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 State Journal-Register Obituaries, Funeral Details & Springfield Death Records
Looking for a recent State Journal-Register obituary? Start with the person’s name, then add Springfield, Sangamon County, the funeral home or another local clue only when needed.
Use the handling funeral home for current service information. Use Sangamon County or Illinois Vital Records when you need a certified death certificate instead of a newspaper obituary.
Quick Answer: Choose the Task You Need
Find a recent obituary
Search Springfield-area notices by full name first. Add the State Journal-Register or a local place only if needed.
Confirm a funeral
Open the individual obituary, identify the handling funeral home and confirm the latest service details before travelling.
Find an old notice
Lincoln Library has Springfield obituary indexes and State Journal-Register resources reaching back well over a century.
Get legal proof
Use Sangamon County or Illinois Department of Public Health for a certified death certificate.
How to Find a Recent State Journal-Register Obituary
Search the Springfield Area, Not Just Springfield
The person’s residence, funeral home, church, newspaper and cemetery may all be in different nearby communities.
City search
Use Springfield, State Journal-Register, funeral-home name, church, employer or cemetery as extra clues.
Sherman, Riverton & Rochester
Search these communities when the person lived outside Springfield but used a Springfield newspaper or funeral provider.
Chatham, Auburn, New Berlin & Pleasant Plains
Try nearby communities when the service or residence is outside the city but still within the State Journal-Register coverage area.
Confirm the Correct Person Before Sharing the Notice
| Check | Why it matters | Pause when… |
|---|---|---|
| Full name | Middle names, maiden names and nicknames help separate similar results. | Only part of the name matches. |
| Age or birth year | Useful when several people share a common name. | The age is clearly wrong. |
| Relatives | Spouse, parents, children and siblings are strong identity clues. | No family names match. |
| Town or county | Connects the notice with the expected Springfield-area person. | There is no known local connection. |
| Funeral home | Provides a direct route for current arrangements. | The provider is unrelated to the expected area. |
| Life details | School, employer, military history, church and cemetery can confirm identity. | The biography conflicts with known facts. |
Before Attending a Springfield Funeral or Visitation
Check every time
Visitation, funeral, memorial, graveside service and burial may happen on different dates.
Save every address
The funeral home, church, cemetery and reception may each use a different location.
Public or private?
Check the latest funeral-home memorial before assuming a service or burial is open to everyone.
Livestream
Use only a link provided by the funeral home, church or family-authorized memorial.
Flowers or donations
Follow the family’s current instructions and verify any charity before paying.
Details conflict?
Call the funeral home before travelling when two reliable sources show different times or addresses.
How to Submit a State Journal-Register Obituary
The current Legacy submission page for the State Journal-Register displays obituary placement starting at $205. Final price can change with the length, images and selected publication options.
Legacy submission support
Current support: 888-823-8554.
Legacy currently lists support seven days a week, 7:00 a.m.–7:00 p.m. Central Time.
Prepare these items before submitting
- Approved spelling of the deceased person’s full name.
- Birth and death dates approved by the family.
- Final obituary text.
- Original high-quality photo if using one.
- Current visitation, funeral and burial information.
- Handling funeral-home details.
- Verified charity or flower instructions.
- Requested publication date.
- Billing contact information.
Find Older State Journal-Register Obituaries at Lincoln Library
Springfield’s Lincoln Library has one of the strongest local obituary research routes for this query. Its Sangamon Valley Collection contains newspaper, genealogy, funeral-home and cemetery material that goes far beyond recent web results.
| Lincoln Library resource | Coverage | Use it for |
|---|---|---|
| Obituary index cards | 1861 to present | Name, death date and date the obituary appeared in the Illinois State Journal / State Journal-Register. |
| State Journal-Register database | 1831 to present | Full-text Springfield newspaper research. |
| NewsDex | State Journal-Register 1981–2019 | Search indexed local newspaper references. |
| HeritageHub | U.S. obituaries and death notices from 1704 to today | Broader historical obituary searching. |
| Newspapers.com | Thousands of U.S. newspaper titles | Historical notices that may not appear in a standard web search. |
| Funeral/cemetery microfilm | Multiple Sangamon-area funeral homes and cemeteries | Research when an obituary, funeral provider or burial is difficult to identify. |
Lincoln Library Sangamon Valley Collection
Lincoln Library
Sangamon Valley Collection — 3rd Floor
326 S. 7th Street
Springfield, IL 62701
Main: 217-753-4900
Sangamon Valley Collection: 217-753-4900 ext. 5634
Email: svc@lincolnlibrary.info
Current Sangamon Valley Collection hours
| Day | Hours |
|---|---|
| Monday | 10:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m. |
| Tuesday | 10:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m. |
| Wednesday | 10:00 a.m.–8:00 p.m. |
| Thursday–Saturday | 10:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m. |
| Sunday | Closed |
What to prepare for an obituary question
- Full name and alternate spelling.
