How We Handle Digital Obituaries at the Observer Dispatch
When someone in the Utica area passes away, their family usually contacts us through the phone or by filling out the form on our website. The standard process takes about 45 minutes from initial call to published draft. That time covers verifying dates, checking military honors, and making sure the photo uploads correctly. Most families want their loved one remembered properly, and we try to get it right. The core workflow starts with the death certificate details and any funeral home submission. We enter the information into our content management system, which runs on a modified version of WordPress with custom fields for service times, surviving relatives, and donation preferences. The system automatically checks for duplicate entries and flags names that might match living residents in our subscriber database. Here is where it gets tricky. About three years ago, I was processing an obituary for a veteran who had served in both the Army and the National Guard. The family submitted paperwork showing both branches, but our system only pulled military honor information from the primary service record. The guest book entry showed incomplete medal listings. I ended up calling the funeral director directly at 7 PM to verify the correct decorations before publishing. The workaround I use now is to manually cross-reference the Defense Manpower Data Center lookup before hitting publish, even if the form fields look complete. Takes another 8 minutes, but it prevents embarrassing errors in print and online.
The digital side has changed how we handle these notices significantly. Instead of just writing to the newspaper, we now upload to obituary.com, create a Facebook memorial page link, and sometimes coordinate with Legacy.com for syndication. Each platform has different character limits and formatting rules. Facebook requires a 500 character minimum for proper indexing. The Observer Dispatch website allows up to 1500 words for the main obituary plus an additional 800 words for the companion memorial page. Anything longer gets truncated, which cuts off important biographical details about the person career or volunteer work. We also deal with image submissions constantly. Most families send JPEG photos through email or upload directly to our portal. The acceptable file size is under 2 MB per image, and we recommend 1200 by 800 pixels for optimal display on both desktop and mobile. When someone sends a scanned photo from film, the resolution often comes out too low. I keep a folder of free tools on my desktop for upscaling those images. GIMP works fine for basic adjustments, though it requires a manual export step that adds about 5 minutes per obituary. One common pitfall families face involves the donation information. We usually place charitable giving details in a separate section below the main text. The formatting requires hyperlinked URLs for any organization mentioned. I once saw a submitter paste a handwritten check address instead of a web link, which broke the digital version entirely. The fix was simple, but it required editing the HTML directly rather than using the visual editor. That workaround saves about 10 minutes compared to pulling the page and recreating the entry.
The preservation aspect matters more than people realize. We archive every obituary in both PDF and HTML format, keeping backups on two separate servers for about 7 years after publication. This covers the legal retention period and allows future genealogy research. Some families request permanent hosting on our website, which we accommodate as long as the content meets editorial standards. The actual storage cost per obituary is minimal, roughly 2 MB including the photo, but the administrative overhead of managing requests adds about 15 minutes per month for our staff. When handling sensitive cases involving unexpected deaths or family disputes, I follow a specific protocol. We pause publication until the medical examiner or funeral director confirms the details are accurate. This usually takes an extra 30 minutes to 2 hours depending on the circumstances. I have encountered situations where multiple family members submitted conflicting information about the deceased residence or surviving relatives. The solution is to designate one point of contact, usually the primary beneficiary listed on the death certificate, and get written confirmation before proceeding. The print version still matters to many readers. We reserve space in the newspaper for obituaries up to 300 words, with additional fees for longer pieces. The digital version allows more comprehensive coverage, which is why we encourage families to utilize both formats. The combined reach typically extends to about 120,000 local readers plus regional visitors through our website traffic. I recommend submitting early in the week, preferably Tuesday or Wednesday, to ensure publication before the weekend when staff coverage is reduced.
Get the Full Details
If you need to submit an obituary to the Observer Dispatch, you can start by visiting our obituary submission page or calling the editorial office during business hours. The process usually takes about 20 minutes to complete the initial form, followed by a verification call within 24 hours. Our team aims to publish within 48 hours of final approval, though urgent requests can be expedited with additional documentation.
