Finding a specific tribute or service detail shouldn't feel like a chore. Honestly, when you’re looking for jarvis funeral home obits, you’re usually in a headspace where you just want clear answers and a bit of peace. You’ve likely noticed that a simple search sometimes pulls up half a dozen different "Jarvis" homes across several states, which is confusing as heck.
In the West Virginia and Ohio River Valley region, the name is synonymous with the Jarvis-Williams Funeral Homes. They’ve been around forever. We’re talking about a legacy that started in Paden City back in 1936. If you're hunting for a recent passing or trying to piece together some family history, you’ve gotta know where to look so you don't end up on a broken link from 2012.
How to Actually Find Jarvis Funeral Home Obits Without the Stress
Most people start on Google, which is fine, but it’s easy to get lost in the "aggregator" sites. You know the ones—they’re plastered with ads and might not have the full story.
If you want the real deal, you basically have two main hubs for the Jarvis-Williams locations in Paden City and New Martinsville. Their official website is the primary source. It’s where the families actually approve the text.
But here’s the thing. Sometimes the older stuff—we're talking pre-2000s—isn't digitized on the main site. For those, you're looking at local newspaper archives like the Wheeling Intelligencer or the Wetzel Chronicle.
👉 See also: Images of Thanksgiving Holiday: What Most People Get Wrong
Why the Name Change Matters for Your Search
You might see "Jarvis Funeral Home" in old family records, but today it’s Jarvis-Williams. Paul and Minnie Jarvis took over the Paden City location in 1991. They didn't just keep things the same; they renovated the whole place to make it more accessible.
Then, in 2003, they built a massive, state-of-the-art facility in New Martinsville on South Bridge Street. If you’re looking for an obit from, say, 2005, it might be listed under the New Martinsville branch even if the person lived in Paden City. It’s a bit of a "two locations, one family" vibe.
Dealing with the "Missing" Obituary Problem
Kinda frustrating when you know someone passed, but the jarvis funeral home obits search comes up empty, right?
There are a few reasons this happens.
✨ Don't miss: Why Everyone Is Still Obsessing Over Maybelline SuperStay Skin Tint
- Privacy requests: Some families choose not to publish a public obituary. It’s becoming more common for people to just do a private "Presenting Life" video service within the home.
- Timing: If the passing was very recent (like in the last 24 hours), the staff might still be working with the family on the wording.
- The "Jarvie" Confusion: There is a "Jarvie" Funeral Home in Pennsylvania. One letter off, but it’ll mess up your search results every single time.
Real Examples of Recent Tributes
Looking at the current records—and this is factual, current data for January 2026—you’ll see names like John George May, who was a fixture in the New Martinsville community. He passed away just a couple of weeks ago on January 3, 2026. His tribute mentions his work at Mobay and his love for boat races.
That’s the kind of detail you get when you find the actual obituary. It’s not just dates; it’s the fact that the guy loved the outdoors and was a "Christian by faith." These details matter because they help you feel connected to the person even if you can’t make it to the service.
The Modern Way to Say Goodbye
Jarvis-Williams does this thing called "Presenting Life." It’s basically a high-def presentation with music and photos that they show during the visitation.
If you’re looking at jarvis funeral home obits online, you’ll often see a "Tribute Wall." This is where you can "plant a tree" or leave a digital candle. Honestly, it sounds a bit cheesy to some, but for family members who live out of state, seeing a dozen digital candles lit for their mom or dad actually means a lot.
🔗 Read more: Coach Bag Animal Print: Why These Wild Patterns Actually Work as Neutrals
It’s worth noting that if you’re trying to find a service time, the "Service" tab on their site is usually more updated than the text of the obituary itself. Changes happen—weather, preacher availability, you name it—and the digital listing is the first place they fix it.
Practical Steps for Your Search
If you’re stuck, try these specific moves:
- Check the Paden City vs. New Martinsville listings: They share a database but sometimes the search bar on the site prefers one over the other.
- Use the "Tribute Archive": This is a third-party site that often mirrors the Jarvis-Williams data. It's great if the main site is loading slowly.
- Search by the Maiden Name: If you’re doing genealogy, the Jarvis records are pretty good about including "late parents" names. Searching for a mother's maiden name can sometimes unlock an obit that didn't pop up for the married name.
- Check the "Cumberland Times-News" or "Intelligencer": For older residents, the paper of record often has a more formal version than the funeral home’s casual blog-style post.
Final Practical Insight
When you find the obituary you're looking for, take a screenshot or print it to PDF immediately. Funeral home websites get updated, and sometimes older records are moved to "archive" folders that aren't as easy to find later. If you're building a family tree or just want to keep the memory, don't rely on the link staying active forever.
If you need to send flowers or make a memorial donation, the specific instructions are almost always at the very bottom of the text. For example, many recent Jarvis obits suggest donations to the Wetzel County Hospital or local churches instead of flowers. It's a small detail, but it's the kind of thing the family really cares about.
Next Step: Head to the official Jarvis-Williams website and use their "Advanced Search" tool. Instead of just the name, put in the year of death. This filters out all the people with similar names from different states and gets you right to the West Virginia records you actually need.