If you’ve ever lived in West Texas, you know that the local paper isn’t just a stack of recycling. It’s the heartbeat of the county. In a place like Howard County, where the wind blows hard and everyone knows your business anyway, the Big Spring Herald obits serve as a final, formal handshake with the community.
People check them daily. It’s a ritual. Honestly, it’s how we keep track of the legends, the teachers, and the quiet neighbors who made this dusty corner of the world feel like home. But finding them—especially the old ones—can be a total pain if you don't know where to look.
The Big Spring Herald has been around since 1904. That is a massive amount of history. Over a century of births, oil booms, and, unfortunately, passings. If you are looking for a recent record or trying to dig up a family mystery from the 1920s, the process isn't exactly a straight line.
Why Big Spring Herald Obits Are More Than Just Notices
Most people think an obituary is just a list of survivors and a funeral time. In Big Spring, they’re often mini-biographies. You’ll find stories about guys who worked the rigs for forty years or women who ran the best Sunday schools in the Permian Basin.
Kinda makes you realize how much history is tucked away in those columns. For example, recent listings from January 2026 include names like Charles Wayne Morrow and Jimmie Kay Alexander—real people who were part of the local fabric. When you read a Big Spring Herald obituary, you aren't just getting data; you're getting a snapshot of a life lived in a very specific place.
The paper itself has seen some changes. It’s currently owned by Horizon Publications, but it started as a weekly run by brothers-in-law Tom Jordan and W.G. Hayden. That transition from a small family weekly to a daily in 1928 changed how deaths were reported. It became much more "real-time."
Where to Actually Find Recent Listings
If someone passed away this week, don't just wander aimlessly through Google. You've basically got three reliable paths.
1. The Official Legacy Portal
The Herald partners with Legacy.com. This is usually the fastest way to find someone who passed in the last few years. You can search by name or date. It's convenient because you can also leave a "digital candle" or a message in the guestbook, which families actually do read.
2. Local Funeral Home Sites
Sometimes the paper has a lag. If you need the info now, check the websites for Myers & Smith Funeral Home or Nalley-Pickle & Welch. They often post the full text before it even hits the newsprint. For instance, Myers & Smith recently handled services for Mark Balios and Rosemary Edens; their sites often have more candid photos than the official newspaper version.
3. The Digital Newspaper Replica
If you want to see the obituary exactly as it appeared on the page (maybe for a scrapbook), PressReader carries digital versions of the Herald. It’s a bit more "old school" but feels more authentic.
Digging Into the Archives: The Hard Part
Searching for a relative from 1955? That’s where things get tricky. You can’t just "Google" 1950s Big Spring Herald obits and expect a PDF to pop up instantly.
The Howard County Library is your best friend here. They keep microfilm, which is a bit of a workout for your eyes, but it's the only way to see the original "Death Notices" from decades ago. If you aren't local, GenealogyBank has digitized a huge chunk of these archives—they claim to have over 330 years of Texas records, and the Herald is a big part of that.
Pro tip for the researchers: Don't just search for the name. Back in the day, women were often listed by their husband’s name. You might be looking for "Mary Smith" but find her under "Mrs. John Smith." It’s annoying, but that’s how the records were kept back then.
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How to Submit an Obituary Without Losing Your Mind
If you are the one having to write and submit one, take a breath. It’s a lot to handle during a tough time.
Submission isn't free. Most people assume the newspaper just does it as a public service, but it’s actually paid advertising. A basic notice starts around $25-$30 for a very simple listing, but a full obituary with a photo can easily run $200 to $300 depending on the length.
- The Deadline: If you want it in the Tuesday-Friday paper, you usually have to get it in by noon the day before.
- Verification: The Herald won't just take your word for it. They will contact the funeral home to verify the death before they print a single word.
- The Photo: Use a high-resolution JPEG. If the photo is blurry on your phone, it’s going to look like a smudge in the actual paper.
The Evolution of the Herald
The paper used to have a circulation of over 10,000 back in the 90s. Today, it’s smaller—around 1,400 for the daily print—but the digital reach is actually wider. This matters for obituaries because it means a cousin in California can see the notice the same time as someone living on Scurry Street.
We’ve seen the format change from broadsheet to digital-first, but the core remains. The Big Spring Herald obits section is still the primary way the community grieves together. It’s where you find out about the memorial at the local church or the graveside service at Mount Olive Cemetery.
Actionable Steps for Your Search
If you're currently looking for a specific record, here is exactly what you should do:
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- Check Legacy.com first for anything within the last 10 years.
- Visit the Howard County Courthouse or the library if you are looking for probate or death certificates to back up an obituary find.
- Search variations of names. West Texans love nicknames. "Bubba" might be "William" in the official record.
- Check the "List of Burials" on the City of Big Spring website. Sometimes the cemetery record is easier to find than the newspaper clipping, and it will give you the exact date you need to go back and find the Herald article.
When you find what you're looking for, save a digital copy. Newspapers are fragile, and digital archives can change hands. Having that PDF or photo of the clipping ensures that piece of family history doesn't blow away like a tumbleweed in a West Texas storm.