Life moves fast in the Wiregrass. One day you’re grabbing a chili dog at Hunt’s, and the next, you’re scrolling through the local news trying to find out when a neighbor’s visitation is being held. Finding obituaries in Dothan Alabama shouldn't feel like a chore, but honestly, with the way local media has shifted lately, it’s getting a little harder to know where to look first.
It used to be that you just picked up the Dothan Eagle off the driveway. Simple. Now, the information is scattered across a dozen funeral home websites, digital legacy pages, and local news blogs. It’s kinda overwhelming.
Where Dothan Families Share Their Stories
If you’re looking for someone specifically, your first stop is almost always going to be the big three. In Dothan, that means Sunset Memorial Park, Ward Wilson Funeral Home, and Scott’s Chapel Hill Mortuary. These places handle a massive chunk of the local services.
Sunset Memorial Park, for instance, runs a very tight ship on their digital obituaries. Just this week, they’ve posted notices for folks like Linda May Alexander and Rosa Mae Hendrix, who passed on January 13, 2026. They don't just give you the dates; they actually tell the story. You learn that Rosa retired from Michelin back in '94—a real Dothan detail—and that Linda was originally from Michigan but found her home here.
Then you’ve got Ward Wilson over on Hartford Highway. They’ve been a staple for generations. If you grew up here, you’ve probably walked through those doors more times than you’d like to count. Their online portal is integrated with Legacy, which makes it easier to leave a "digital candle" or a note for the family, but some people find that a bit impersonal.
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The News Sources You Might Overlook
Don’t sleep on Rickey Stokes News. Yeah, it looks like a website from 2004, and the formatting is wild, but Rickey is often the first to post when a well-known local passes away. He gets the word out fast. If there’s a wreck on 231 or a sudden passing at Southeast Health, it’s going to be on his site before the ink is dry anywhere else.
Wiregrass Daily News is another solid option. They’ve stepped up their game recently to fill the gap left by the shrinking print cycles of the bigger papers.
The Real Cost of Saying Goodbye
Let's talk money. It’s the elephant in the room. Putting a notice in the paper isn't cheap anymore.
Basically, you have two choices:
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- The Paid Obituary: This is the full life story. You pay by the word or the line. In the Dothan Eagle, starting prices can be around $96, but that goes up fast if you add a photo or want it to run for multiple days.
- The Death Notice: This is the "just the facts" version. Name, date of death, and service time. Some places offer this for free or a very small fee, but it doesn't give you room to talk about their love for Alabama football or their famous pecan pie.
Honestly, a lot of families are skipping the print version entirely. They’ll put the full story on the funeral home’s website and just share the link on Facebook. It’s free, and let's be real, that’s where everyone is looking anyway.
Writing the Thing: How to Not Mess It Up
When you’re grieving, your brain turns to mush. It’s called grief fog, and it’s a real thing. If you’re tasked with writing obituaries in Dothan Alabama, keep it simple.
Don't feel like you have to be Shakespeare. People just want to know who they were and where to go to pay their respects. Mention the "preceded in death by" section early—it helps people connect the family dots. If they were a veteran, like Kenneth "Ken" Stewart who recently passed in Daleville, make sure to mention their service. It matters a lot in this part of the country.
A Quick Checklist for Dothan Locals
- The Basics: Full name (and that nickname everyone actually knew them by).
- The Dates: Birth, death, and the service. Double-check the time at the church or chapel. Nothing is worse than showing up an hour late to Evergreen Presbyterian or First Baptist.
- The Family: Spouses, kids, and those grandkids they probably bragged about at the grocery store.
- The Legacy: Where should people send flowers? Or would the family prefer a donation to the Houston County Food Bank?
Cultural Nuance: The "Homegoing"
In Dothan’s Black community, you’ll often see the term "Homegoing Service" used instead of a funeral. These are celebrations. Take the recent obituary for Pearlean McGriff, affectionately known as "Big Baby." Her notice wasn't just a list of facts; it was a celebration of a life that started in Gordon, Alabama, and touched countless people.
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When you see a notice from Unity Family Funeral Home or Scott’s Chapel Hill, the tone is often deeply rooted in faith and community. It’s a different vibe than the more clinical notices you might see in bigger cities like Atlanta or Birmingham.
Why We Still Read Them
You might think obituaries are a dying art, but in a place like Dothan, they’re the glue. They remind us that the guy who fixed our car for twenty years or the lady who taught third grade at Girard was part of something bigger.
The transition to digital has changed the "how," but the "why" remains. We want to be remembered. We want to know that when we’re gone, someone is going to take the time to write down that we loved our dogs, we never missed a Peanut Festival, and we were good to our neighbors.
Actionable Next Steps
If you need to find or place a notice today, here is the most efficient way to handle it:
- To find a recent notice: Search the specific funeral home website first (Sunset, Ward Wilson, or Fowler Family) rather than a general Google search.
- To save money on a publication: Write a long-form version for the funeral home's website (which is usually free) and a "short-form" version for the newspaper to keep costs under $100.
- To verify details: Always cross-reference the funeral home’s Facebook page. They often post last-minute changes to service times due to weather or family emergencies faster than they update their main website.
- Collect information early: If you are helping a loved one with pre-planning, grab a notepad and record the names of their siblings and parents (including maiden names) now. You won't want to be hunting for those details while you're at the funeral home making arrangements.