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 Dubuque Obituaries and Verify Funeral, Cemetery & Record Details
Looking for a recent obituary in Dubuque, Iowa? Start with Dubuque Today or a local funeral-home memorial, confirm the correct person and service details, then use Dubuque County or Iowa HHS only when you need a certified death record.
Quick Answer: Start With the Task You Need
Newest notice
Use Dubuque Today for current local obituary notices and its separate archive for older posts.
One person
Search the surname first, then add first name, town, funeral home, spouse or cemetery.
Service details
Use the handling funeral home to verify visitation, funeral, livestream and burial information.
Legal proof
Use Dubuque County Recorder or Iowa HHS for a certified death certificate. An obituary is not legal proof.
Where to Find Dubuque Iowa Recent Obituaries
Dubuque Today
Useful for current Dubuque-area notices. The page includes a search box and a separate archive for notices older than 14 days.
Dubuque Today archive
Use the archive when the notice has moved off the recent page.
Dubuque citywide obituary search
Use a broader Dubuque obituary listing when you do not know the funeral home or publisher.
How to Search for a Dubuque Obituary by Name
Use Dubuque-Area Towns to Narrow the Search
An obituary may use the person’s hometown, residence, funeral-home city, church town or cemetery location instead of simply “Dubuque.”
Dubuque metro
Dubuque, Asbury, Key West and nearby county communities.
Western Dubuque County
Peosta, Epworth, Farley and Dyersville-area searches can reveal notices missed by a Dubuque-only query.
Southern county
Try Cascade and nearby communities when the person lived or had family outside Dubuque city.
East Dubuque, Illinois
A Dubuque-area obituary may involve an Illinois residence, funeral home or cemetery.
Galena, Illinois
Search Jo Daviess County sources when the death or residence is across the Mississippi River.
Southwest Wisconsin
Residents of Grant County and nearby Wisconsin communities may appear in Dubuque-area notices.
Verify the Correct Person Before Sharing or Travelling
| Check | Why it matters | Pause when… |
|---|---|---|
| Full name | Common family names can produce several local results. | Middle, maiden or nickname information conflicts. |
| Age or birth year | Separates people with similar names. | Age differs substantially. |
| Relatives | Spouse, children, parents and siblings are strong identifiers. | No close family names match. |
| Town | Dubuque-area notices regularly include nearby Iowa, Illinois and Wisconsin communities. | The location belongs to another region. |
| Funeral home | Provides the best route for current arrangements. | The provider has no expected connection. |
| Publish date | Search engines can surface old obituary pages. | The notice is from another year. |
Major Dubuque Funeral-Home Obituary Sources
Use the provider named in the obituary first. Funeral-home pages are normally more useful than a copied directory for current visitation, funeral, cemetery and tribute information.
| Funeral home | Contact | Useful for |
|---|---|---|
| Leonard Funeral Home & Crematory | 2595 Rockdale Road Dubuque, IA 52003 563-556-6788 |
Recent obituaries, obituary email list, service details and arrangements. |
| Hoffmann Schneider & Kitchen | 3860 Asbury Road Dubuque, IA 52002 563-582-5222 |
Obituaries, tribute notifications, visitation and service information. |
| Behr’s Funeral Home | 1491 Main Street Dubuque, IA 52001 563-582-3297 |
Obituary listings, email subscription, flowers and current memorial details. |
| Egelhof, Siegert & Casper Funeral Home & Crematory | 2659 John F Kennedy Rd Dubuque, IA 52002 563-556-0776 |
Obituary memorials, current service details, funeral and cremation questions. |
Get New Dubuque Obituary Notifications
Leonard Funeral Home
The official site provides an obituary notification email-list option.
Behr’s Funeral Home
The obituary page includes a name-and-email subscription form for new obituary notifications.
HSK tribute notifications
Individual memorial pages can offer tribute notifications for event and memorial updates.
How to Get a Dubuque County Death Certificate
If the death occurred in Dubuque County and you are entitled to the record, start with the Dubuque County Recorder.
| Current detail | Dubuque County guidance |
|---|---|
| Certified copy/search | $20 per certified record search/copy. |
| Who may request | Dubuque County says certified copies may be obtained by immediate family members; Iowa law also requires direct and tangible entitlement. |
| Death-record years | County page lists death records from 1880 to present, subject to statewide custody limitations for certain years. |
| Mail request | Mailed applications need a notarized signature and a copy of the applicant’s photo ID. |
| Payment | County currently accepts check, cash, money order or credit card; card processing adds a fee. |
Dubuque County Recorder
Dubuque County Courthouse
720 Central Avenue
Dubuque, IA 52001
Phone: 563-589-4434
Hours: Monday–Friday, 8:00 a.m.–4:30 p.m.
