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 Grand Rapids Press Obituaries and Verify Local Funeral Details
Looking for a recent Grand Rapids Press obituary? Start with the Grand Rapids-specific MLive/Legacy obituary pages, search the full name, then verify funeral and cemetery details with the handling funeral home. If you need legal proof, use Kent County or Michigan Vital Records instead of an obituary copy.
Quick Answer: Use the Right Source for the Right Task
Newest notice
Use The Grand Rapids Press “Today” obituary page first for newly published notices.
Search by name
Use the dedicated search page when you know the first or last name and need filters.
Service details
Use the handling funeral home for the latest visitation, funeral, livestream and cemetery information.
Certified proof
Use Kent County or Michigan Vital Records when a bank, insurer, estate or government office requires a certified certificate.
How to Check Today’s Grand Rapids Press Obituaries
The Grand Rapids Press obituary pages are available through the MLive/Legacy obituary platform. The dedicated “Today” page is the best starting point when you are looking for newly published notices.
Search Grand Rapids Press Obituaries by Name, Date or Location
The dedicated obituary search supports first-name and last-name searching. The broader browse page also provides filters for publish date, result type, location, newspaper and additional categories.
Full name known
Enter first and last name first. Add more filters only when several people have similar names.
Only surname known
Search the last name, then use city, funeral home, school or publish-date clues to narrow the result.
Date uncertain
Browse nearby publication dates. An obituary can appear days after the death or after funeral arrangements are finalized.
Useful Grand Rapids Press filters
- Publish date.
- Obituary or memorial result type.
- Location.
- Funeral home.
- High school.
- College or university.
- Newspaper.
Obituary vs. Memoriam: Use the Correct Result Type
Recent death notice
An obituary normally announces a recent death and may include surviving relatives, funeral arrangements, burial, flowers, donations and guestbook information.
Later remembrance
An “In Memoriam” notice may be published months or years after a death. Do not assume its publication date is the date the person died.
Search Grand Rapids and Nearby Communities
The newspaper notice, funeral home and cemetery may be connected to different nearby communities. Search the person’s known area rather than only “Grand Rapids.”
Grand Rapids & East Grand Rapids
Use city, neighborhood, church, high school and funeral-home clues.
Wyoming, Kentwood & Grandville
These communities frequently appear in Grand Rapids-area obituary searches.
Walker, Comstock Park & Rockford
Add the exact community when a surname produces too many results.
Ada, Cascade & Lowell
Search both the town and Grand Rapids when a person had connections to both areas.
Byron Center & Caledonia
Funeral homes and cemeteries may be outside the city even when the newspaper notice is Grand Rapids-based.
Jenison & Hudsonville
These nearby communities are in Ottawa County. Do not assume Kent County holds the death certificate just because the notice appeared in The Grand Rapids Press.
Confirm the Correct Person Before Sharing the Notice
| Compare | Why it helps | Pause when… |
|---|---|---|
| Full name | Common surnames can produce several West Michigan results. | Middle name, maiden name or nickname conflicts. |
| Age / birth year | Separates people with similar names. | The age differs significantly. |
| Relatives | Spouse, children, parents and siblings are strong clues. | None of the family information matches. |
| Town | Helps separate Grand Rapids, Wyoming, Kentwood, Rockford and other local people. | There is no known West Michigan connection. |
| Funeral home | Provides a first-party source for service details. | The funeral provider serves an unrelated area. |
| School / college | Grand Rapids Press search pages support school and college associations. | Education history clearly belongs to another person. |
Verify Funeral, Visitation and Cemetery Details Before Travelling
Date and time
Visitation, funeral, memorial and graveside service may be separate events.
Exact address
The funeral home, church, cemetery and reception may each have a different address.
Public or private
Do not assume every visitation or service is open to the public.
Livestream
Use a stream linked by the funeral home, church or family-authorized memorial.
Flowers and donations
Follow the family’s stated preference and verify a charity on its own official website.
Last-minute changes
Call the funeral home before a long drive if weather, holidays or schedule changes could affect the service.
How to Submit an Obituary to The Grand Rapids Press
The current Grand Rapids Press obituary pages include a Submit an Obituary route. A funeral home can also help families prepare and submit a notice.
Prepare these items first
- Deceased person’s full legal and preferred name.
- Age and community.
- Approved obituary text.
- Photo you have permission to publish.
- Visitation, funeral and burial information.
- Handling funeral home information.
- Family-approved charity, flowers or memorial instructions.
- Billing contact and requested publication timing.
