Search Obituary, Death and Burial Records by Name
Enter the person’s first name, last name and last known state to prepare an obituary, death, burial, cemetery, memorial and related public-record search.
Find Recent Cedar Rapids Gazette Obituaries and Funeral Notices
Use The Gazette’s Cedar Rapids obituary search to find recent notices by name, date, location or funeral home. Then open the full obituary and confirm current service details through the handling funeral home before travelling, sending flowers or sharing information.
Quick Answer: Use the Source That Matches Your Task
Newest notice
Use The Gazette’s Today or recent-obituaries page for newly published death notices.
Search a person
Use first and last name, then narrow by date, location, newspaper or funeral home.
Older obituary
Use Cedar Rapids Public Library’s historical Gazette obituary index and genealogy resources.
Legal record
Use Linn County or Iowa HHS when a certified death certificate is required.
How to Check Today’s Cedar Rapids Gazette Obituaries
The Gazette obituary platform provides a dedicated Today view and a broader Cedar Rapids local-obituaries page.
Search Cedar Rapids Gazette Obituaries by Name
The dedicated search page lets you search first and last name and then narrow results using publish date, result type, location, newspaper and other filters.
Full name known
Start with first and last name. Avoid adding too many filters at once.
Only surname known
Search the surname and use city, funeral home, date or school to narrow the results.
Name spelling uncertain
Try nickname, middle initial, maiden name, former surname or a shorter first-name form.
Search Cedar Rapids and Nearby Linn County Communities
A Gazette obituary may be connected with a residence, funeral home, church, cemetery or nearby city rather than “Cedar Rapids” alone.
Cedar Rapids
Start with Gazette notices and major Cedar Rapids funeral-home memorials.
Marion
Many Linn County families and funeral homes are connected with Marion.
Hiawatha
Add Hiawatha when a Cedar Rapids-only search produces too many results.
Robins
Use Robins for north Linn County residence and family connections.
Fairfax
Search Fairfax when the person lived southwest of Cedar Rapids.
Center Point / Mount Vernon
Check wider Linn County when a Gazette notice does not use Cedar Rapids as the primary city.
Confirm the Correct Person Before Sharing the Notice
| Compare | Why it helps | Pause when… |
|---|---|---|
| Full name | Similar Iowa names can appear in the same search. | Middle or maiden name conflicts. |
| Age / birth year | Separates current and older notices. | Age differs significantly. |
| Relatives | Spouse, children, parents and siblings are strong clues. | No family names match. |
| Community | Helps separate Cedar Rapids, Marion, Hiawatha and other Iowa results. | There is no expected local connection. |
| Funeral home | Provides a first-party source for current arrangements. | The funeral provider serves another region. |
Verify Funeral Details Before Travelling
Time
Visitation, funeral, memorial, Mass and graveside service may have different times.
Address
The funeral home, church, cemetery and reception can all be different locations.
Public or private
Do not assume every service is public. Read the family’s wording carefully.
Livestream
Use only a stream linked by the funeral home, church or authorized memorial.
Flowers
Follow the current memorial instructions rather than assuming flowers are preferred.
Changes
Call the funeral home before a long trip when weather or conflicting listings could affect arrangements.
How to Submit an Obituary to The Gazette
The Gazette obituary platform provides a current Submit an Obituary route. A funeral home can also assist families with obituary preparation and submission.
Prepare these items first
- Full legal and preferred name.
- Age and community.
- Family-approved obituary text.
- Photo you have permission to publish.
- Visitation, funeral and burial information.
- Funeral-home details.
- Memorial donation or flower instructions.
- Billing and publication contact information.
How to Get a Linn County Death Certificate
Linn County Recorder handles certified local vital records. Effective July 1, 2026, the certified-copy/search fee increased to $20.
| Linn County detail | Current guidance |
|---|---|
| Certified record/search | $20. |
| Application | Notarized application required. |
| Identification | Copy of government-issued ID required. |
| Access | Applicant must have entitlement under Iowa rules. |
| Office | Linn County Recorder, Cedar Rapids. |
Who normally has entitlement?
Iowa describes eligible applicants as people with direct or tangible interest, such as certain lineal relatives, spouses, siblings, legal guardians or legal representatives.
