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Obituary Project
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Tips for Locating an Obituary
  • Look through the USGenWeb Obituary Project state pages to see if the state or county in which the Obituary would have been published has the Obituary listed.

  • Visit the USGenWeb Archives State or County page for the location in which the Obituary would have been published to see if it is listed.

  • Visit the USGenWeb State or County page for the location in which the the Obituary would have been published.  From that page, check for the following:

    • Check to see if there are any look-up volunteers that can lookup obituaries.

    • Join the state or county mailing list and post a look-up request to the mailing list (instructions for joining the mailing list should be on the county or state page).

    • Look for the contact information of the following resources which may be of assistance in locating obituaries:

      • Local Libraries

      • Ask a Librarian this link is a gateway link for questions so you can chat live with a librarian.

      • Local Genealogical or Historical Societies

      • Local LDS Family History Centers

      • Local Genealogists (May involve a fee)

  • If the newspaper is still published, contact them directly.  They may be able to provide information on where to locate archived publications.

  • If there is a chance that the deceased had a Social Security Number, look them up in a Social Security Death Index (SSDI).  If you don't the exact date of death or the approximate location, this can be very helpful.  http://www.ancestry.com has a good SSDI.

  • Funeral Homes often assist families with obituaries.  If the Funeral Home is known, contact them to see if they have records of the obituary.




Obituary Archives Project Coordinator -

Special Projects Representative

Rebecca Maloney