sorry for your loss but you were fortunate to have had a teacher that touched your life. As the daughter of a teacher, I will mention that would be lovely if you could write a note or something and convey your feelings to his/her family at some point.

10

Yes, I am writing a little eulogy right now. I went to my school and students were crying in his classroom. There was a big poster with his pictures and other notes by students. It was a pretty depressing hallway.
Maybe yesterday I got a bit emotional and made this thread to vent a little. Anyway, thank you all for the advice :).