Guide
Finding recent obituaries
A death from the last few days shows up first on the funeral home's website, usually within 1 to 3 days, and on the newspaper's site within a week. Search the full name with the town; if nothing appears yet, search again in two or three days.
Where a new obituary appears first
The funeral home writes or receives the notice as part of arranging the service and posts it to its own website as soon as the family approves it, often the same day the arrangements are made. The newspaper runs it on the next available print date and on its website around the same time, and the memorial platforms (Legacy, Tribute Archive, Dignity Memorial) receive it from one of those two within a day or so.
So for a very recent death, the funeral home's page is the one to look for. A search here surfaces it as soon as Google has indexed it, which is usually within a day of publication.
Searching for someone who died this week
Search the full name and the town. Recent notices are indexed quickly but they compete with older notices for the same name, so the town is what brings the new one to the top. If you know the funeral home, add its name too.
If you find a notice for the right person from years ago instead, the new one is probably not online yet. Check back after 48 hours.
Obituaries by town or newspaper
To browse everyone who died in a town this week rather than one person, go to the town newspaper's obituary section or the local funeral homes' pages; both list notices newest first. This site is a name search and works best when you have a name to look for.
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take for an obituary to be posted?
Typically 1 to 3 days for the funeral home's website and up to a week for the newspaper. Memorial platforms follow within a day or two of either.
Can I find an obituary from yesterday?
Sometimes, if the funeral home has already posted it and the page has been indexed. If a search finds nothing, try again in two or three days.
Why can't I find a recent obituary that the family says was published?
It may be on a site that has not been indexed yet, or listed under a formal first name or a different surname. Ask the family which funeral home or newspaper ran it and search that site directly.
Search recent obituaries by name, or read the full guide on how to find an obituary.