Finding a specific obituary in Whitley County often leads to one place. For over a century, DeMoney-Grimes Funeral Home obits have served as the historical record for Columbia City, Indiana. It's not just about a list of names. Honestly, it’s about the fabric of a community that has stayed connected through some pretty wild changes since 1915.
If you’re looking for someone right now, you’ve probably noticed that funeral home websites can be a bit of a maze. But DeMoney-Grimes keeps it fairly straightforward. They focus on what they call "Life Stories." It’s a different vibe than your standard, dry obituary.
The History Behind DeMoney-Grimes Funeral Home Obits
J.A. DeMoney started the whole thing back in 1915 on Van Buren Street. Back then, "undertakers" were basically guys who owned furniture stores because they already had the wood to make coffins. Funerals happened in your own living room—the "parlor."
Things changed in 1923 when they moved into the Cyrus B. Tully Mansion. That place was a local landmark until a devastating fire wiped it out in March 1983. Randy Grimes, who had been an intern there, ended up buying the business from Bob and Ginnie DeMoney and rebuilt the facility where it stands today at 600 Countryside Drive.
How to Find Recent DeMoney-Grimes Funeral Home Obits
Looking for a recent passing? You have a few solid options that don't involve clicking through a dozen spammy ads.
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The official website is the primary source. They update their "Obituary Listings" page almost immediately after a family approves the text. Just this week, in mid-January 2026, the site has been updated with several local names, including:
- Mary Ellen Neher (passed Jan 13, 2026)
- Aaron Scott Reaser (passed Jan 11, 2026)
- Thomas Ray Wilkinson (passed Jan 7, 2026)
If you can't find what you're looking for there, check InkFreeNews. They cover Whitley County extensively and often tag DeMoney-Grimes specifically in their obituary section. It's a great secondary archive if the main site is undergoing maintenance or if you're looking for more "news-style" write-ups.
Searching the Archives
For older records, things get a bit more "detective-like."
- Legacy.com: They partner with the funeral home to host long-term archives. You can often find "Guest Books" here where people left messages ten years ago.
- Whitley County Public Library: If you are doing genealogy and looking for something from the 1940s, the local library’s microfilm of The Post & Mail is your best bet.
- Tribute Archive: A lot of the 2022-2024 records ended up mirrored here. It’s useful if you’re looking for someone like John P. Bollinger or Sharon Kay White.
What Makes Their Obituaries Different?
Most funeral homes just give you the dates and the survivors. DeMoney-Grimes pushes the "Life Story" concept. They’ve actually won national awards for this from the NFDA (National Funeral Directors Association).
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Basically, they try to capture the "dash"—that little line between the birth date and the death date. You’ll see mentions of favorite fishing spots, recipes, or that one time someone won a tractor pull in 1974. It makes the DeMoney-Grimes Funeral Home obits feel more like a letter from a friend than a legal notice.
Helpful Tips for Families Writing an Obituary
If you're the one tasked with writing one of these, don't overthink it. Seriously. People just want to remember the person.
Include the "Human" Stuff
Don't just list the jobs. Mention that they loved the Chicago Cubs even when they were losing, or that they made the best apple butter in the county. These are the details people actually talk about at the visitation.
Check the Deadlines
If you want the obit in the local paper, there are hard deadlines. DeMoney-Grimes usually handles the submission to The Post & Mail or The Journal Gazette, but you need to have the draft ready at least 24 hours before the desired run date.
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The Photo Matters
Try to find a photo where the person actually looks like themselves. It doesn't have to be a formal portrait. If they spent 40 years in a John Deere hat, use the photo of them in the hat.
Practical Steps to Take Now
If you are looking for current service information or need to contact the home:
- Address: 600 Countryside Drive, Columbia City, IN 46725. It’s right near the intersection of U.S. 30 and State Road 9.
- Phone: (260) 244-5122. They answer 24/7.
- Online Notifications: You can sign up for email alerts on their website so you don't miss a local service.
When you're searching for DeMoney-Grimes Funeral Home obits, start with the "Recent Obituaries" tab on their homepage. If you're looking for a service time for someone like Aaron Scott Reaser, the visitation and service details are usually listed right at the top of their individual tribute page.
Check for the "Life Story" link on the sidebar of the obituary page. It often contains a more narrative version of the person's life that isn't printed in the newspaper due to space costs. If you are planning ahead, look into their monument design services as well; they have a dedicated specialist who handles custom granite work right there in Columbia City.
To stay updated, bookmark the main obituary listing page and check it every couple of days. Local news sites like InkFreeNews are also updated daily and provide a chronological scroll that can be easier to scan if you're looking for multiple people over a specific month.