- Approximate death date.
- Springfield or nearby town.
- Spouse or close relative when the name is common.
- Possible State Journal-Register publication date.
Oak Ridge Cemetery Records and Burial Help
Oak Ridge Cemetery is a City of Springfield cemetery and one of the most important local burial resources for Springfield research.
Current cemetery contact
Oak Ridge Cemetery
1441 Monument Avenue
Springfield, IL 62702
Phone: 217-789-2340
Historical interment records
Lincoln Library links digitized Oak Ridge interment volumes through Illinois Digital Archives. Entries can include name, death date, age, grave location, birthplace and remarks.
Sangamon County vs. Illinois Death Certificate
Use a government vital-record office when an estate, bank, insurer, pension office, property office or government program requires certified proof of death.
| Route | Current fee | What to know |
|---|---|---|
| Sangamon County Clerk | $29 first copy | For deaths that occurred in Springfield or Sangamon County. |
| Additional county copy | $11 each | Additional copies of the same record purchased at the same time. |
| Illinois IDPH | $19 first certified copy | Statewide Illinois death-certificate route. |
| Additional state copy | $4 each | Additional copies of the same state record. |
| State online order | $15 handling fee | Optional shipping can add more; current state page lists $22 UPS if selected within the U.S. |
| Genealogical / research copy | $10 state copy | Uncertified and not for legal use. |
Sangamon County Vital Records
Sangamon County Clerk — Vital Records
200 S. Ninth Street, 1st Floor
Springfield, IL 62701
Phone: 217-753-6700
Email: VitalRecords@sangamonil.gov
Monday–Friday: 8:00 a.m.–4:30 p.m.
Sangamon County death records currently go back to 1877.
Who can obtain a Sangamon County death record?
The county currently lists immediate family members, the informant on the death record, or a person with a personal or property-right interest. A non-immediate-family applicant may need a notarized affidavit and documentation showing the reason for the request.
County online-order microsteps
Illinois Department of Public Health route
Illinois Department of Public Health
Division of Vital Records
Springfield, IL 62704-2610
How to Find Springfield Death Records Before Modern Online Databases
Illinois provides a free statewide pre-1916 death index built from county clerk death registers and related records.
Illinois State Archives index
The index can show the deceased person’s name, death date, county, place of death when available, age, sex and a citation to the original record.
Sangamon County coverage
The current State Archives county list includes substantial Sangamon County pre-1916 coverage beginning in December 1877, although historical coverage contains gaps.
Illinois Regional Archives Depositories can provide research copies for records they hold. The State Archives says record searches are free, with a small copy charge when a record is found.
When You Need a Sangamon County Coroner Record
If the Sangamon County Coroner investigated the death, certain records may be requested through the county FOIA process. This is separate from a newspaper obituary and separate from the certified death certificate.
Prepare a narrow request
- Full name of the deceased.
- Approximate date of death.
- Specific report or record requested.
- Your contact information.
- Any case information already known.
Sangamon County Coroner
Phone: 217-753-6610
Funeral Price Rights Before You Agree to Pay
Federal and Illinois consumer resources can help families compare funeral goods and services before signing an agreement.
Ask for price information
The FTC Funeral Rule gives consumers the right to receive price information and an itemized General Price List when making arrangements.
Choose individual items
You generally may choose only the goods and services you want, apart from legally required items and permitted basic service charges.
Outside casket or urn
A funeral provider cannot charge a handling fee simply because you purchased a casket or urn elsewhere.
Ask about cemetery charges separately
Funeral-home, cemetery, crematory, obituary, flowers and other cash-advance charges may be separate. Ask what each amount covers.
Verify an Illinois Funeral Professional or File a Complaint
The Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation licenses funeral directors, funeral director/embalmers and related professionals.
IDFPR general assistance: 888-473-4858
Complaint Intake Unit: 312-814-6910
Email: FPR.CIU@illinois.gov
Sangamon County Veteran Burial and Survivor Help
The Veterans Assistance Commission of Sangamon County provides benefit advocacy and emergency assistance to eligible veterans and families. Its listed assistance includes burial assistance.
