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 obituary in Pennsylvania? ›
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.
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.
Why are some obituaries not published? ›
Obituaries are not required by law , so the deceased's family might have chosen to forego publishing one. Publishing an obituary can be expensive , and the funds may be unavailable. The deceased has few family members or friends , so there might have, unfortunately, been no need for an obituary.
Is there an app for local obituaries? ›
MyObits offers obituary creation and sharing, as well as announcements for funerals or memorials and lets you order flowers to send your condolences from the app.
How to find out about local funerals? ›
Some funeral directors list recent and upcoming funerals (for example, Co-operative Funeralcare). If you know where the deceased lived and died, you can also contact local funeral homes for information. Otherwise, you may be able to find details of a funeral online at sites such as: Funeral Notices.
How to find out if someone died in PA? ›
County Courthouses in Pennsylvania
Courthouses are important places to look for birth, marriage and death records. These are usually found in the Register of Wills office in each county. Records in the Recorder of Deeds offices can also be useful.
Are obituaries required in PA? ›
In PA, there is no legal mandate to publish an obituary in a newspaper when someone dies.
Are obituaries public domain? ›
Copyright and Obituaries. To be clear, obituaries are protected by copyright. They are creative works of expression that are fixed into a tangible medium of expression. Both the text and the images that make up an obituary are protected by copyright (even if the facts and information are not).
How do you find out if a person passed away? ›
- Start an Online Search. Arguably the best way to find out whether or not someone you know has passed is to begin an online search. ...
- Check Social Media. ...
- Use Word of Mouth. ...
- Read The Paper or Watch The Local News. ...
- Go To An Archive Facility. ...
- Review Government Records.
The late Douglas Legler, from Fargo, North Dakota, may have the funniest and most concise obituary ever. The whole obituary reads "Doug Died." And that's exactly the way he wanted it.
How to find out if someone is deceased for free in the USA? ›
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.
Is it disrespectful not to have an obituary? ›
Deciding not to publish an obituary is #perfectlynormal in grief. If publishing an obituary in the paper or online feels (or felt) wrong to you - perhaps drawing unwanted attention or sharing on a level beyond what's comfortable - that's OK. There is no one right way to honor someone you love.
When someone dies, do you have to put a notice in the paper? ›
Obituaries and death notices are not required—but notices to creditors may be. You are under no legal obligation to take out a death notice or obituary.
How do you say no funeral in an obituary? ›
Obituary Example: No Funeral or Memorial. [Full name] sadly passed away on [date of death] at their home in [place of passing]. They always spread joy and happiness wherever they went. As per [first name]'s request, no funeral or memorial service will be held.
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 obituary for a specific person in MA? ›
Obituaries in Massachusetts and other parts of New England can generally be found in the local town or county papers. Many obituaries for Boston and the surrounding area can be found in: Boston Athenaeum. Index of Obituaries in Boston Newspapers, 1704-1800.
How do I find obituaries in the US by name for free? ›
Using Online and Print Newspapers to Find Free Obituaries
- Use Legacy.com to Search for a Free Obituary. ...
- Newspaper Archive Sites. ...
- Look for Obituaries in Newspapers at a Public Library. ...
- Ancestry.com and Its (Brief) Free Trial. ...
- MyHeritage Free Trial. ...
- FamilySearch. ...
- The Mormon Church Family History Library. ...
- Mennonite Archives.
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.