How To Submit An Obituary Through The Rochester Post Bulletin
Obituaries in regional newspapers serve a practical function that goes beyond simply announcing a death. They provide a documented record for the community, help spread news to people who may not have been in close contact with the family, and create a permanent reference that genealogists and researchers will eventually encounter. When I first navigated the submission process for our neighbor's father back in 2019, I quickly learned that most families underestimate how much advance planning actually matters. The Post Bulletin's obituary section operates differently than the online memorial platforms that have emerged over the past decade. Print space costs money by the line or by the inch, and the editorial team typically reviews submissions within one to two business days before the publication deadline. You should expect to pay between $150 and $400 depending on length, placement, and whether you include photographs. Photo inserts usually run an additional $50 to $75 per image. Key submission requirements include: full legal name of the deceased, date and location of death, surviving family members' names (spouse, children, grandchildren, parents), funeral or memorial service details, donation preferences if applicable, and a biographical sketch of roughly 150 to 300 words. The newspaper does not publish unverified claims about cause of death or speculative family disputes, so keep the tone factual and celebratory rather than contentious.
The Submission Process Step By Step
Most families submit obituaries through one of three channels: the newspaper's online submission portal, email to the classifieds department, or phone consultation with a staff writer. The online portal at postbulletin.com/obituaries allows you to draft, preview, and submit within approximately 20 minutes if you have all the information prepared. Phone submitters typically spend 15 to 30 minutes dictating details while a writer formats the piece. I encountered a specific edge case in 2022 when a family submitted an obituary for their mother who had recently moved from out of state. The death occurred in a hospice facility in Florida, but the funeral was scheduled in Rochester. The Post Bulletin's policy requires either the death to have occurred in Olmsted County or the deceased to have maintained significant community ties within the past five years. We resolved this by providing documentation of her volunteer work at two local churches and her 30-year residency history, which satisfied the editor's verification requirement.
Common Mistakes That Delay Publication
The most frequent error I see is submitting incomplete survivor lists. If you omit a surviving spouse or minor children, families often request corrections the following day, which can push publication from Tuesday's edition to Thursday's. Always double-check spellings of names, especially when dealing with unfamiliar family members or second marriages where stepchildren may have different surnames. Another pitfall involves photograph quality. The newspaper accepts digital images but requires minimum resolution of 300 DPI at the intended print size. Smartphone photos taken in poor lighting often appear grainy when enlarged to the standard obituary thumbnail size of 2 inches by 3 inches. Use a well-lit environment with a plain background, and save the file as a JPEG or PNG rather than a compressed social media export.
Get the Full Details
Online Memorial Options Beyond Print
The Post Bulletin partners with several digital memorial providers, including Legacy.com and local funeral home platforms, which allow families to extend the obituary's reach beyond the printed edition. These sites offer guest books, photo galleries, and donation tracking that can remain active indefinitely. However, they do carry recurring hosting fees ranging from $20 to $100 annually, and the visibility depends entirely on whether family members actively promote the link. Cost comparison: A standard 200-word print obituary runs approximately $250 plus photo fees. The same content posted online through Legacy.com costs $75 for basic placement with optional upgrades for featured positioning at $150 to $300. Many families split their budget by purchasing a shorter print version ($150) and dedicating the remainder to a comprehensive digital memorial with extended biography and video tributes.
When To Submit For Maximum Impact
Most newspapers publish obituaries on specific days of the week, with Sunday editions typically featuring the largest section. The Post Bulletin traditionally runs obituaries Wednesday through Sunday, with Friday and Sunday receiving the most visibility. Submitting by Tuesday afternoon ensures placement in Wednesday's print edition, while Thursday submissions miss the Friday deadline and shift to Sunday. If the death occurs on a weekend or holiday, plan for Monday or Tuesday submission to avoid weekend staffing delays. Funeral homes often handle obituary submissions as part of their services, but verify that they are using your preferred wording and that the draft matches your family's wishes before final approval. The editing process rarely accommodates major rewrites after the proof is returned, since typesetting timelines leave limited flexibility for changes. For families navigating grief, the administrative burden of obituary preparation can feel overwhelming. Consider designating one person to collect information from multiple family branches, verify dates and locations against birth certificates or social security records, and confirm surviving relatives with siblings before submitting. A single factual error requires public correction notices that some families find distressing, while accurate submissions create a reliable reference for future genealogical research.
