Honestly, finding someone who just passed in West Virginia isn't always as simple as a quick Google search. If you are specifically looking for Charleston Gazette obituaries past 3 days, you probably already know that the Charleston Gazette-Mail is the "paper of record" for the Kanawha Valley. But here is the thing: the digital transition has made these records live in a few different places at once.
It can be a little overwhelming when you're already dealing with grief or trying to coordinate travel for a service.
Usually, the most recent notices from the last 72 hours—including today, January 15, 2026—show up on the official newspaper portal before they hit the massive national archives. If you've been refreshing a page and seeing "No Results," it might just be a timing issue with the local funeral homes.
Where the Latest Notices Actually Live
Most people head straight to the Gazette-Mail website, but the backend is actually powered by Legacy.com. That is where the "real-time" updates happen. Within the last three days, we've seen several prominent local figures and beloved neighbors listed.
For instance, the January 13 and January 14 editions included notices for people like Patricia Carol Bias of Danville and Elizabeth Jean "Ellie" Bonadio, who passed at the Hubbard House. These aren't just names; they're the people who built our schools and churches.
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If you are looking for someone specific from the last 48 to 72 hours, here is the short list of who has been recently memorialized:
- Dora Ann Coleman (Pickens): A South Charleston resident who fought cancer with incredible courage.
- John Franklin Godbey: A Sissonville fixture for nearly 60 years.
- Louise Neff Brotherton: Passed away at 95, surrounded by her family in Charleston.
- Gary Lee Adkins: A West Hamlin native whose family is planning a spring celebration of life.
Searching for these names helps verify dates and service times, which is often why people are looking for the "past 3 days" specifically—they need the funeral details now.
Charleston Gazette Obituaries Past 3 Days: Search Tips That Work
Don't just type a name and hope for the best. The search engines can be finicky. Sometimes a notice is filed under a maiden name or a nickname that the newspaper hasn't indexed yet.
Try these specific moves:
First, use the "Filter by Date" option. If you select "Last 3 Days," it keeps the clutter out. You won't have to scroll through dozens of people from 2024 or 2025.
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Second, check the funeral home websites directly. In Charleston, places like Barlow-Bonsall, Snodgrass, and Cunningham-Parker-Johnson often post the full tribute on their own "Obituaries" page before the newspaper print cycle even finishes.
Basically, if the Gazette-Mail hasn't updated their list by 10:00 AM, the funeral home definitely has.
The Difference Between Death Notices and Full Obituaries
This trips people up constantly. A "Death Notice" is usually just the bare bones—name, age, city, and date of death. Families often put these in the paper immediately to meet legal requirements or quick notification needs.
The full-blown Charleston Gazette obituaries past 3 days are the longer stories. These are the ones with the photos and the "In lieu of flowers" requests. If you don't see the long version yet, it might still be in the drafting stage.
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Why the 3-Day Window Matters
- Service Planning: Most visitations happen 3 to 5 days after a passing.
- Flower Delivery: Florists need those details immediately to get arrangements to the chapel.
- Travel: If you're coming from out of state, the obituary is your primary source for the venue address.
Dealing with the Paywall and Access
The Charleston Gazette-Mail does have a subscription model. However, most obituary sections are "open access" through their partnership with Legacy. You usually don't need a paid digital subscription to read the tributes.
If you're stuck, try searching the person's name + "Charleston WV obituary" in a private or incognito browser tab. Sometimes the cookies on the site can get wonky and block you from seeing the most recent 72-hour updates.
Recent Tributes to Note
Just in the last few days, we've seen a variety of lives celebrated. From Janet Sue Dodd, who lived 86 years and was a Belle native, to Charlotte Elaine Vaughn Black, who passed in Proctorville. These records are the primary way the Kanawha Valley stays connected.
Actionable Steps for Your Search
If you still can't find the person you're looking for within the Charleston Gazette obituaries past 3 days, follow this sequence:
- Visit the official Legacy portal for the Charleston Gazette-Mail. This is updated more frequently than the newspaper’s own homepage.
- Check the Facebook pages of local Charleston funeral homes. Many now post "Service Updates" as a status before the formal obituary is even printed.
- Expand your search to the "Huntington" or "Beckley" papers if the person lived on the outskirts of Kanawha County. Sometimes they are listed there instead.
- Verify the spelling. It sounds silly, but "Jon" vs "John" or "Catherine" vs "Kathryn" will break the search tool every single time.
Go directly to the Legacy.com search bar, type in the last name, and set the location to "Charleston, WV." If the person passed in the last 72 hours, their name will likely appear with a "New" tag next to it. For those looking to submit a notice, call the Gazette-Mail directly at (304) 348-5100 or use their online submission form to ensure it appears in tomorrow’s edition.