How to Publish an Obituary in the Hornell Evening Tribune
Publishing an obituary through a small-town paper like the Hornell Evening Tribune is straightforward once you know the process. Most families handle it without much fuss, but there are a few details that trip people up if they aren't prepared. The paper is owned by Morris Media Network and serves the Hornell area in Steuben County, New York. They accept obituaries via email, phone, or mail, though email is the fastest route. Their newsroom number is (607) 325-4311 and the general address is 15 West Church Street, Hornell, NY 14843. Here is how the actual process works. You draft the obituary text, which typically runs between 150 and 400 words for the standard paid placement. You include the full name, age, city of residence, date of death, a brief biographical sketch, surviving family members, and service information. Some people also include a photo, which costs extra depending on size and placement.
Pricing isn't publicly listed in a simple way. What I found when I went through this for a relative was that the Tribune charges by the line or by the word, and the rate changes depending on whether it runs one time or multiple days. A standard one-time run in the print edition typically falls somewhere in the $150 to $250 range for a modest-length piece. Adding a photo bumps that up. Running it two days instead of one adds roughly 50% to the cost. Getting exact pricing requires calling the advertising desk directly. Turnaround time is usually one to two business days for the initial proof. If you submit after mid-morning, you might not see it until the next day's edition. The Tribune publishes Monday through Friday, with a weekend edition on some weeks. So timing matters more than you'd expect. Submitting on a Thursday for a Friday run is tight. Submitting on a Tuesday gives you breathing room to catch errors. One thing nobody warns you about: the difference between an obituary and a death notice. A death notice is essentially a formal announcement with basic facts. An obituary tells a story. The Tribune accepts both, but they price them differently. Death notices are cheaper because they are shorter and more standardized. If you just need to meet a requirement or notify the community quickly, a death notice does the job. If you want to actually capture who the person was, write the obituary. I made that distinction too late once and ended up with something that read like a resume instead of a tribute.
Another edge case that caught me off guard. The Tribune runs some obituaries on their website for free through a partnership with FuneralScribe or a similar platform. You can submit through those sites and choose to have the piece appear in print as well. The online-only version is free, but if you want print inclusion, there is still a charge. I used the free online submission route for a distant cousin and didn't realize the family in Hornell wouldn't see it in the paper unless they also paid for the print run. It ended up being fine since we knew the family was handling their own separately, but it is worth clarifying with the paper's staff before you submit. If you want to minimize cost, keep the piece under 200 words and skip the photo. If you want maximum visibility, go with 300 words and a standard 2-inch by 3-inch photo. The staff can advise on sizing. They also offer a digital-only option now, which is less expensive and reaches a broader audience, though the print edition still carries more weight locally for older readers who may not check the website. For payment, they accept credit cards, checks, and sometimes PayPal. You will need to provide the decedent's full legal name, date of birth, date of death, and the name of the funeral home handling arrangements. The funeral home often submits the obituary on behalf of the family, which saves you a step. If your funeral director handles it, just make sure they are submitting to the right publication and confirm the word count and any photo specifications beforehand.
Get the Full Details
The main pitfall to avoid is assuming the paper will fact-check the biographical details. They verify contact information and basic dates, but they do not dig into career history or family relationships. If you list a wrong birth year or miss a surviving sibling, it stays wrong until a correction is filed, which usually costs extra. Double-check everything before it goes in. There is no formal application or template you need to fill out. Just send the text and any supporting details to the advertising department and ask for a proof before final publication. That proof step is important and easy to skip if you are under pressure to get it done quickly. Take the extra hour to review it.
