Using Local Newspaper Obituary Sections: A Practical Guide
The Post Tribune runs a daily obituary section that most readers in the Gary, Indiana area check each morning. It is not complicated, but there are a few things you need to know if you want to place an announcement or research one properly. I remember researching one of those longer tribute pieces several years ago. The newspaper had covered a local figure who had passed, and I wanted to verify a detail about a community program he started. What I found was that the obituary section archives run only about five years back on their website. Anything older requires a physical copy from the library or a direct request through the paper's editorial office. I learned that the hard way when I could not locate a specific date for an event mentioned in a 2018 piece. You can submit an obituary directly through their online portal or by phone. The standard rate for a basic death announcement runs around $150 to $250 depending on length and whether you include a photograph. Extended remembrance pieces that go beyond the standard format cost more and usually require approval from the editorial staff.
The submission window matters more than most people realize. If you want the notice to appear on a Friday, you typically need to submit by Tuesday afternoon. Weekends and holidays push that deadline earlier. I have seen families miss a publication date because they assumed Thursday midnight would still count for a Friday run, and it did not.
Researching Past Obituaries
Online search works reasonably well for recent deaths. Use the person's full name plus the city and the word "obituary" in your query. The Post Tribune's archive pulls into broader newspaper databases, so Google sometimes indexes pages that their own search tool does not highlight. For older records, the Lake County Public Library in Crown Point holds microfilm and bound volumes. Staff there can pull a specific date range in about ten minutes. If you need something from before 2015, plan to visit in person or mail a request. They do not digitize everything, and some volumes from the early two-thousands are still only available on film.
Get the Full Details
Common Mistakes to Avoid
One issue I see repeatedly is incorrect birth or death dates in the submission. The newspaper verifies dates against the death certificate or funeral home records, so a mismatch will delay publication. Always double-check those numbers before you send anything in. Another problem involves photo submissions. High-resolution scans work best. Phone photos of printed pictures create blur that does not reproduce well in print. If you are sending a digital image, aim for at least 300 DPI and a minimum width of 1200 pixels. Anything smaller gets rejected or looks poor when printed. Family names and relationships also cause delays. The Post Tribune will call to confirm if a survivor list looks inconsistent, and that phone tag can push your publication back a day. Write the survivor details clearly the first time to avoid that.
What You Should Know About Longer Tributes
Sometimes the editorial team writes their own remembrance piece instead of running a submitted notice. This usually happens when the person has a significant community role or local history attached to them. Those articles are not guaranteed, and you cannot request one directly. I encountered this when a neighbor passed and the paper ran a multi-column feature without any family input on the content. It was well written, but a few details about his volunteer work were inaccurate because the reporter had relied on public records rather than family knowledge. If you want control over the information, a submitted family notice is the safer route. You get to approve the text before it prints, and you can include details that a reporter might miss or get wrong.
Death Certificate and Legal Requirements
Illinois requires a death certificate to be filed before any obituary can run. The newspaper will not publish without confirmation that the state has registered the death. This is a legal requirement, not just a policy choice. Most funeral homes handle this automatically, but if you are arranging things independently, make sure the certificate is filed before you submit the obituary. There is no waiting period mandated by the state, but the Post Tribune generally holds notices for at least twenty-four hours after filing. This gives families time to request last-minute changes or additions.
Contact and Submission Information
The Post Tribune obituary desk can be reached during business hours on weekdays. Weekend submissions are accepted but may not be processed until Monday. Their website has a dedicated obituary page where you can fill out a form and upload photos. Print submissions are also accepted by mail, though processing takes longer. If you are researching a specific article, start with the online archive. If your search turns up nothing after five or six years, try the library microfilm collection. Most people find what they need within the first two attempts, but patience helps when dealing with older records.
