Checking for Morris Daily Herald obituaries used to mean walking down to the porch, snapping the rubber band off the paper, and flipping straight to the back. For folks in Grundy County, that tradition hasn't totally died, but it’s definitely changed. Honestly, if you're looking for a specific notice from 1985 or even just last Tuesday, it’s easy to get lost in a sea of broken links and paywalls.
The paper is technically now known as the Morris Herald-News, part of the Shaw Local News Network. But people still call it the Daily Herald. Habit is a powerful thing. When a neighbor passes away in a tight-knit place like Morris or Mazon, the obituary isn't just a "notice." It's the story of a life. It's how we find out that the guy who lived on the corner for forty years was actually a decorated veteran or a master woodworker.
Where to Find Recent Notices
If someone passed away within the last week or month, you've got a couple of solid options.
The easiest route is usually the digital edition of the Morris Herald-News. They partner with Legacy, which is basically the giant database for most American newspapers. You’ll find recent names like Patricia A. Lamping or Gene V. Shostrom right there. It's searchable by name, date, or keyword. Kinda handy if you remember the person worked at the local paper mill but can't quite recall their last name.
Don't ignore the funeral homes, though. In Morris, the big names are U.C. Davis-Callahan and Fred C. Dames. They often post the full text of an obituary on their own websites hours—or even days—before it hits the paper. Plus, those sites usually let you leave a digital candle or a note for the family without needing a subscription.
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The Archive Struggle (And How to Win)
Let’s say you’re doing genealogy. Or maybe you're trying to settle a bet about when a local legend actually died. Finding Morris Daily Herald obituaries from ten, twenty, or fifty years ago is a different beast entirely.
Internet archives are spotty. Most online databases like GenealogyBank or NewsLibrary only go back to the mid-2000s for Morris. If you need something from the 1970s, you’re going to have to do things the old-fashioned way.
Basically, you have three real options:
- The Morris Public Library: They have microfilm. It’s tedious, but it’s the only way to see the paper exactly as it looked the day it was printed.
- The Grundy County Historical Society: These folks are amazing. They have a card catalog specifically for obituaries. They’ve done the heavy lifting so you don’t have to scroll through miles of film.
- The Grundy County Clerk: If you just need the cold, hard facts—date of death, cause, parents' names—you can request a death certificate. Just know that Illinois is pretty strict about who can get these. It usually has to be a relative or someone with a legal interest.
What It Costs to Publish
Getting an obituary into the paper isn't cheap. It's one of those things nobody tells you until you're already grieving.
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Pricing is usually based on "column inches" or line counts. For the Morris Herald-News, you’re looking at a starting price of roughly $95 to $100 for a very basic notice. If you want a photo—and most people do—that price jumps. If you want a long, flowery story about their love for the Chicago Cubs and their famous potato salad, it can easily climb into the hundreds.
Some families opt for a "death notice" instead of a full obituary. It's just the basics: name, age, date of service. It saves money, but it lacks the personality.
Common Mistakes People Make
The biggest mistake? Trusting third-party "scraper" sites. You know the ones—they pop up on Google with a generic tombstone icon and promise the full story, but then they just ask for your credit card.
Stick to the official sources. If it’s not on the Shaw Local site, a reputable funeral home page, or a known archive like Legacy, it’s probably not worth your time.
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Another weird quirk: sometimes an obit is published in the Joliet Herald-News instead of the Morris one, even if the person lived in Morris. This happens because the papers are owned by the same company and the service might be happening in Will County. If you can’t find a name in the Morris records, broaden your search to the surrounding area.
Actionable Steps for Your Search
If you are currently looking for a notice or trying to document a family history, here is exactly what to do:
- For the last 30 days: Go directly to the Morris Herald-News section on Legacy.com. It’s the most up-to-date and reliable.
- For the last 20 years: Use GenealogyBank or a local library card to access NewsLibrary.
- For the deep past (Pre-2000): Contact the Grundy County Historical Society. They are located on Liberty Street in Morris. It’s worth the trip just to see the museum anyway.
- Check the Coroner's Site: If you are just looking for a list of deaths in the county to confirm a date, the Grundy County Coroner’s office actually maintains a public list of "Countywide Deaths" that is updated regularly. It won't give you the life story, but it will give you the date and the funeral home in charge.
Losing someone is hard enough without the frustration of a digital scavenger hunt. Start with the local funeral homes, then move to the newspaper archives, and if you hit a brick wall, don't be afraid to call the local librarians. They live for this stuff.