Checking the Philadelphia Inquirer today's obituaries is basically a morning ritual for half the city. Seriously. Whether you're looking for a former neighbor from South Philly or a legendary educator from the Main Line, that list is the heartbeat of local history. But honestly? Finding them online in 2026 has become a bit of a scavenger hunt.
You’ve likely noticed the paywalls. Or maybe you ended up on a third-party site that looks like it was designed in 1998. It’s frustrating when you just want to know when the service is for a friend’s parent. The reality is that the way we access death notices in the Delaware Valley has shifted. It’s no longer just about flipping to the back of the "B" section over coffee.
The Digital Maze of Philadelphia Inquirer today's obituaries
Most people head straight to the Inquirer’s main website. That makes sense. But once you get there, you’re often met with a prompt to subscribe. While the paper does offer a limited number of free articles, the obituary section is frequently tucked behind a meter.
If you're stuck, the "secret" path is through Legacy.com. They handle the digital hosting for almost all major newspapers now. If you search for Philadelphia Inquirer today's obituaries there, you can usually bypass the heavy paywall of the main news site. It’s weird, I know. But it works because the funeral homes pay to have those notices listed on that specific platform.
Who is being remembered right now?
Just looking at the recent listings for mid-January 2026, the names tell a story of the region’s diversity. We’ve recently seen notices for:
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- Alice N. Bowen, a beloved 96-year-old from Ardmore who was married to her husband Jerry for 66 years.
- John George Betzler, also from Ardmore, who passed away following a stroke.
- Sheryle S. Rosen of Voorhees, NJ, showing how the Inquirer covers the entire tri-state area.
- Harold L. Harris, a West Virginia native who became a staple of the Philadelphia community.
The mix is always fascinating. You’ll see a former Eagles player right next to a woman who ran a corner store in Kensington for forty years.
Why the Paywalls are So Aggressive
Let’s be real: local journalism is struggling. The Inquirer has had to get creative with revenue. That means those of us looking for the Philadelphia Inquirer today's obituaries are often asked to chip in. In 2026, a digital subscription can run you quite a bit—some reports suggest upwards of $40 a month depending on the package.
Is it worth it? If you live in the city, maybe. But if you’re just a genealogist or someone who moved away, that’s a steep price for a death notice.
Pro Tip: If you have a Free Library of Philadelphia card, you can often access the Inquirer archives and current digital editions for free through their "Databases" section. It's a bit clunky, but it saves you forty bucks.
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Different Kinds of Notices: Editorial vs. Paid
Not every death in Philly gets a full-blown story. There’s a big difference between a "Death Notice" and an "Editorial Obituary."
- Paid Death Notices: These are the ones families or funeral homes write. They pay by the line. If you see a notice that lists every single grandchild and where the person went to high school in 1954, that’s a paid notice.
- Editorial Obituaries: These are written by staff writers like Gary Miles. He’s a legend in the biz. These are reserved for people of "prominence." Think doctors, civil rights activists, or local business owners who changed the neighborhood.
Recently, the paper featured Dilys E. Blum, the senior curator emeritus at the Philly Art Museum. That’s an editorial obit. It’s a deep dive into her life as a world authority on fashion. Compare that to the standard daily listings, and you see the gap in detail.
How to Place a Notice Yourself
If you're on the other side of the process—meaning you have to actually write one—it’s a lot. The cost to place a notice in the Philadelphia Inquirer today's obituaries starts at roughly $654. Yeah, you read that right. It’s expensive.
That price usually gets you:
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- The print listing in the paper.
- A permanent online memorial on Legacy.
- A guestbook where people can leave comments.
To get it done, you usually email deathnotices@phillynews.com or have your funeral director handle it. Most people let the funeral home do the heavy lifting because the deadlines are strict. If you miss the cutoff, you’re waiting another 24 to 48 hours.
Finding Historical Obituaries in Philadelphia
Sometimes you aren't looking for someone who passed away this morning. Maybe you're doing family research. The Inquirer’s archives go way back—1860 for the Inquirer and 1960 for the Daily News.
Searching the archives is a different beast than checking the Philadelphia Inquirer today's obituaries. You’ll likely need to use a service like Newspapers.com or the Inquirer’s own internal archive tool. It’s not free, but seeing a scan of a 1920s obituary with the old-school font and flowery language is pretty cool.
Common Mistakes to Avoid When Searching
- Misspelling names: Philly names are tricky. Is it "Mc" or "Mac"? Is there an "e" at the end of Browne?
- Wrong city: The Inquirer covers the whole region. Sometimes a person lived in Bucks County but the notice is listed under "Philadelphia."
- Missing the "maiden name": For older women, the notice often leads with their married name, but the maiden name is tucked in parentheses.
Actionable Steps for Readers
If you need to find someone today, don't just keep refreshing the main news homepage. Here is exactly what you should do:
- Go to the Legacy.com Philadelphia portal: It’s often the fastest way to see today’s names without a login.
- Use the "Find a Grave" technique: If the obituary isn't showing up yet, search the person's name + "funeral home Philadelphia." Often, the funeral home posts the full text on their own site before the newspaper version even goes live.
- Check the Archdiocese site: If the person was a prominent Catholic or member of the clergy, the Archdiocese of Philadelphia often posts their own detailed obituaries for free.
- Sign up for alerts: On the Legacy site, you can actually set an "Obituary Alert" for certain last names. If you’re waiting for news on a specific family, this is a lifesaver.
Managing the search for Philadelphia Inquirer today's obituaries doesn't have to be a headache. Whether you're paying respects or just staying connected to the community, knowing where to click—and when to use your library card—makes all the difference.
To find a specific listing right now, visit the Inquirer’s official obituary page or use the Legacy.com search tool and filter by "The Philadelphia Inquirer" and "Today" to see the most recent entries.