Microsteps before ordering
When Dubuque County May Not Have the Record You Need
Iowa HHS says county registrars do not physically hold certain categories of records, including birth, death and marriage records from 1921 through 1941.
Iowa HHS state-certified records
| State option | Current 2026 guidance |
|---|---|
| Certified record | $20 per record search/certified copy. |
| Online | Iowa HHS identifies VitalChek as its only authorized third-party online vendor. Online fees start at $14 per order. |
| Telephone | VitalChek: 866-809-0290. Telephone service fees currently start at $9 per order. |
| Application must be notarized and include a clear copy of current government-issued photo ID. | |
| In person | State office currently accepts in-person requests Monday–Friday, 7:00 a.m.–4:30 p.m., except state holidays. |
Who is entitled under Iowa rules?
Iowa HHS lists the person named on the record or eligible spouse, children, legal parents, grandparents, grandchildren, siblings, legal representative or guardian. Additional proof may be required depending on the relationship.
How to Find an Older Dubuque Obituary
For genealogy or notices that no longer appear on current obituary pages, use local-history databases before paying for random record-search sites.
Carnegie-Stout Public Library
The library recommends HeritageQuest Online for genealogy and local-history research. Dubuque residents can use it from home with a library card.
Historical newspapers
The library also points researchers to ProQuest Historical Newspapers and other resources that can add context to public records.
Telegraph Herald archive research
Commercial newspaper archives currently index Telegraph Herald obituaries from 1995 onward. Use them as research tools, then verify critical facts against primary sources.
Older Dubuque newspapers
Digitized archives include many Dubuque newspaper titles dating back into the 1800s, useful for genealogy and historical death notices.
Better historical-search sequence
- Search surname and approximate year.
- Add spouse or parent if the surname is common.
- Try “death,” “funeral,” “burial,” “services” and “interment,” not only “obituary.”
- Search nearby Iowa, Illinois and Wisconsin communities.
- Check cemetery records when a newspaper search fails.
- Use Iowa HHS for certified legal proof instead of relying on an archive copy.
How to Confirm a Dubuque Cemetery or Grave
Cemetery information in an obituary is useful, but names can be similar. Confirm the exact cemetery, city and burial details before travelling.
Linwood Cemetery
2736 Windsor Avenue, Dubuque. Linwood’s official site says staff can help locate graves and offers genealogy/name-search assistance.
Phone: 563-582-1289
Dubuque Catholic cemeteries
Local obituary notices frequently reference Mount Calvary, Mount Olivet and Resurrection Cemetery. Confirm the exact cemetery before travel or flower delivery.
Military burial clues
When the obituary mentions military rites, ask the funeral home whether burial is local, in a state Veterans cemetery or in a VA national cemetery.
Linwood visitor information
- Address: 2736 Windsor Avenue, Dubuque, Iowa.
- Current seasonal gate hours shown by the cemetery should be checked before visiting.
- Office assistance is available for burial-location questions.
- The cemetery offers grave-location and genealogy-search services.
Dubuque County Funeral and Burial Assistance
Dubuque County General Assistance provides short-term help to very low-income county residents in financial crisis. Burial services are one of the program areas.
How to start
Dubuque County tells people seeking burial assistance to contact a funeral home. The General Assistance program is administered through Dubuque County Veteran Services.
Current county policy amount
The county’s July 2025 General Assistance policy currently states that funeral-home burial services under the program are not to exceed $1,700, subject to eligibility and program rules.
General Assistance contact
Dubuque County Veteran Services
36 E 8th Street — Old Jail Building
Dubuque, IA 52001
Phone: 563-589-7840
Current office hours are listed as Monday–Friday, 8:00 a.m.–4:30 p.m., by appointment.
Dubuque County Veteran Burial and Memorial Help
Dubuque County Veteran Services operates a Veteran Relief Program that can help qualifying resident Veterans with emergency basic needs, including burial assistance.