Sangamon County VAC
300 S. 9th Street
Springfield, IL 62703
Phone: 217-753-6680
Email: veterans@sangamonil.gov
Monday–Friday: 8:30 a.m.–4:30 p.m.
Indigent veteran burial help
Illinois states that county Veterans Assistance Commissions provide burial assistance for qualifying honorably discharged indigent veterans and certain qualifying family members without sufficient means.
Headstone-setting reimbursement
Illinois Department of Veterans’ Affairs currently provides up to $125 toward transportation and/or installation of a VA-provided headstone or memorial marker in Illinois.
Other Illinois survivor/burial programs
- VA national cemetery burial for eligible veterans and qualifying family members.
- Government burial flag for eligible veterans.
- Federal headstone or marker for qualifying graves.
- Illinois veterans grave registration.
- Certain state survivor compensation programs when eligibility conditions are met.
Check Illinois I-Cash for Unclaimed Property
When helping with an estate, an executor, heir or authorized representative may need to check whether the Illinois State Treasurer is holding unclaimed property in the deceased person’s name.
Illinois Unclaimed Property
Springfield office: 1 East Old State Capitol Plaza
Phone: 800-961-8303
After You Find the Obituary: Practical Next Steps
Social Security
Funeral homes often report deaths to Social Security. If that is not confirmed, contact SSA directly.
Certified records
Ask each bank, insurer, court or benefit office how many certified copies it actually needs before buying many copies.
Veteran and estate benefits
Check Sangamon County veteran assistance, insurance, pensions and Illinois I-Cash when they apply.
Simple family checklist
- Save the obituary and funeral-home memorial links.
- Recheck service details before travel.
- Confirm whether Social Security was notified.
- Order only the number of certified certificates actually needed.
- Check life insurance, pension and employer benefits.
- Contact veteran services when military service applies.
- Check Illinois I-Cash.
- Secure mail, identity records and financial documents.
- Keep a log of calls, dates, contacts and confirmation numbers.
Common Problems and Fast Fixes
Recent obituary not found
Try: surname only, nickname, maiden name, spouse, funeral home or nearby Springfield-area community.
Wrong Springfield person
Try: compare age, relatives, school, employer, church, funeral home and service date.
Need a 1900 obituary
Try: use Lincoln Library’s obituary index cards, State Journal-Register database and Illinois historical death indexes.
Need legal proof
Try: use Sangamon County or IDPH instead of printing the obituary.
Need investigation records
Try: use the Sangamon County Coroner FOIA route if that office investigated the death.
Need burial information
Try: confirm the cemetery first, then use Oak Ridge or local cemetery records.
Official and Primary Sources Used for This Guide
Springfield / State Journal-Register Obituaries Current Springfield-area obituary discovery and newspaper-linked notices. State Journal-Register Obituary Submission Current starting price, publication intake, support contact and deadline information. Sangamon County Death Records County certificate fees, eligibility, identification, online/mail instructions and historical record coverage. Illinois Department of Public Health Death Certificates State fees, genealogical copies, online charges, mail timing and urgent-processing guidance. Lincoln Library Sangamon Valley Collection State Journal-Register database, HeritageHub, Newspapers.com, local history and genealogy resources. Lincoln Library Obituary Index Collection Springfield obituary index cards beginning in 1861 and continuing to the present. Illinois State Archives Pre-1916 Death Index Historic Illinois death index and IRAD research guidance. Oak Ridge Cemetery City of Springfield cemetery and burial-information route. Sangamon County Coroner FOIA Official request instructions for qualifying coroner-created public records. Illinois Funeral Director & Embalmer Regulation License lookup and regulated-professional complaint routes. Sangamon County Veterans Assistance Commission Benefit advocacy, emergency help and burial-assistance information. Illinois Survivor & Burial Benefits State and county burial, survivor, marker and veteran-benefit information.Related RecentObituaries.info Guides
Search by name, city, funeral home, newspaper, cemetery, relatives and date clues.
Understand when certified government proof is required instead of an obituary.
Organize SSA, mail, banks, insurance, records and fraud-prevention tasks.
State Journal-Register Obituary FAQs
Where can I find recent State Journal-Register obituaries?
Start with the Springfield-area obituary page on Legacy. Search the full name first, then use Sangamon County, the funeral home, nearby community or publication date as extra filters when needed.
How do I find State Journal-Register obituaries published today?
