How to Find and Publish Obituaries in Oklahoma City
When someone dies in Oklahoma City, their obituary typically appears in one of three places: the The Oklahoman, the city's major newspaper; funeral home websites; or online memorial platforms. This guide walks you through where obituaries are published, how long they stay accessible, what they cost, and how to submit one if you're handling arrangements.
The Oklahoman's Obituary Section
The Oklahoman publishes obituaries six days a week (Monday through Saturday). Obituaries submitted by funeral homes or families appear in the print edition and online at newsok.com. The newspaper charges for obituaries based on length: a basic paid obituary typically runs $150 to $300 for 200 words or fewer, with additional fees for photos or extended text. Some funeral homes include obituary placement in their service packages, so confirm whether the cost is already covered before paying separately.
Print obituaries remain in The Oklahoman's archive indefinitely and are searchable on newsok.com. This permanence matters if you're researching family history or trying to locate information about someone who died years ago. The online archive is accessible without a subscription for basic searches, though premium content may require registration.
To submit an obituary to The Oklahoman, most families work through their funeral home, which handles placement and payment. If you're submitting independently, contact the newspaper's newsroom directly. Turnaround is typically one to two business days from submission to publication, though this varies during high-volume periods.
Funeral Home Listings
Every funeral home in Oklahoma City posts obituaries on its own website, usually in a dedicated "Obituaries" or "Recent Passings" section. This is often the first place family members check and where viewing hours and service information are consolidated. Funeral homes in central Oklahoma City, the midtown area, and suburban neighborhoods like Edmond and Norman each maintain their own listings.
Funeral home websites keep obituaries posted for varying lengths of time, typically between 30 days and two years, depending on the home's archival policy. If you need an obituary from a specific funeral home and it's no longer on their site, call and ask whether they can email you a copy or direct you to where it was archived.
Online Memorial and Genealogy Sites
Legacy.com, Ancestry.com, and FindAGrave aggregate obituaries from newspapers and funeral homes across the country, including Oklahoma City. These platforms let you search by name, death date, or location. Legacy.com also allows families to create extended memorial pages with photos, stories, and a guest book for condolences. Some of these services are free; others charge a modest fee for enhanced memorial features.
The advantage of these platforms is searchability across multiple sources at once. A single search can return obituaries from The Oklahoman, funeral home websites, and other local publications all in one result. However, not every obituary is indexed immediately, and older obituaries may not appear in these aggregators at all.
Cost Breakdown and Alternatives
A traditional obituary in The Oklahoman costs $150 to $400 depending on length and images. Funeral homes typically charge separately for their own website listings, though many include this at no extra cost. Online memorial pages on Legacy.com start around $200 for a basic setup and go higher for premium features.
If budget is limited, posting only on the funeral home website and a free site like FindAGrave covers the basics at minimal cost. Many people in Oklahoma City use this combination: the funeral home handles immediate visibility for viewing information, while the free genealogy site ensures long-term searchability.
Submission Timing and Visibility
Submit an obituary to The Oklahoman at least two business days before the funeral service if you want it published before people attend. Submission on Friday afternoon will not appear until Monday. Funeral homes typically handle this coordination, but if you're submitting independently, plan accordingly.
Online postings on funeral home sites and memorial platforms can go live within hours of submission, making them faster for spreading information about services. The Oklahoman print edition reaches subscribers and newsstands across Oklahoma City but only publishes once daily, so timing matters if the service is the next morning.
What to Include
Standard information in an Oklahoma City obituary includes full name, age, date of death, hometown, occupation, education, military service if applicable, surviving family members, and service details (date, time, location). Some families add a brief biography highlighting accomplishments or personality. Photographs are optional but common, typically adding $25 to $75 to the cost.
The Oklahoman has length limits on free notices but will publish longer paid obituaries. Funeral homes usually set their own length guidelines. Online memorial sites like Legacy.com allow as much text and as many photos as you want once the page is set up.
Finding Older Obituaries
If you're researching someone who died more than five years ago, start with the Oklahoman archive at newsok.com. Use the search function with the person's full name and approximate year of death. If nothing appears, contact the newspaper's archives department; they may have records not yet digitized online.
For deaths before 1990 in Oklahoma City and surrounding counties, check the genealogy section of the Oklahoma City Public Library's Rose State College, which houses microfilm of older newspaper records. The library allows in-person research and can sometimes provide copies by mail for a small fee.
Local Considerations
Obituary customs in Oklahoma City often reflect Christian traditions, with many including Scripture passages or references to church affiliation. Some funeral homes offer templates that follow these conventions, while others allow completely customized text. Discuss tone and content preferences with your funeral director when planning the obituary.
The Oklahoman receives hundreds of submissions monthly, so your obituary competes for space. Funeral homes familiar with the newspaper's preferences know which details are most likely to be included in print if space is tight. If publication in the print edition is important to you, mention this when submitting.
Know before you submit: Decide whether you prioritize print publication in The Oklahoman, immediate online visibility through the funeral home, or long-term searchability through genealogy sites. Most families use at least two channels. Get the cost in writing before the funeral home bills you, and confirm the obituary stays online long enough to serve its purpose in your family's records.
