Press-Citizen Obituaries (2024)

FAQs

Why do some people not post obituaries? ›

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. Obituaries are also written for the living so that they may learn of an individual's passing.

The FamilySearch Library has two large alphabetical collections of Iowa obituaries. The original collections are at the Iowa Genealogical Society, where most of the obituaries were collected. These obituaries date from about 1850 to 1991.

For one, obituaries are stories with a closure unlike the daily news items that are generally interim reports. They are often good stories. One reads about remarkable accomplishments, odd achievements, quirky lives, wild adventures, strange vicissitudes, and forgotten personalities.

In some cases, the deceased person may have explicitly requested not to have an obituary written, or the family may feel they would not have wanted one. Additionally, some families may be concerned about privacy or wish to keep the details of their loved one's passing private.

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.

Sometimes, listing the cause of death may involve legal complications (there may be lawsuits and admitting something in an obituary may result in losing the case) Some people just do not want to think about it. Some people would rather focus on the person's life rather than their cause of death.

What does it mean when you can't find an obituary? Well if you're looking in a newspaper for it & don't see it, that could mean the family didn't pay for it to appear in the paper. It's very expensive to put an obituary in newspapers. It could also mean the family chooses to keep it private.

Obituary writers sometimes deliberately distort the truth in their stories. False obituaries are written for many reasons: concealing a divorce, excluding children from another marriage, exaggerating a deceased's accomplishments, or excluding certain relatives.

Certified copies of vital records are only provided to entitled individuals: The person named on the record; or that person's spouse, children, legal parents listed on the record, grandparents, grandchildren, siblings, or legal representative or guardian. Entitled individuals may need to provide proof of entitlement.

Obituaries and death notices can be published by alumni organizations, religious or community institutions, and professional organizations, or online.

Are marriage records public in Iowa? ›

Iowa law requires that birth and marriage vital statistics in the custody of the State Archives be 75 years or older and death vital statistics be 50 years or older to be made available to the public.

This reading may be performed by a family member, a close friend, or a designated individual. The purpose of the obituary reading is to share important details about the deceased person's life, allowing everyone present to reflect on their accomplishments, relationships, and contributions.

It is preferable, when applicable, to include the age at death and a personal comment such as “surrounded by family” or “comforted by his wife.” NB: Sometimes it is desirable to omit the cause of death – such as when death came as a result of extreme violence, or the carrying out of a court sentence.

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.

In many cultures, obituaries serve as a way to publicly acknowledge a person's life and death, offering a tribute to their accomplishments and impact. However, in communities where access to media is limited, or in cases where the deceased or their family prefer privacy, an obituary may not be published.

If you are not an immediate family member of the loved one, ask yourself if you are close to their family. Never post about a loved one before their family has acknowledged the death themselves or given you permission to do so.

Everyone has a unique life story. In nearly every case, it's a story that should be told and preserved. We all know the deceased lived, but how that person lived and why that person lived are important.

While there are no rules when it comes to who writes the obituary, they're typically written by family members or close friends. When a loved one passes, the family usually decides who will write it based on their relationship to the deceased or writing ability.