Might there be more?

When you have success finding an obituary or death notice, do you simply make a copy and then proceed to the next task? Do you stop to consider that what you have found may not be be the complete story?

An obituary appearing in an Ohio newspaper on January 15, 2009 serves as an excellent example of why it can pay dividends to look beyond your initial find. In this particular case, the deceased's daughter arranged for publication of a revised obituary for her mother two weeks later, on January 29. It included eleven (11) names that had been overlooked in the preparation of the January 15 obituary.

Other examples of why you might want to continue your search efforts in the same publication - even on the same date:

• Publication of both a death notice and a special tribute (as might be done for a public official, local celebrity, etc.)
• Publication of both a death notice and an obituary
• Publication of both a death notice and a news item in a "locals" section
• Publication of a followup notice covering the funeral service and burial
• Expression of appreciation by the family for assistance provided following the death

Each of these could contain information not found in the initial find.

There may also be benefits in searching for obituaries and death notices in competing publications. Years ago it was not uncommon to have slightly different content in each publication. That is not so much the case today.