Obituaries in Des Moines, IA | The Des Moines Register (2024)

FAQs

How much does an obituary cost in the Des Moines Register? ›

FAQ. How much does an obituary in The Des Moines Register cost? Placing an obituary in The Des Moines Register starts at $95.00. Package prices can vary depending on the edition of the paper (weekday, weekend, or Sunday editions) and other factors such as the length of the obituary.

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.

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.

Why does it cost so much to post an obituary? Publishing an obituary in the newspaper is expensive because of the limited space papers have. Newspapers value every inch of each page, so they must charge to use that limited space for an obituary.

Newspapers charge by the line and can average $450 for a complete obituary. The average obituary cost begins at $200.00 and increases due to the amount of content, including a photograph and the length of the obituary.

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.

The State of Iowa calls marriage, birth, and death records Vital Records. You may request certified copies of records by telephone, in-person, online, or through the postal service.

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 do I find an old obituary in Texas? ›

Use an online search tool to find an older obituary for family tree research. There are several obituary search sites. Some are paid sites – but you may be able to access these resources for free at your local library or historical society. Ancestry is a handy source for those researching and preserving a family tree.

Most newspapers charge by line, so the higher the word count, the higher the price. However, families and loved ones can save money by looking into online options. Publishing an online obituary costs between $50 and $100 and allows for more opportunities to share it through email and social media.

Average Obituary usually ranges from $1,000 to $1,500 See What Affects Pricing for details.