When to Use Iowa HHS Vital Records
Iowa HHS provides statewide certified death records. The current certified-copy/search fee is also $20.
| Order method | Current cost detail | What to know |
|---|---|---|
| $20 record/search fee | Application must be notarized and include current government-issued ID. | |
| Online shipping | $20 + VitalChek fee | VitalChek is Iowa HHS’s only authorized third-party vendor. |
| Telephone | $20 + phone processing fee | Current VitalChek phone fee starts at an additional amount set by the vendor. |
| State office | $20 | In-person requests are accepted in Des Moines during current office hours. |
How to Find Older Cedar Rapids Gazette Obituaries
Cedar Rapids Public Library links to a partial historical obituary index from The Cedar Rapids Gazette maintained by the Genealogy Society of Linn County.
Historical Gazette obituary index
Use the index when a normal web search does not surface an older Cedar Rapids obituary.
Genealogy and local history
The library groups the obituary index with additional local-history and genealogy resources.
Better historic-search method
- Search surname first.
- Add approximate year.
- Try spouse, parent or child names.
- Search “death,” “funeral,” “services,” “burial” and “interment,” not only “obituary.”
- Check Marion, Hiawatha and other Linn County communities.
- Use Iowa genealogy death-record searches when the newspaper index is not enough.
How to Find a Cedar Rapids Burial Location
Cedar Memorial Park Cemetery provides an online public cemetery search for people buried at Cedar Memorial.
Cedar Memorial Park Cemetery
4200 First Avenue NE
Cedar Rapids, IA 52402
Phone: 319-393-8000
Verify an Iowa Funeral Home or Funeral Director
The Iowa Board of Mortuary Science, within the Department of Inspections, Appeals & Licensing, regulates funeral directors, funeral establishments and cremation establishments.
Professional oversight
The Board evaluates licensing qualifications and investigates complaints involving regulated funeral professionals and establishments.
Complaint route
Use the Board’s official pages if a serious professional-conduct or licensing concern needs formal review.
Burial Assistance for Linn County Families
Linn County General Assistance can help qualifying residents with final funeral expenses.
Linn County General Assistance
Community Services Building
1240 26th Avenue Court SW
Cedar Rapids, IA 52404
Phone: 319-892-5850
Current office availability is Monday–Friday during county business hours, excluding holidays.
Documents the county may request
- Photo identification.
- Social Security card or another document showing Social Security number.
- Income verification for the previous 30 days.
- Recent bank statements.
- Funeral-home bill meeting the program’s current requirements.
Veteran Burial and Memorial Help in Cedar Rapids
Linn County Veteran Services provides free benefit assistance and lists indigent burial and grave-marker help among its county programs.
Linn County Veteran Services
Community Services Building
1240 26th Avenue Court SW
Cedar Rapids, IA 52404
Phone: 319-892-5160
Appointments are strongly encouraged so staff can confirm which military and financial documents are needed.
Local Veteran Services can help with
- Indigent burial assistance.
- Grave markers and flag holders.
- Military discharge and service records.
- VA death and memorial benefits.
- Survivor pension and related federal benefit applications.
- Iowa Veterans Trust Fund information.
Funeral Price Rights Before You Agree to Pay
Ask for prices by phone
Under the FTC Funeral Rule, funeral providers must give price information by telephone when requested.
Get the General Price List
When discussing arrangements in person, ask for the written itemized General Price List and keep it.
Choose individual services
You generally have the right to choose the funeral goods and services you want instead of an unwanted package.
Separate third-party costs
Ask which charges belong to the funeral home and which come from the cemetery, newspaper, clergy or other provider.
Flowers, Guestbooks and Memorial Safety
Flowers
Confirm the correct person and delivery venue through the funeral-home memorial before ordering.
Donations
When a family names a charity, open that organization’s own website before entering payment information.
Guestbook
Do not post home addresses, Social Security numbers, financial information, private medical details or family disputes.
After You Find the Gazette Obituary
Save both sources
Keep the newspaper obituary and funeral-home memorial because they may contain different useful details.
Death certificates
Ask banks, insurers and estate professionals how many certified copies they actually need.
Social Security
Ask the funeral director whether the death was reported to Social Security.
Veteran records
Locate DD-214 or another discharge record before applying for burial and memorial benefits.
Keep a log
Record calls, dates, representative names, confirmation numbers and documents sent.
Protect identity
Keep certificates, account numbers and private documents out of public memorial pages.
Helpful RecentObituaries.info Guides
Obituary Search & Recent Notices Guide
Search by name, town, newspaper, funeral home, cemetery and date.
Death Certificate & Vital Records Guide
Use official records when a newspaper notice is not enough for legal purposes.
Veterans Burial & Memorial Benefits
Check burial, cemetery, flag, marker and survivor-benefit routes.
