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 St. Cloud Times Obituaries, Funeral Notices and Death Records
Looking for a recent St. Cloud obituary? Start with the current obituary listings, then confirm the correct person and final service information with the handling funeral home. For legal proof of death, use Minnesota Vital Records or a Minnesota county vital records office.
Quick Answer: Choose the Right Route
Recent obituary
Use the current St. Cloud-area obituary listings or the St. Cloud Times obituary page.
Funeral details
Open the individual memorial and verify the time, church, funeral home, cemetery and livestream.
Old St. Cloud Times notice
Use the Great River Regional Library St. Cloud Times Index and newspaper microfilm.
Certified proof
Use Minnesota Vital Records or a county vital records office when an institution requires an official death certificate.
Use the Right Source for the Right Question
| You need | Best source | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Newest St. Cloud obituary | Current obituary listings or St. Cloud Times | Check publication date, full name, town and funeral home. |
| Current visitation or funeral time | Handling funeral home | Recheck the memorial before travelling. |
| Historic St. Cloud Times obituary | Great River Regional Library St. Cloud Times Index | Search the index, then request or inspect the newspaper page. |
| Minnesota death confirmation | Minnesota Department of Health death index | Use the official 1997-present verification tool. |
| Older Minnesota death record | Minnesota Historical Society | Use People Records Search for 1904-2001 records. |
| Certified death certificate | MDH or Minnesota county office | Check eligibility, ID, notarization, fee and request method. |
| Funeral-home complaint | Minnesota Department of Health Mortuary Science | Use the state complaint route and keep supporting documents. |
How to Find a Recent St. Cloud Times Obituary
Search Beyond “St. Cloud” When the Notice Is Missing
Central Minnesota obituary coverage often crosses city and county lines. The residence, hospital, funeral home, newspaper and cemetery may all be in different communities.
Try nearby cities
St. Cloud, Sauk Rapids, Sartell, Waite Park and St. Joseph are useful first searches.
Expand the location
Try Cold Spring, Rice, Foley, Clearwater, Avon, Albany and Melrose when a St. Cloud-only search fails.
Search county names
Use Stearns County, Benton County or Sherburne County with the person’s name, funeral home or date range.
Useful search combinations
Verify the Correct Person Before Sharing the Obituary
| Check | Why it helps | Stop and recheck if… |
|---|---|---|
| Age or birth year | Separates people with similar names. | The age differs significantly. |
| Family names | Spouse, parents and children are strong clues. | No relatives match what you know. |
| Town or county | Connects the notice to the expected Central Minnesota area. | There is no known local connection. |
| Funeral home | Gives you a first-party verification route. | The provider serves a completely different region. |
| Publication date | Search engines can surface old obituaries. | The notice belongs to a different year. |
| Church, school or employer | Adds another identity match. | The biography conflicts with known facts. |
See our obituary verification methodology for the source hierarchy used on this website.
Verify Funeral and Visitation Details Before Travelling
Check each time separately
Visitation, funeral, memorial, graveside service and burial can happen on different days.
Save every address
The funeral home, church, cemetery and reception may be different locations.
Confirm public or private
Do not assume every service is open to the public. Check the wording of the memorial.
Check the livestream
Use only a link from the funeral home, church or authorized family memorial.
Check weather changes
Central Minnesota weather can affect cemetery or service timing. Recheck when the event is close.
Ask about accessibility
Call when you need wheelchair access, reserved seating, parking help or entrance information.
Two St. Cloud verification contacts
Use the funeral home named in the obituary first. These local contacts are examples for notices handled by these specific providers—not a complete funeral-home directory.
Daniel Funeral Home & Cremation Service
1010 2nd St. N.
St. Cloud, MN 56303
Business: 320-251-0383
Toll-free: 800-358-3313
Benson Funeral Home
1111 25th Avenue South
St. Cloud, MN 56301
Local: 320-252-3132
Toll-free: 800-281-3132
How to Submit a St. Cloud Times Obituary
Email: obits@stcloudtimes.com
Obituary phone: 320-255-8753
Current listed deadline: daily by 4:30 p.m.
Before approving the notice
- Legal name and preferred name are spelled correctly.
- Birth and death dates have been checked.
- Family names and relationships are approved.
- Visitation and service times match the funeral home.
- Church, funeral-home and cemetery addresses are not mixed up.
- Donation instructions point to the family-approved organization.
- Private medical information or unconfirmed cause-of-death claims have been removed.
Find Older St. Cloud Times Obituaries
Great River Regional Library St. Cloud Times Index
The library maintains a historical index of St. Cloud Times news articles and obituaries. St. Cloud Times issues are available on microfilm at St. Cloud Public Library, and readers can request help or copies through the library system.
Microsteps for an older obituary
Verify a Minnesota Death Before Ordering a Certificate
Minnesota provides an official death-search index for deaths registered from 1997 to the present. A successful search shows the person’s name, date of death and state file number.
Minnesota Department of Health
Use the state’s online “Verify a Death” tool. It requires the first and last name plus either the date of birth or Social Security number.
Privacy tip: use date of birth when you know it. Never enter a Social Security number on an unofficial obituary or genealogy website.
