diff --git a/ChangeLog b/ChangeLog
index c58bc1977..88737ea6e 100644
--- a/ChangeLog
+++ b/ChangeLog
@@ -1,3 +1,7 @@
+2006-11-21  Don Allingham  <don@gramps-project.org>
+	* src/Utils.py (probably_alive): use get_primary_event_ref_list()
+	* src/RelLib/_Person.py: Add get_primary_event_ref_list()
+
 2006-11-20  Don Allingham  <don@gramps-project.org>
 	* src/Editors/_EditName.py: autocomplete for surnames
 	* src/glade/gramps.glade: set focus properly
diff --git a/src/RelLib/_Person.py b/src/RelLib/_Person.py
index 8a4ff6141..a77a8865d 100644
--- a/src/RelLib/_Person.py
+++ b/src/RelLib/_Person.py
@@ -49,6 +49,7 @@ from _EventRef import EventRef
 from _PersonRef import PersonRef
 from _MarkerType import MarkerType
 from _AttributeType import AttributeType
+from _EventRoleType import EventRoleType
 
 #-------------------------------------------------------------------------
 #
@@ -521,6 +522,18 @@ class Person(PrimaryObject,SourceBase,NoteBase,MediaBase,
         """
         return self.event_ref_list
 
+    def get_primary_event_ref_list(self):
+        """
+        Returns the list of L{EventRef} objects associated with L{Event}
+        instances that have been marked as primary events.
+
+        @returns: Returns the list of L{EventRef} objects associated with
+            the Person instance.
+        @rtype: list
+        """
+        return [ ref for ref in self.event_ref_list \
+		 if ref.get_role() == EventRoleType.PRIMARY ]
+
     def set_event_ref_list(self, event_ref_list):
         """
         Sets the Person instance's L{EventRef} list to the passed list.
diff --git a/src/Utils.py b/src/Utils.py
index 600b75882..420ca2cd6 100644
--- a/src/Utils.py
+++ b/src/Utils.py
@@ -573,9 +573,7 @@ def probably_alive(person,db,current_year=None,limit=0):
 
     # Look for Cause Of Death, Burial or Cremation events.
     # These are fairly good indications that someone's not alive.
-    for ev_ref in person.event_ref_list:
-        if ev_ref.get_role() != RelLib.EventRoleType.PRIMARY:
-            continue
+    for ev_ref in person.get_primary_event_ref_list():
         ev = db.get_event_from_handle(ev_ref.ref)
         if ev and int(ev.get_type()) in [RelLib.EventType.CAUSE_DEATH,
                                          RelLib.EventType.BURIAL,