Order a Kent County Death Certificate
If the death occurred in Kent County, the Kent County Clerk provides certified death certificates online, in person and by mail.
| Kent County copy | Current fee | Important detail |
|---|---|---|
| First certified copy | $10 | The $10 search fee includes one certified copy. |
| Additional same record | $3 each | Applies to additional copies of the same record. |
| Online order | Convenience fee applies | Search and online convenience fees are non-refundable. |
Kent County Clerk’s Office
300 Monroe Avenue NW, Floor 1
Grand Rapids, MI 49503
Current public counter hours: Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m.–4:45 p.m.
Microsteps
When to Use Michigan Vital Records Instead
Michigan Department of Health and Human Services maintains death records filed with the state dating back to 1867. Michigan death records are not restricted documents.
| Michigan state service | Current fee / timing | What to know |
|---|---|---|
| Standard record search | $34 | Current state search fee; applying does not guarantee a record will be found. |
| Additional certified copy | $16 each | For additional copies with the application. |
| Additional year searched | $12 | Useful when the exact death year is unknown. |
| Rush processing | $12 additional | Reduces in-office processing, not postal travel time. |
| Online processing | $14 | Michigan lists VitalChek as its only authorized online service provider. |
| Current regular processing | 10–12 weeks | Michigan’s current state page lists this range for regular birth/death/marriage/divorce requests. |
Find Older Grand Rapids Press Obituaries and Death Notices
Grand Rapids Public Library provides several local-history resources that are much more useful than repeatedly searching the open web.
Obituary Index: 1910–present
The library’s family-history resources include an obituary index covering Grand Rapids newspapers from 1910 to the present.
Grand Rapids Press: 1893–current
Grand Rapids Public Library provides access to digital issues of The Grand Rapids Press from 1893 to the present through its newspaper resources.
Grand Rapids newspapers: 1893–2015
The History Center also provides a digitized local newspaper collection covering Grand Rapids newspapers and magazines across this period.
Grand Rapids Press index: 1982–2005
The library lists a selective index of names, keywords and topics from The Grand Rapids Press for this period.
Lyden’s File: 1880s–1956
This index contains selected local newspaper articles, mostly from The Grand Rapids Press.
History Center staff help
Some indexes are not always available online. Library staff can help visitors and remote researchers locate local-history material.
Better historic-search method
- Start with surname and approximate year.
- Search spouse, parent or child when the name is common.
- Try “death,” “funeral,” “burial” and “services” instead of only “obituary.”
- Check nearby dates because older notices may appear after the funeral.
- Use the library index when full-text searching misses a badly scanned name.
- Contact the Grand Rapids History Center when an index points to physical material that is not online.
Local Cemetery Help After You Find the Obituary
The City of Grand Rapids Parks & Recreation Cemeteries Division manages six city-owned cemeteries and publishes current burial, lot, transfer and decoration information.
Fairplains Cemetery
2056 Diamond Ave NE
Fulton Street Cemetery
801 Fulton St E
Greenwood Cemetery
1401 Leonard St NW
Oakgrove Cemetery
1401 28th St SE
Oakhill Cemetery
647 Hall St SE
Woodlawn Cemetery
2530 Kalamazoo Ave SE
Current City burial examples
| Service | Current City fee |
|---|---|
| Adult full-body burial | $1,690 |
| Infant full-body burial | $772 |
| First cremains burial | $1,066 |
| Second cremains burial | $800 |
| Single columbarium niche | $1,549 |
| Transfer of burial rights | $41 |
Verify a Michigan Funeral Home or Funeral Director
Michigan’s Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs regulates funeral establishments and mortuary-science licensees through its Corporations, Securities & Commercial Licensing Bureau.
Funeral establishment
Michigan requires a funeral-establishment license. Use MiCLEAR before treating an unfamiliar directory listing as proof that a provider is licensed.
Funeral director
Individual mortuary-science professionals are also licensed by Michigan.
Microsteps
- Open the Michigan Mortuary Science page.
- Choose Verify a License.
- Search the funeral establishment or professional name.
- Compare the address with the provider on the obituary.
- Use Michigan’s complaint route if a serious licensing issue needs to be reported.
Grand Rapids and Michigan Burial Assistance Worth Checking
Michigan burial assistance
Michigan Department of Health and Human Services has a Burial Services program when the deceased person’s estate, required copayments and other available resources are not enough.
Important deadline: the application must be made no later than 20 business days after burial, cremation or body donation.
Grand Rapids City cemetery fee assistance
The City’s cemetery page points qualifying families to Kent County Department of Health and Human Services for discounted burial charges.