Minnesota Historical Society
The Minnesota People Records Search includes death records from 1904 through 2001 and can show name, death date, county and certificate number.
For deaths before 1904
Minnesota Historical Society offers an early-death-record research route. Availability depends on the year and location because very old Minnesota records were maintained locally and statewide coverage is incomplete.
Minnesota Death Certificate: Fees, Copies and Local Options
An obituary is not legal proof of death. Minnesota death certificates are available through the Minnesota Department of Health and local vital records offices.
| Record or service | Current fee | Use |
|---|---|---|
| Certified death certificate | $13 first copy | Legal and administrative proof. |
| Additional same-record certificate | $6 each | Extra copies ordered with the first copy. |
| VA-use death certificate | $0 | Certificate issued for qualifying Veterans Administration purposes. |
| Noncertified death record | $13 | Information and research; not legal proof. |
| Additional noncertified copy | $6 each | Extra copy of the same informational record. |
| Death-record amendment | $40 | Formal correction to a Minnesota death record. |
Certified vs. noncertified
Certified death certificate
Issued on security paper and used when an institution needs official proof. Minnesota law limits who can receive a certified record.
Noncertified death record
All Minnesota death records are public for informational noncertified copies. These records are not legal proof.
How to request the record
Local Death-Certificate Shortcuts for the St. Cloud Area
Virtual License Center
The Stearns County online portal currently lists:
- $13 for the first certified death certificate.
- $6 for each additional copy ordered at the same time.
- $13 for the first noncertified death record.
- A signed and notarized application for certified online processing.
The portal lists a 2.49% credit-card convenience fee; ACH/e-check payments currently do not have that fee.
Questions: 320-656-6365
Benton County Recorder
This can be useful for families connected with Sauk Rapids, Foley and other Benton County communities.
Benton County Land Services – Recorder
531 Dewey Street
PO Box 129
Foley, MN 56329
Phone: 320-968-5037
The current Benton County application lists $13 for the first certified death certificate, $6 for each additional copy and one $0 VA-purpose certificate when applicable.
Veteran Death-Certificate and Burial Help Near St. Cloud
$0 VA-use death certificate
Minnesota currently lists one death certificate for Veterans Administration purposes at no charge through vital records offices when the request qualifies.
Stearns County Veterans Service
Stearns County Veterans Service Officers can help families review burial and survivor benefits and may assist with obtaining a deceased veteran’s DD-214 for funeral purposes when documentation requirements are met.
Appointment line: 320-656-6176
Minnesota State Veterans Cemetery — Little Falls
15550 Hwy 115
Little Falls, MN 56345
Phone: 320-616-2527
| Benefit | Current information |
|---|---|
| Eligible veteran burial | $0 for all burial options. |
| Eligible spouse/dependent | $1,002. Fee is subject to change and cannot be prepaid. |
| Included | Gravesite or columbarium niche, standard grave liner, headstone/niche cover and perpetual care. |
| Pre-registration | Available through the cemetery or a local County Veterans Service Office. |
See our Veterans burial and memorial benefits guide for additional federal benefit routes.
Minnesota Funeral Cost Rights and Prepaid-Funeral Protections
Ask for itemized prices
Minnesota law and the federal Funeral Rule give consumers rights to detailed price information. Ask for the funeral home’s General Price List before choosing services.
You do not have to buy every package item
A funeral provider generally cannot require you to buy one service or product simply to obtain another service.
Prepaid funeral money has protections
Minnesota requires prepaid funeral funds to be held in trust and the consumer must be told where the funds are held.
Refund rights
Minnesota Attorney General guidance says prepaid funeral funds can be arranged so they are fully refundable before the goods and services are provided.
Verify a Minnesota Funeral Provider or File a Complaint
The Minnesota Department of Health Mortuary Science program regulates funeral establishments, crematories, morticians, funeral directors and related licensed providers.
Verify the provider
Use Minnesota’s official licensing resources before paying an unfamiliar funeral or online cremation provider.
Mortuary Science: 651-201-4200
Toll-free: 855-663-3078
Email: health.mortsci@state.mn.us
File a complaint
Minnesota Department of Health provides a complaint process for concerns involving funeral homes, licensed providers and mortuary services.
Keep copies of contracts, General Price Lists, receipts, emails and other supporting material.
Flowers, Donations, Guestbooks and Livestream Safety
Flowers
Use the route shown by the handling funeral home. Confirm the recipient and delivery location before ordering.
Memorial donations
Use the charity named by the family, then open that organization’s own website before entering payment details.
Guestbook
Assume your message may be public. Do not publish private addresses, medical details, bank information or family disputes.
Livestream
Use only the stream supplied by the funeral home, church or authorized memorial. Be cautious with unexpected payment requests.
Correcting an Obituary vs. Correcting a Minnesota Death Record
Contact the publisher
For an error in a St. Cloud Times obituary, contact the obituary department or the funeral home that submitted the notice.
- Save the obituary URL.
- Identify the exact incorrect text.
- Prepare the correct wording.
- Have the authorized family contact approve the change.
- Ask whether print and online versions require separate correction steps.