After-Death Notification Checklist
Organize Social Security, banks, insurance, records and mail.
Official and Primary Sources Used
The Gazette — Obituary Search Name, date, location, newspaper and additional search filters. The Gazette — Today’s Obituaries Recently published death notices. Cedar Rapids Local Obituaries Cedar Rapids-focused obituary results and funeral-home links. Linn County Recorder — Vital Records Current $20 certified-record fee, entitlement, ID and application requirements. Iowa HHS — Certified Vital Records State ordering routes, fees and authorized online provider information. Cedar Rapids Public Library — Obituary Index Historical Cedar Rapids Gazette obituary index and genealogy research link. Cedar Memorial — Cemetery Public Search Name and burial-location search for Cedar Memorial Park Cemetery. Iowa Board of Mortuary Science Funeral director, funeral establishment and cremation-establishment oversight. Linn County General Assistance — Burial Assistance Local final-expense assistance requirements and contact information. Linn County Veteran Services Indigent burial, grave-marker and Veteran benefit assistance.Cedar Rapids Gazette Obituary FAQs
Where can I find recent Cedar Rapids Gazette obituaries?
Use The Gazette’s obituary search or Cedar Rapids local-obituaries page. Search the full name first, then narrow by date, location or funeral home.
How can I find today’s Gazette obituaries?
Use The Gazette Today obituary page. If the person is not shown, widen the date range and search the full name.
Can I search The Gazette obituaries by first and last name?
Yes. The dedicated search page supports first-name and last-name searching plus filters for publish date, location, newspaper and other details.
Why can’t I find a Cedar Rapids obituary?
The notice may be delayed, published under a different name form, listed only by a funeral home, connected with Marion or another nearby community, or not published publicly.
How do I verify funeral service details?
Open the individual obituary, identify the handling funeral home, then use the funeral-home memorial to confirm the date, time, address, cemetery and public or private status.
How much is a Linn County Iowa death certificate?
Effective July 1, 2026, Linn County charges $20 for each certified vital-record search, with a certified copy issued when the record is found.
Who can request an Iowa death certificate?
Iowa requires direct or tangible interest. Eligible applicants can include certain close relatives, legal guardians and legal representatives. A notarized application and government-issued ID are required.
How much is an Iowa state death certificate?
Iowa HHS currently charges $20 per certified record search. Online and phone orders through VitalChek have additional processing fees.
How can I find an old Cedar Rapids Gazette obituary?
Cedar Rapids Public Library links to a partial historical Gazette obituary index maintained by the Genealogy Society of Linn County. Iowa HHS also provides genealogy death-record searches.
Can I search Cedar Memorial Cemetery online?
Yes. Cedar Memorial Park Cemetery provides a public burial search that can return burial-location and map information for records in its system.
How can I verify an Iowa funeral home?
The Iowa Board of Mortuary Science regulates funeral directors, funeral establishments and cremation establishments. Use the Iowa Department of Inspections, Appeals and Licensing as the official regulatory source.
Does Linn County offer burial assistance?
Yes. Linn County General Assistance has a burial-assistance program for qualifying residents. Applicants should tell the funeral home they are applying because program restrictions apply.
Does Linn County help with Veteran burial costs?
Linn County Veteran Services lists indigent burial and grave-marker assistance among its local Veteran programs. Eligibility rules apply.
Can I submit an obituary to The Gazette?
Yes. The Gazette obituary platform provides a Submit an Obituary route. Check the current publication deadline, price and photo requirements before submitting.
Is a newspaper obituary the same as a death certificate?
No. An obituary is a public notice. A certified death certificate is an official government record used for legal, financial and administrative purposes.
Before You Share, Travel or Pay
- Start with The Gazette’s current obituary search.
- Confirm the person with name, age, family and local community details.
- Use the funeral-home memorial for current service information.
- Check every service and cemetery address separately.
- Use Linn County or Iowa HHS when certified proof is required.
- Use Cedar Rapids Public Library for older Gazette obituary research.
- Use the Iowa Board of Mortuary Science for regulatory questions.
- Ask Linn County General Assistance about burial help before assuming no aid exists.
- Contact Linn County Veteran Services early when military service applies.
- Keep certified records and private financial information out of public guestbooks.
RecentObituaries.info is an independent source-navigation guide. It is not The Gazette, Legacy, Linn County, Iowa HHS, Cedar Rapids Public Library, Cedar Memorial, a funeral home or a government agency. Verify final service, fee, record and benefit information with the organization responsible for it.