Michigan maximum burial-service payments currently listed
| Eligible service | Maximum listed total |
|---|---|
| Burial with memorial service | $875 |
| Burial without memorial service | $610 |
| Cremation with memorial service | $640 |
| Cremation without memorial service | $390 |
If the Person Was a Veteran or Veteran’s Spouse
Kent County Veterans Services provides burial assistance for qualifying deceased Veterans and certain deceased spouses.
Up to $1,000 burial assistance
For qualifying applications beginning July 1, 2026, Kent County can pay $1,000 to offset an eligible Veteran burial cost.
Up to $200 marker-placement reimbursement
Kent County also lists a $200 reimbursement for eligible applicants for placement of the free VA headstone or marker.
Kent County says applicants should prepare
- Completed burial allowance application.
- DD-214 showing active service and discharge character.
- Death certificate showing county of residence.
- Funeral-home invoice showing cost, balance and responsible payer.
National cemetery options near Grand Rapids
Kent County and the Michigan Veterans Affairs Agency identify Fort Custer National Cemetery in Augusta and Great Lakes National Cemetery in Holly among Michigan’s national cemetery options. Michigan currently identifies these two as the national cemeteries in the state still accepting remains.
Funeral Price Rights Before You Agree to Services
The Federal Trade Commission Funeral Rule gives families important rights when comparing funeral providers.
Ask for prices by phone
A funeral provider must give price information over the phone when you ask. You do not have to provide your name first.
Get a General Price List
When you visit and begin discussing arrangements or prices, the funeral home must give you an itemized General Price List to keep.
Select individual services
You generally have the right to buy only the goods and services you want instead of an unwanted package.
Compare third-party costs
Ask which charges come from the funeral home and which come from cemeteries, crematories, newspapers, clergy or other providers.
Flowers, Donations and Guestbook Safety
Flowers
Use the family-authorized obituary or funeral-home memorial. Confirm the correct person before ordering.
Donations
Open the named nonprofit’s own official website before entering payment information.
Guestbook
Assume condolences are public. Do not post private addresses, account data, Social Security numbers, medical claims or family disputes.
If the Obituary Contains an Error
Contact the publisher or submitting funeral home
Save the notice URL, identify the incorrect wording and prepare the approved correction. The person or organization that submitted the obituary may need to authorize the change.
Use Michigan’s vital-record correction process
Changing a newspaper obituary does not change the government death certificate. Legal-record corrections use a separate Michigan process.
After You Find the Obituary: Important Next Tasks
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, pension offices and estate professionals how many certified copies they actually require.
Veteran benefits
Gather DD-214, death certificate, funeral invoices and cemetery documents before applying.
Insurance and banks
Ask each organization which document it accepts before mailing an original certified copy.
Mail and accounts
Keep a written list of organizations contacted, the date, person spoken with and next step.
Record safety
Keep certificates, receipts, account information and identity documents out of public memorial pages.
Common Search Mistakes
Searching only today
The notice may have appeared yesterday or several days after the death. Use Browse and Search.
Using only one spelling
Try nicknames, initials, maiden names and previous surnames.
Confusing memoriam with obituary
A memorial notice may be published years after the death.
Trusting one service time
Confirm current arrangements with the funeral home before travelling.
Ordering from an unofficial record seller
Use Kent County, Michigan MDHHS or the official authorized vendor route.
Assuming no obituary means no death record
Families can choose private services or no public obituary. Vital records are a separate system.
Related RecentObituaries.info Guides
Obituary Search & Recent Notices Guide
Search by name, town, funeral home, newspaper, cemetery and date clues.
Death Certificate & Vital Records Guide
Understand when public obituary information is not enough for legal purposes.
How We Verify Obituary Information
See how funeral homes, publishers, government offices and cemeteries are checked.
Veterans Burial & Memorial Benefits
VA and local benefit routes for burial, markers, flags and memorial services.
Funeral Costs & Consumer Rights
Understand General Price Lists, packages and funeral consumer protections.
After-Death Notification Checklist
Organize records, banks, insurance, Social Security, benefits and mail.