Use Minnesota Vital Records
Changing an obituary does not change the legal death record. Minnesota currently lists a $40 death-record amendment fee.
MDH handles amendments, and county offices may handle certain amendments within five years of death.
After You Find the Obituary
- Save the obituary and funeral-home memorial URLs.
- Write down visitation, funeral, cemetery and reception addresses separately.
- Recheck the service shortly before travelling.
- Use only the family-approved flower or donation route.
- Order certified death certificates only when legal proof is actually needed.
- Save certificate receipts, confirmation numbers and copies of submitted forms.
- Ask the funeral home whether the death has been reported to Social Security.
- Review veteran or survivor benefits when applicable.
For the broader paperwork sequence, use our after-death notification checklist.
Official Sources and Local Tools Used in This Guide
St. Cloud Times Classifieds FAQ Obituary submission email, telephone number and daily submission deadline. St. Cloud Times Help Center Newspaper support, obituary placement and customer-service route. Great River Regional Library — St. Cloud Times Index Historical St. Cloud Times news and obituary index plus microfilm research guidance. Minnesota Department of Health — Vital Records Death certificates, eligibility, county offices, current processing and official forms. Minnesota Verify a Death Official 1997-present Minnesota death-verification index. Minnesota Historical Society — People Records Search Minnesota death records from 1904-2001 plus other historical records. Minnesota Department of Veterans Affairs — Little Falls Cemetery Veteran cemetery eligibility, current fees, pre-registration and contact information. Minnesota Department of Health — Mortuary Science Funeral-provider licensing, regulation, consumer information and complaints. Minnesota Attorney General — Planning a Funeral Minnesota funeral-price rights and prepaid-funeral consumer protections.Related Guides on RecentObituaries.info
Name, location, funeral-home, newspaper and date-search methods.
When you need certified legal proof instead of an obituary.
Source hierarchy for funeral homes, newspapers, government records and cemeteries.
Price lists, packages, cremation and consumer protections.
Cemetery, burial, marker and memorial benefit routes.
Social Security, banks, insurance, benefits, mail and record tasks.
St. Cloud Times Obituary FAQs
Where can I find recent St. Cloud Times obituaries today?
Start with the current St. Cloud-area obituary listings or the St. Cloud Times obituary page. Check the publication date, then open the handling funeral home’s memorial before relying on service details.
How do I search St. Cloud obituaries by name?
Search the full name first. If the result is missing, try the surname alone, nickname, maiden name, St. Cloud, Sauk Rapids, Sartell, Waite Park, St. Joseph or the relevant county.
Why can’t I find a St. Cloud Times obituary?
The notice may be delayed, private, published by the funeral home first, connected with another town, or listed under a nickname or previous surname. Widen the date range and search nearby Central Minnesota communities.
How do I find an old St. Cloud Times obituary?
Use the Great River Regional Library St. Cloud Times Index. The newspaper is also available on microfilm at St. Cloud Public Library, and the library can help readers request copies.
How do I submit an obituary to the St. Cloud Times?
The current St. Cloud Times classifieds help page lists obits@stcloudtimes.com and 320-255-8753 for obituary submissions, with a daily deadline of 4:30 p.m. Confirm current pricing and publication timing before payment.
How much does a Minnesota death certificate cost?
Minnesota currently lists $13 for the first certified death certificate and $6 for each additional copy of the same record ordered at the same time. A noncertified death record is $13.
Is there a free Minnesota death certificate for veterans?
Minnesota currently lists one death certificate for qualifying Veterans Administration purposes at $0. Check the official state eligibility and request instructions before applying.
Can I verify a Minnesota death online?
Yes. Minnesota Department of Health provides an official death-verification index for deaths registered from 1997 to the present. A successful search provides the death date and state file number.
Where can I find Minnesota death records from 1904 to 2001?
Use the Minnesota Historical Society People Records Search. It includes Minnesota death records from 1904 through 2001 and can provide information such as the death date, county and certificate number.
What should I verify before attending a St. Cloud funeral?
Confirm the date, time, exact address, public or private status, cemetery, livestream, flowers, donations, accessibility and any weather-related changes with the handling funeral home.
Where can I complain about a Minnesota funeral home?
The Minnesota Department of Health Mortuary Science Section regulates funeral establishments and provides an official complaint process. Keep copies of contracts, price lists, receipts and other supporting records.
Does correcting an obituary change the Minnesota death certificate?
No. Correcting a newspaper or funeral-home obituary changes only the public notice. A legal Minnesota death-record correction must go through the state or an eligible county amendment process.
Best Next Step
For a recent St. Cloud death, find the obituary first and confirm the person through the funeral home. For an old St. Cloud Times notice, use the Great River Regional Library index. For legal proof, use Minnesota Vital Records or a Minnesota county office.
- Confirm identity before sharing a death notice.
- Recheck funeral details before travelling.
- Use official sources before sending flowers or memorial money.
- Do not publish private medical, financial or family information.
- Verify certificate fees and eligibility before paying.
RecentObituaries.info is an independent source-navigation guide. It is not St. Cloud Times, a funeral home, Minnesota Department of Health, Minnesota Historical Society or a government records office.