FAQs
Many funeral homes publish obituaries on their websites. These can usually be located with a Google search on the person's name. Local genealogical and historical societies, public libraries, and some newspaper publishers maintain clipping files of obituaries.
How do I find an old obituary in Kansas? ›
The Kansas Genealogical Society and Online Library offers a name index of their Obituary Collections for newspapers of many Kansas counties. Kansas Newspapers Obituaries Archive - Numerous newspapers listed from the 1980's to the current time.
What is the largest obituary website? ›
The Web site hosts obituaries and memorials for more than 70 percent of all U.S. deaths. Legacy.com hosts obituaries for more than three-quarters of the 100 largest newspapers in the U.S., by circulation.
Is the obituary read at funeral? ›
An obituary is written to tell the story of your loved one. These will often be in the funeral program. There will even be a part of the funeral where the obituary will be silently read by everyone in attendance at the funeral. It is something you and your family should be patient with when you are writing it.
Is there an app for local obituaries? ›
As funeral homes across America post obituaries to their respective funeral home website, The Obituary App organizes them all into particular cities. Now, a user can look at all the obituaries posted by multiple funeral homes in one place.
Can you search if someone has died? ›
All you need to navigate an online obituary finder is the full name of the deceased (although other criteria, like birth date and location, can help narrow down your search.) If the person you're searching for passed away in your same city, it can also be helpful to visit your local mortuary's website.
Are death certificates public record in Kansas? ›
Birth, stillbirth, death, marriage, and divorce records (vital records) in Kansas are not public records.
How do I find the maiden name in an obituary? ›
When writing an obituary for a woman who had a maiden name, simply write her first name and then in parentheses write her maiden name and then her married last name. For instance, Laura (Ingalls) Wilder, Marie (Sklodowska) Curie or Julia (McWilliams) Childs.
How to get a death certificate in Wichita, Kansas? ›
The Office of Vital Statistics provides walk-in service from 9 am to 4 pm, Monday - Friday. $20 for each certified copy. Around 15 to 20 minutes provided there is no difficulty in locating the record. Access the VitalChek website at any time.
How do you find out if a person passed away? ›
Places to look for Death Records
- Church records of deaths and burials.
- City and County civil registrations.
- Family Bibles and personal histories.
- FamilySearch in the Catalog Search, Records Search, and Historic Books.
- Google and other website search sites, and don't forget to search Google Books.
North Dakota newspaper The Forum of Fargo-Moorhead ran what is certainly one of the shortest obituaries ever published. Accompanying a photograph and name of local resident Douglas Legler, the obit, which ran Wednesday, had just two simple words: “Doug died.”
What is a good length for an obituary? ›
Keep in mind the length: the average size of an obituary is approximately 200 words, but some publications may accept obituaries as long as 450 words or as short as 50 words.
What should you not say in an obituary? ›
Common Mistakes to Avoid when Writing an Obituary
- Avoid Making the Obituary About You. ...
- Don't Focus Just on Death. ...
- Listing People Who Were Appreciated. ...
- Avoid Clichés. ...
- Abbreviations. ...
- Don't Over Describe the Funeral.
What should you not say in a eulogy? ›
A eulogy is not the time to settle scores or air personal grievances, no matter how relevant they might seem to the speaker. Mentioning past conflicts, disappointments, or the deceased's shortcomings can create discomfort and is considered disrespectful during a time meant for mourning and reflection.
Is it disrespectful not to have an obituary? ›
Posting an obituary is not a legal requirement and is a sentimental action. Families don't have to publish one if they don't want it or do not have the funds to do so. While you do not have to share a death note or obituary, you must file a death certificate with your state's office.
How do I find someone who died in California? ›
Two state-level California Death Indexes can be found at Ancestry.com (a database anyone can access from any library branch and Central Library) or FamilySearch.org (a free internet database).
How do I find an old obituary in SC for free? ›
However, many of the county libraries in South Carolina have special indexes for obituaries from local newspapers and may have the newspapers on microfilm. See the LibGuide at statelibrary.sc.libguides.com/sc-obituary-resources for information on how libraries help users with information in this field.
How do I find an obituary for a specific person in NY? ›
New York Public Library subscribes to many databases that can help researchers locate obituaries and death notices. The most useful are our newspaper databases. Oftentimes obituaries can be located by entering a person's name and week of death into the newspapers databases.
How do I find an obituary in PA? ›
Find an Obituary. The Cremation Society of Pennsylvania ® online obituary search tool gives you access to obituaries from thousands of locations across North America. You can search by first or last name, state and publication date.