Obituaries in Fort Smith, AR | Times Record (2024)

FAQs

How do I find an obituary in Arkansas? ›

Additional Obituary Resources

Also, see "Arkansas Newspapers" for additional sources and how to locate newspapers. Click FamilySearch Catalog and select the topics "Obituaries" and "Obituaries-Indexes" For counties, add a comma and the county name in the search box, then click Search.

The first paragraph of the obituary should include the deceased person's full name, including any nicknames they may have used, their age, date and place of death. Some people choose to include cause of death, but this is optional depending on how much information you would like to share.

Most obituaries are around 200 words long, which means using as few words as possible to avoid going over the word count. It's a good idea to make a plan before you write to ensure you stick to the most important points about the person who died.

For one, obituaries are stories with a closure unlike the daily news items that are generally interim reports. They are often good stories. One reads about remarkable accomplishments, odd achievements, quirky lives, wild adventures, strange vicissitudes, and forgotten personalities.

Arkansas death records are open to the public for deaths that occurred at least 50 years ago.

Concluding Message

Phrases like “We will always carry your memory in our hearts,” or perhaps a favorite quote of your loved one are heartfelt and personal.

Bring factual details into play whenever you can but help the reader clearly see who your loved one was, how they lived, and what they loved. The more rich in detail, the more memorable the obituary becomes.

An obituary is written to tell the story of your loved one. These will often be in the funeral program. There will even be a part of the funeral where the obituary will be silently read by everyone in attendance at the funeral. It is something you and your family should be patient with when you are writing it.

Posting an obituary is not a legal requirement and is a sentimental action. Families don't have to publish one if they don't want it or do not have the funds to do so. While you do not have to share a death note or obituary, you must file a death certificate with your state's office.

Obituaries are not required by law , so the deceased's family might have chosen to forego publishing one. Publishing an obituary can be expensive , and the funds may be unavailable. The deceased has few family members or friends , so there might have, unfortunately, been no need for an obituary.

Why do newspapers charge so much for obituaries? ›

Why does it cost so much to post an obituary? Publishing an obituary in the newspaper is expensive because of the limited space papers have. Newspapers value every inch of each page, so they must charge to use that limited space for an obituary.

Telephone: You may order a copy of the death record via telephone toll-free at (866) 209-9482. Multiple expedited shipping options are available through this service.

The Arkansas Democrat-Gazette is the newspaper of record in the U.S. state of Arkansas, printed in Little Rock with a northwest edition published in Lowell. It is distributed for sale in all 75 of Arkansas' counties.

Q: How much do death records cost? The cost of a certified death certificate is $10.00 for the first copy and $8.00 for each additional copy issued at the same time for the same certificate. If no record is found or no co py is made, state law requires that we keep $10.00 for a searching fee.

1914 - present

Beginning 1 February 1914, Arkansas State Law required the registration of all deaths occuring within the state of Arkansas. Information found on a death certificate is reported by an informant (usually a relative) and may or may not be accurate.