Open the current Springfield obituary page and check the actual publication date. If the person does not appear, also search the handling funeral home because the funeral-home memorial may be published first.
How do I submit an obituary to the State Journal-Register?
The current Legacy submission page provides online intake and shows placement starting at $205. Current Gannett contact information also lists obits@sj-r.com and 866-225-1969. Confirm the current deadline and final price before paying.
How much does a State Journal-Register obituary cost?
The current Legacy submission page displays pricing starting at $205. Final cost depends on the obituary text, images and selected publication options, so use the live intake page for the actual total.
How can I find an old State Journal-Register obituary?
Lincoln Library’s Sangamon Valley Collection is a strong local route. It has obituary index cards from 1861 to the present, a full-text State Journal-Register database covering 1831 to the present, NewsDex and other genealogy resources.
Can Lincoln Library help me search for a Springfield obituary?
Yes. The Sangamon Valley Collection specializes in Springfield and Sangamon County history and maintains newspaper, obituary, funeral-home, cemetery and genealogy resources. Call 217-753-4900 extension 5634 or contact the collection before visiting.
How much is a Sangamon County death certificate?
Sangamon County currently lists $29 for the first certified death record and $11 for each additional copy of the same record purchased at the same time.
How much is an Illinois state death certificate?
Illinois Department of Public Health currently lists $19 for the first certified copy and $4 for each additional copy. Online ordering includes additional handling and optional shipping fees.
Which is cheaper: Sangamon County or Illinois Vital Records?
The current basic state certificate fee is lower: $19 through IDPH compared with $29 for the first Sangamon County copy. However, use the route that matches the place of death, eligibility, timing and service method you need.
How long does an Illinois death certificate take by mail?
IDPH currently warns that regular mailed vital-record requests may take approximately 12 weeks after the paperwork is received. The state also describes an urgent overnight process when qualifying proof of immediate need is provided.
How far back do Sangamon County death records go?
The Sangamon County Clerk currently states that county death records go back to 1877.
How do I find a Springfield death before 1916?
Use the Illinois State Archives Pre-1916 Statewide Death Index, Lincoln Library’s local resources and IRAD holdings. Sangamon County historical coverage begins in the late 1870s, although some time periods contain gaps.
How can I find an Oak Ridge Cemetery burial?
First confirm through the obituary or funeral home that the person was buried at Oak Ridge. Then use Oak Ridge Cemetery or the historical digitized interment records linked through Lincoln Library.
Can I request Sangamon County Coroner records?
Some coroner-created records may be requested through the county FOIA process, subject to Illinois disclosure rules and exemptions. Make the request specific and identify the exact records you need.
Can I get a death certificate through FOIA?
No. Sangamon County specifically states that vital records cannot be obtained through FOIA. Use the County Clerk’s Vital Records office or Illinois Department of Public Health.
How can I verify an Illinois funeral director?
Use the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation License Lookup. IDFPR also provides complaint and enforcement routes for regulated funeral professionals.
Does Sangamon County offer burial help for veterans?
The Sangamon County Veterans Assistance Commission lists burial assistance among its emergency programs for eligible veterans and families. Illinois also describes county burial help for qualifying indigent veterans. Eligibility must be confirmed with the VAC.
Does Illinois reimburse veteran headstone installation costs?
Illinois Department of Veterans’ Affairs currently offers up to $125 toward transportation or installation of a VA-provided headstone or memorial marker in Illinois when eligibility requirements are met.
Does an obituary replace a certified death certificate?
No. An obituary is public memorial information. Estates, insurers, banks, pensions, property offices and government agencies may require an official certified death certificate.
Before You Share, Travel, Submit or Pay
- Open the complete obituary and confirm the correct person.
- Use the funeral home for final service times and addresses.
- Use Lincoln Library when an older State Journal-Register notice is difficult to find.
- Use Sangamon County or Illinois Vital Records for certified legal proof.
- Use the Coroner FOIA route only for qualifying coroner-created records.
- Confirm Oak Ridge Cemetery before using its burial records.
- Check Illinois funeral licenses before making unfamiliar payments.
- Ask Sangamon County Veterans Assistance about burial help when military service applies.
- Check Illinois I-Cash during estate follow-up.
- Keep private medical, identity, financial and family information out of public guestbooks.
RecentObituaries.info is an independent source-navigation guide. It is not the State Journal-Register, Gannett, Legacy, Lincoln Library, Sangamon County, Illinois Department of Public Health, IDFPR, Oak Ridge Cemetery, the Veterans Assistance Commission or another government agency.