Hold up, you’re trying to find an obituary in the sprawling, sunny, and totally extra place that is Los Angeles? That's like trying to find one specific grain of sand on a mile-long Santa Monica beach! LA is huge, and just like everyone else, the people who lived here eventually, well, check out.
But don't stress! Finding a death notice or a full-blown obituary for someone in the City of Angels is totally doable. It just takes a little detective work and knowing where to look beyond just shouting the person's name at the Hollywood sign. Get ready to put on your digital deerstalker hat—we’re going on a genealogy adventure!
Step 1: The Almighty Google Attack (Your Digital Shovel)
Forget dusty old files for a sec. We live in the future, fam! The first step is to use the biggest, baddest search engine you know to see if the obituary is already floating around the internet. Think of Google as your super-powered metal detector.
1.1. Keywords are King (or Queen, you choose!)
You gotta give the search engine good stuff to work with. Don’t just type "John Smith." You’ll get 4.7 billion results, and trust me, you don’t want to read all those John Smiths.
Try this combo: "[Person's Full Name] obituary Los Angeles"
If that’s too broad, level up: "[Person's Full Name] death notice [Year of Death] Los Angeles"
Pro Tip: If you know a specific city in the county (like Pasadena, Long Beach, or Santa Clarita), use that instead of the generic "Los Angeles" to really zoom in.
1.2. The Social Media Snooper
Seriously, check social media. It sounds a little wild, but many times, a family member will post a link to a funeral home's online obituary or a newspaper notice on Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), or even LinkedIn!
Search the deceased's name on Facebook. Sometimes their page turns into a "Memorialized Account," and the family will have left notes or links. It's like an online guest book.
Don't forget to search the names of close relatives, too! They might have been the one to post the key deets.
Step 2: Hit Up the Big Guns (Newspapers & Online Archives)
QuickTip: Stop scrolling, read carefully here.
Los Angeles is home to some seriously iconic papers, and a lot of them keep great archives. This is where you might find the formal, detailed obituary, especially for folks who passed away way back before the internet was a thing.
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| How To Find An Obituary In Los Angeles |
2.1. The LA Times is the OG
The Los Angeles Times is the major-league paper in the area. They have a massive archive, but be warned: sometimes accessing the full articles requires a subscription or a small fee.
Go to their website and look for their Obituaries section. They often have an internal search function that is much better than a general Google search for their content.
For older obituaries (pre-1985), you might need to use a specialized database (see Step 3, for real).
2.2. Funeral Homes & Legacy Websites
When someone passes, the funeral home usually creates a temporary online spot for their obituary and service details. These pages are often hosted on big obituary aggregator sites like Legacy.com or Tributes.com.
Search on Legacy.com or Tributes.com directly, limiting the search to Los Angeles, CA. They partner with the LA Times and many other local papers, so they are like a giant virtual trophy case of obituaries.
If you know the name of the funeral home, go straight to their website and use their search tool. That's a massive shortcut!
Step 3: Go Old School (The Library Vibe)
If the first two steps were a bust, it's time to respect your elders and hit the library. I know, I know, but trust me, the Los Angeles Public Library (LAPL) and the County Library system are beasts at this stuff. They hold the keys to the past!
QuickTip: Compare this post with what you already know.
3.1. The Library Card Power-Up
Your Los Angeles Public Library card is basically a magic wand for accessing expensive research sites for free.
Ancestry.com Library Edition: LAPL often provides free access to this super-database from their physical locations or even from home with your card. Ancestry has huge collections of historical newspapers and death indices. This is where the old-school obituaries hang out.
Historical Newspaper Databases: The library subscribes to digitized newspaper archives like the Los Angeles Times Historical Database (often going back to 1881!) and others that include smaller local papers. The local community papers often ran more obituaries than the big city ones!
3.2. Ask a Pro!
The librarians in the History and Genealogy Department at the Central Library are the GOATs of finding old records.
The Los Angeles County Library sometimes offers a limited number of free obituary searches per month for patrons. That’s right, they'll do the work for you! You just need the name and a death date (or at least a year).
If you're stuck, use the "Ask a Librarian" service. They can point you toward the exact microfilm reel or database you need to search. They’re the experts, so use 'em!
Step 4: Final Boss Level (The Official Records)
If you are a serious family history ninja and still haven't found a newspaper notice, you can go after the actual state-level index, which is like the ultimate proof-of-death.
QuickTip: Break down long paragraphs into main ideas.
4.1. The California Death Index
California maintains a Death Index, covering deaths from 1905 to the present (though recent years might have a slight delay). It won't give you a flowery obituary, but it will confirm the death and provide a precise date and county.
You can often find these indices online for free on genealogy sites like FamilySearch.org. Just plug in the name and see what pops up.
This index is critical because it gives you the exact date you need to go back and check the newspaper microfilm from that time period in Step 3!
4.2. Local Cemetery Check
If you have a hunch about the person's final resting place, check the cemetery's website. Many Los Angeles cemeteries (like Forest Lawn or Hollywood Forever) have online grave locators that can confirm the person's death and burial date, which is another great piece of the puzzle.
You are now fully equipped, my friend. Whether you are doing homework, a family project, or just being curious, remember that finding this information is like piecing together a cool, historical puzzle. Happy searching!
How to... Find an Obituary FAQ
How to find a recent obituary in Los Angeles?
Tip: The details are worth a second look.
Check the websites of the Los Angeles Times, Legacy.com, or the website of the known funeral home or mortuary where services were held.
How to find an obituary if I don't know the exact date of death?
Start with the year or a range of years in your Google or archive search. Use the California Death Index (often on FamilySearch.org) to narrow down the exact date first.
How to find an obituary for someone with a common name?
Add more keywords like their middle initial, the name of their spouse, their town of residence (e.g., "Burbank" instead of "Los Angeles"), or a specific occupation.
How to find an obituary for free?
Use a simple Google search, check free-to-search sites like Legacy.com, and use your local Los Angeles library card to access paid genealogy databases for free.
How to access the Los Angeles Times obituary archives?
Check if your local public library (LAPL) provides free online access to the digitized historical archives with your library card; otherwise, you may need a newspaper subscription.
How to search for old obituaries from the 1950s?
Go to the Los Angeles Public Library or County Library and ask to use their microfilm readers for the local papers around the date of death, or search their subscription to Ancestry.com.
How to find an obituary if the person was not famous?
Look for death notices (which are short, paid announcements) in local community newspapers from the area where they lived, not just the massive city papers.
How to find out which funeral home handled the arrangements?
The death certificate or the California Death Index will often list the funeral home or mortuary.
How to find an obituary without a library card?
You can still use Google, check major obituary websites like Legacy.com, and use free genealogy sites like FamilySearch.org.
How to find an obituary if the death happened outside Los Angeles but the person lived there?
Search the newspaper in the town where the person passed away, and also search the Los Angeles papers, as a family member might have paid to run a duplicate notice there for friends.
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