Primary and Official Sources Used
Grand Rapids Press — Today’s Obituaries Current Grand Rapids Press obituary notices. Grand Rapids Press — Obituary Search First-name and last-name search with result filters. Grand Rapids Press — Browse Obituaries Publish-date, location, funeral-home, school and college browsing. Kent County Clerk — Death Certificates Current local fees, ordering methods, address and hours. Michigan MDHHS — Vital Records Statewide death records, current fees, processing and authorized online ordering. Grand Rapids Public Library — Family History Obituary index, genealogy tools and Michigan research resources. Grand Rapids Public Library — Historical Newspapers Grand Rapids Press digital edition and local newspaper archives. City of Grand Rapids — Cemeteries City cemetery locations, burial services, fees and assistance information. Michigan LARA — Mortuary Science Funeral-establishment licensing, professional licensing and complaint routes. Kent County Veterans Services — Burial Assistance Current county Veteran burial and marker-placement assistance. Michigan MDHHS — Burial Services State burial and cremation assistance, limits and application deadline. Federal Trade Commission — Funeral Rule Funeral price-list and consumer-choice protections.Grand Rapids Press Obituary FAQs
Where can I find today’s Grand Rapids Press obituaries?
Use the dedicated Grand Rapids Press Today obituary page on the MLive/Legacy platform. If the person is not there, switch to the search or browse page and check nearby publication dates.
How do I search Grand Rapids Press obituaries by name?
Use the dedicated obituary search page and enter the first and last name. If the full name does not work, try the surname alone and add location, funeral home, school or date filters.
Are Grand Rapids Press obituaries hosted on MLive?
The Grand Rapids Press obituary pages are presented through MLive/Legacy obituary pages. Use the Grand Rapids-specific Today, Browse or Search pages for the most targeted results.
What is the difference between an obituary and an in memoriam notice?
An obituary normally announces a recent death. An in memoriam notice may be published later to remember someone who died months or years earlier, so its publication date should not be treated as the death date.
Why can’t I find a recent Grand Rapids obituary?
The notice may not have been published yet, may appear only on a funeral-home website, may use another name form, or the family may have chosen no public obituary. Try a wider date range, alternate names and nearby communities.
How can I find an old Grand Rapids obituary?
Grand Rapids Public Library provides an obituary index for Grand Rapids newspapers from 1910 to the present and digital Grand Rapids Press access from 1893 to the present, plus other historical newspaper indexes.
How much is a Kent County death certificate?
Kent County currently lists $10 for the first certified copy and $3 for each additional copy of the same record. Online orders also have a convenience fee.
Can anyone request a Kent County death certificate?
Kent County says anyone may request one as long as they provide the full name of the person at the time of death and the date of death.
How much is a Michigan state death certificate?
Michigan currently lists a $34 standard record search fee. Additional certified copies are $16 each, and online processing or optional services can add fees.
Should I use Kent County or Michigan Vital Records?
If the death occurred in Kent County, compare the local Kent County Clerk route first. Michigan MDHHS is useful for statewide records and records from other Michigan counties. Always use the office connected with where the death occurred.
How can I verify a Michigan funeral home?
Use the Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs Mortuary Science and MiCLEAR license tools. Michigan regulates funeral establishments and mortuary-science professionals.
Does Kent County offer Veteran burial assistance?
Yes. For qualifying applications beginning July 1, 2026, Kent County lists $1,000 burial assistance and up to $200 reimbursement for eligible placement of a free VA headstone or marker. Eligibility rules apply.
Does Michigan offer funeral or burial payment help?
Michigan MDHHS has a Burial Services program for qualifying situations when available estate resources and required contributions are not enough. The application generally must be made no later than 20 business days after burial, cremation or body donation.
Which city cemeteries are in Grand Rapids?
The City manages Fairplains, Fulton Street, Greenwood, Oakgrove, Oakhill and Woodlawn cemeteries.
What should I verify before attending a funeral?
Confirm the correct person, service date, time, exact address, public or private status, parking or accessibility needs, livestream and cemetery location through the handling funeral home.
Before You Share, Travel, Submit or Pay
- Use the Grand Rapids-specific obituary pages, not only general search results.
- Confirm the correct person with name, age, relatives, town and funeral home.
- Verify service details through the handling funeral home.
- Use Kent County or Michigan government sources for certified death records.
- Use Grand Rapids Public Library for older newspaper and obituary research.
- Verify funeral providers through Michigan licensing tools when needed.
- Check local and state burial-assistance programs before assuming costs are not covered.
- Use official Veteran benefit routes for burial, markers and national cemetery questions.
- Do not publish private medical, financial or family information in guestbooks or public comments.
RecentObituaries.info is an independent source-navigation guide. It is not The Grand Rapids Press, MLive, Legacy, Kent County, the City of Grand Rapids, Michigan MDHHS, a funeral home, a cemetery, the VA or the Federal Trade Commission. Verify final information with the organization responsible for the notice, service, record or benefit.