Finding a specific tribute in the North Country isn't always as simple as a quick Google search. Honestly, if you're looking for Glens Falls Post Star obituaries, you’ve probably realized that the digital trail can get a bit messy.
One minute you’re on the newspaper’s main site, and the next you’re redirected to Legacy.com. It’s a common hurdle. Whether you are trying to find service details for a friend at Singleton Sullivan Potter Funeral Home or you're digging into deep family roots at the Crandall Public Library, the way we record and find deaths in Glens Falls has changed massively.
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The Digital Shift in Glens Falls
Most people don't realize that The Post-Star doesn't actually host its own obituary database anymore. Not really. Like many papers owned by Lee Enterprises, they’ve outsourced the "memorial" side of things.
When you search for Glens Falls Post Star obituaries, you are essentially looking at a partnership between a local newsroom and a global tech giant. This means the guestbooks, the photo galleries, and those "Light a Candle" features are all handled by Legacy.
It’s efficient, sure. But it feels a little less "local" than it used to.
The Cost of Saying Goodbye
Putting an obituary in the paper is not cheap. You might expect a simple notice to be a public service, but it’s a significant revenue stream for modern newspapers.
- Basic Death Notices: These are often short—around 40 words—and might start around $80. They basically just give the "who, when, and where."
- Full Obituaries: If you want to talk about their love for Lake George or their 40 years at the Finch Pruyn paper mill, the price jumps. These often start at $252 and go up based on word count and whether you include a photo.
- The "Permanent" Digital Fee: A lot of that cost goes toward keeping the obituary online "forever."
Basically, the more you want to say, the more the bill grows. It's a tough reality for families already dealing with funeral costs.
Tracking Down Historical Records
Now, if you aren't looking for someone who passed away last Tuesday, things get interesting. The online archives for The Post-Star are great for the last 20 years, but before that? You're going to have to work for it.
The Crandall Public Library is the gold mine here.
The Folklife Center in the basement of Crandall is a researcher's dream. They have the New York State Vital Records Index on microfiche. They also have "biographical vertical files." These are literally drawers full of envelopes stuffed with old clippings, handwritten notes, and original Glens Falls Post Star obituaries from decades ago.
You can't just "click" your way through those. You have to go there. You have to smell the old paper.
Why the "Morning Star" Matters
Genealogy buffs often get stuck because they only search for The Post-Star. But the paper we know today was actually a 1909 merger.
Back in the day, you had The Morning Post and The Morning Star. If you're looking for a relative who passed away in 1905, you won't find them in a Post-Star archive because that name didn't exist yet. You'd need to check The Glens Falls Times or The Glens Falls Messenger.
History is rarely a straight line.
What Most People Get Wrong About Online Tributes
One of the biggest misconceptions is that if an obituary isn't on the Post-Star website, it doesn't exist.
That's just wrong.
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Many families in South Glens Falls or Queensbury are now skipping the newspaper entirely because of the cost. They post the full story directly on the funeral home's website—places like M.B. Kilmer or Baker Funeral Home.
If you're searching for Glens Falls Post Star obituaries and coming up empty, try searching the person's name plus "funeral home Glens Falls." Often, the funeral home version is more detailed because they don't charge by the word.
How to Actually Find What You’re Looking For
If you are currently trying to track down a notice or place one yourself, here is the "non-corporate" way to handle it.
- For recent deaths: Go straight to the Post-Star section on Legacy.com. It’s updated daily, though sometimes there’s a 24-hour lag between the physical paper and the site.
- For 1930–2000: GenealogyBank or Ancestry.com are your best bets, but they usually require a subscription.
- For the 1800s: Visit the Crandall Library's Folklife Center. They have microfilm that covers the local papers back to the 1830s.
- For "Hidden" Tributes: Search Facebook groups like "Old Glens Falls." People often post scanned clippings of their parents' or grandparents' obituaries there.
The Actionable Reality
Dealing with loss is heavy. Trying to navigate a paywalled website or a complex archive shouldn't make it harder.
If you’re writing an obituary for a loved one to appear in the Glens Falls Post Star obituaries, keep it concise for the print edition to save money, then use the digital guestbook or a personal social media page to share the longer, more personal stories.
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To start your search right now, check the NYS Historic Newspapers database. It’s a free resource that often has digitized pages from the early 1900s that the big paid sites miss.
If you are stuck on a specific name from the 1950s or 60s, your next move should be calling the Crandall Library research desk. They are surprisingly helpful and can often tell you exactly which reel of microfilm you need before you even walk through the doors.