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.

D., Boston-based clinical psychologist, occasional obit reader, and author of the book How to Be Yourself. “They cause us to reflect on the narrative of our own life and what we want that life to mean. Young people especially might look to them for guidance, a way of tapping the wisdom of their elders.”

Read The Paper or Watch The Local News

If you receive a physical newspaper, review the obituaries section to see who recently passed. Searching for someone who died more than 30 days ago? Turn to sites like Google News Archives, US News Archives, or International News Archives.

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.

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.

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.

Posting an obituary is not a legal requirement and is a sentimental action. Families don't have to publish one if they don't want it or do not have the funds to do so. While you do not have to share a death note or obituary, you must file a death certificate with your state's office.

Why do some people not do obituaries? ›

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.

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.

Many newspapers charge by the line or inch for obituaries, not by the word.

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

It should be noted that nieces, nephews, cousins, and in-laws are typically unmentioned unless they were especially close to the deceased. Also, grandchildren and great-grandchildren are usually numbered (“…she leaves behind 7 grandchildren”) instead of listing each person's name.