County Veteran Relief
Current county criteria include honorable discharge, Dubuque County residency, income requirements and an emergency need that cannot be met by other resources.
Federal VA burial benefits
Eligible families may also qualify for VA burial allowances, national-cemetery burial, marker or headstone, burial flag and other memorial benefits.
What to prepare
- DD-214 or other discharge papers.
- Death certificate when required.
- Funeral and cemetery invoices.
- Applicant identification and relationship information.
- Records of other benefits or payments received.
How to Verify an Iowa Funeral Home or Funeral Director
The Iowa Board of Mortuary Science regulates licensed funeral directors and funeral and cremation establishments. It also investigates complaints involving professional conduct.
Funeral Price Rights Before You Agree to Pay
Ask for prices by phone
The FTC Funeral Rule requires funeral providers to give price information by telephone when asked.
Get the General Price List
When discussing arrangements in person, ask for the itemized General Price List and keep it.
Choose individual services
You generally have the right to select individual goods and services instead of an unwanted package.
Identify cash-advance items
Ask which charges come from cemeteries, clergy, newspaper notices, flowers or other third parties.
Flowers, Donations, Guestbooks and Livestream Safety
Flowers
Use the handling funeral home or family-authorized obituary. Confirm the correct person before ordering.
Memorial donations
Verify the named charity or organization on its own official website before entering payment information.
Guestbook
Assume public messages are searchable. Do not post private addresses, medical details, account information or family disputes.
Livestream
Use only a livestream supplied by the funeral home, church or family-authorized memorial. Be suspicious of unexpected payment screens.
Obituary Correction vs. Death Certificate Correction
Contact the publisher
For a wrong name, service time, family detail or spelling error, contact the funeral home or obituary publisher responsible for the notice.
Use Iowa Vital Records
Changing an obituary does not change the official death certificate. Government-record amendments use a separate process.
After You Find the Obituary: Practical Next Steps
Social Security
Ask the funeral director whether the death was reported to Social Security. Contact SSA if reporting is not confirmed.
Death certificates
Ask banks, insurers and estate professionals how many certified copies they actually require.
Veteran benefits
Gather discharge papers, invoices, death certificate and cemetery information early.
Banks and insurance
Ask each institution which document it accepts before sending a certified original.
Funeral assistance
If money is limited, ask the funeral home about Dubuque County General Assistance before finalizing arrangements.
Family coordination
Keep one shared list of service addresses, certificate orders, calls, receipts and benefit applications.
Common Dubuque Obituary Search Mistakes
Using one spelling only
Try maiden names, initials, nicknames and punctuation variations.
Searching only Dubuque city
Add Asbury, Peosta, Dyersville, Epworth, Farley, Cascade, East Dubuque or Galena when relevant.
Using the old $15 certificate fee
Current Iowa and Dubuque County sources list $20.
Ignoring the 1921–1941 record gap
Iowa HHS says county registrars do not physically hold these years. Use the state route.
Assuming Iowa holds the certificate
Tri-State families may have a legal record in Illinois or Wisconsin.
Paying before checking assistance
Low-income and Veteran households may have county or federal benefit routes worth checking first.
Related RecentObituaries.info Guides
Obituary Search & Recent Notices
Search by name, city, newspaper, funeral home, cemetery and family clues.
Death Certificate & Vital Records
Understand when a certified record is required instead of a public obituary.
How We Verify Obituary Information
See the source hierarchy used for funeral homes, newspapers, government records and cemeteries.
Funeral Costs & Consumer Rights
Understand General Price Lists, optional services and payment protections.
Veterans Burial & Memorial Benefits
VA burial allowance, cemetery, marker, flag and memorial help.
After-Death Notification Checklist
Organize Social Security, mail, banks, insurance, records and fraud-prevention tasks.
