Position:Home>Genealogy> Can a funeral service be private and can an obituary be private?

You don't have to have a funeral!. If you do, it can be private!. Obituaries are optional too!. Some newspapers charge for them, which means poor people don't get them!. Some people don't want to advertise their grief, so they ask that an obit not be printed!. If someone dies in a drug deal gone wrong, or kills himself, or otherwise dishonors his family, they sometimes don't have an obit!. Finally, if someone ordinary dies in a big city, there is often not enough room for the obit!.

The newspapers usually have a one-line death notice for everyone; just the name and the date he/she died!. In our paper they are listed with births, marriages and divorces, in 8-point text!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

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Many folks don't put obituaries in the paper because they do cost money, and people often choose private services!.

The death certificate should be available after a certain amount of time; some counties post the information on line, some don't, but as a matter of public record you can get a copy at your county recorder's office, but there is a fee!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

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First, an obituary in the newspaper is generally what people say about the deceased!. Yes, funeral services can be private (usually are!)

But there WILL be some sort of public record, whether at the state level, city, county, whatever!. Of course, if the individual was in the military/VA healthcare system, they will also have some records!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

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Obits are by choice!.!. and nowadays, people use them to find when families will be at a funeral and burglarize the home!. Some people are stopping them, for this reason (or others)!. And, yes, funerals can be for immediate family only!.
If you are certain of the death, and its likely that you know the funeral home!.!. you might call!. They are not obligated to give any information!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

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Funeral services can indeed be private where only family members are allowed in!. They will usually have a public visitation time at the funeral home the day before so friends and/or non-family members can visit with the family and offer condolences!. As for "obituaries for the public"--try looking in your local newspaper's classified ad section under "DEATH NOTICES"!. The county coroner has to post things in this section, I believe, by law!.
In a Yahoo search, type in "public death notices obituaries" and a list of cities will come up--such as these sites:
www!.buffaloresearch!.com/obit!.html (Buffalo, NY)
www!.slpl!.lib!.mo!.us/libsrc/obit!.htm (St!. Louis, MO)
www!.nypl!.org/research/chss/grd/resguides!.!.!. (New York, NY)

There are 26,400,000 listings for public death notices obituaries!.

(If all else fails, if you know someone who attended this person's funeral, ask if he/she got a Memorial folder--that gives birth/death dates/locations, the pall bearers names, etc!. and usually a short biography of him/her on the back--and ask if you could print off a copy for yourself!.)Www@QuestionHome@Com

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Some folks don't want the info in the paper or they can't afford to put it in!. Do you have any idea what funeral home handled the arrangements or where the person is buried!? If so, I would contact them for info!.

They don't have to make anything public!. Its the family's choice!.

Good luck in your searchWww@QuestionHome@Com

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****Not necessarily!. An obituary is an option, and in some areas, cost to put into the paper!. If you know when the person died, contact the funeral homes in that city!. They might be able to help you!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

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Burials can be private and there is no requirement for an obituary!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

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yesWww@QuestionHome@Com

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