Official and Primary Sources Used
Dubuque Today — Current Obituaries Current local notices, search and free funeral-home-submitted obituary information. Dubuque Today — Obituary Archive Older local notices that have moved off the recent page. Dubuque County Recorder — Birth, Death & Marriage Certificates Current county fee, entitlement, ID and mail requirements. Iowa HHS — Vital Records Current $20 search fee, entitlement rules, county limitations and historical record guidance. Iowa HHS — Request a Certified Record Online, telephone, mail and in-person ordering methods plus VitalChek authorization. Dubuque County — General Assistance Local burial-assistance route and county contact. Dubuque County — Veterans Programs Local Veteran Relief, burial assistance and federal-benefit application help. Iowa Board of Mortuary Science Funeral-director and funeral/cremation-establishment regulation and complaints. Carnegie-Stout Public Library — Genealogy Resources HeritageQuest, historic newspapers and local-history research. Linwood Cemetery — Dubuque Local cemetery information, grave-location help and genealogy services. Federal Trade Commission — Funeral Rule Funeral price-list, itemized-choice and consumer protections. U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs — Burial & Memorials Eligibility, allowances, cemetery, marker, flag and memorial benefits.Dubuque Iowa Obituary and Death Record FAQs
Where can I find Dubuque Iowa recent obituaries today?
Start with Dubuque Today for current local notices. You can also use citywide obituary listings and the individual funeral-home memorial page.
Does Dubuque Today have older obituaries?
Yes. Dubuque Today has a separate obituary archive for notices that are older than its current listing page.
Can a Dubuque obituary be posted for free?
Dubuque Today currently says it posts obituaries free when the funeral home sends the notice. Ask the handling funeral home about that route.
How do I search for one person in Dubuque?
Start with the surname and Dubuque. Add first name, nickname, maiden name, spouse, nearby town, funeral home, church or cemetery only when needed.
How much is a Dubuque County death certificate in 2026?
The current Dubuque County Recorder page lists $20 for each certified vital record search/copy.
Why do some older pages say an Iowa death certificate costs $15?
Older forms and articles may still show $15. Current Iowa HHS and Dubuque County guidance list $20 per certified record search/copy, so use the current official page before paying.
Who can request an Iowa death certificate?
Iowa requires direct and tangible entitlement. Eligible people can include a spouse, children, legal parents, grandparents, grandchildren, siblings, legal representative or guardian, with proof required when applicable.
Can Dubuque County provide very old death records?
The County Recorder lists death records beginning in 1880, but Iowa HHS says county registrars do not physically hold certain records, including records from 1921 through 1941. Use the state route when necessary.
What if the person lived in Dubuque but died in Illinois or Wisconsin?
Request the certified death record from the state or county where the death occurred. The location of the obituary or funeral home does not determine where the legal record is filed.
Does Dubuque County help with funeral or burial costs?
Dubuque County General Assistance includes burial services for qualifying very low-income residents. The county tells applicants to contact a funeral home first, and current policy lists program limits and eligibility requirements.
Does Dubuque County provide Veteran burial assistance?
Dubuque County Veterans Services has a Veteran Relief Program that includes burial assistance for qualifying county residents. Federal VA burial and memorial benefits may also apply.
How can I verify an Iowa funeral home?
Use Iowa Department of Inspections, Appeals, and Licensing resources for mortuary professionals and funeral or cremation establishments. The Iowa Board of Mortuary Science regulates these licensees.
How do I find an older Dubuque obituary?
Use Carnegie-Stout Public Library genealogy and historical newspaper resources, Dubuque Today’s archive, newspaper archives, funeral-home archives and cemetery records.
Can Linwood Cemetery help locate a grave?
Yes. Linwood Cemetery says its staff can help locate family graves and offers name and genealogy search services.
What should I verify before attending a Dubuque funeral?
Confirm the correct person, visitation and service time, exact address, public or private status, cemetery location, livestream, parking or accessibility needs and any weather-related changes through the handling funeral home.
Before You Share, Travel, Order or Pay
- Open the full obituary instead of relying on a search snippet.
- Confirm the person using name, age, family and location.
- Use the handling funeral home for current service information.
- Remember that Dubuque is part of a Tri-State area; the legal death record may be in Iowa, Illinois or Wisconsin.
- Use the current $20 Iowa/Dubuque County certificate fee, not older $15 information.
- Use Iowa HHS for county record gaps, including applicable 1921–1941 records.
- Check Dubuque County General Assistance or Veteran Services before assuming no burial-cost help exists.
- Verify funeral providers through Iowa licensing resources when needed.
- Keep Social Security numbers, bank information, medical details and private family matters out of public guestbooks.
RecentObituaries.info is an independent source-navigation guide. It is not Dubuque Today, a funeral home, cemetery, Dubuque County, Iowa HHS, Iowa DIAL, Social Security or the Department of Veterans Affairs. Verify final details with the organization responsible for the notice, service, record or benefit.