Finding a specific life story in the pages of the San Francisco Chronicle shouldn't feel like a scavenger hunt. But honestly, it often does. Whether you're trying to track down a great-uncle from the 1920s or looking for the service details of a friend who passed away last Tuesday, the process is a mix of high-tech digital searching and old-school microfiche digging.
Most people assume a quick Google search will pull up every detail. It won't.
The sf chronicle newspaper obits ecosystem is actually split into three different "worlds." There is the current digital archive hosted on Legacy.com, the recent newspaper archives on the Chronicle’s own site, and the deep historical records that live in the San Francisco Public Library or paid genealogy databases. If you don't know which door to knock on, you'll just end up frustrated.
Why Searching SF Chronicle Newspaper Obits is Different
San Francisco has a vibe. Its obituaries reflect that. You aren't just reading names and dates; you're reading about 1967 Summer of Love veterans, tech pioneers who built the first silicon chips, and families who survived the 1906 quake.
The Chronicle has been around since 1865. That’s a massive amount of paper.
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The Legacy Connection
If you are looking for someone who passed away in the last 15 to 20 years, Legacy.com is your best bet. The Chronicle partners with them to host paid death notices. These are the ones families write themselves. They are personal. They have guestbooks. They usually stay up forever, which is great for grieving friends who want to leave a note months after the funeral.
But here is the catch. These are paid listings.
If a family didn't pay for a notice, it won't be there. You might find a news article about a prominent citizen written by a staff writer like Sam Whiting, but for the average Joe, no payment usually means no digital footprint in the "obits" section.
Finding the Deep History (Pre-2000s)
What if you're doing genealogy? Maybe you're looking for a "De Young" or a "Caen" contemporary.
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- GenealogyBank and Newspapers.com: These are the heavy hitters. They have scanned pages of the Chronicle going back to the 19th century. You’ll see the actual scan of the paper, ink blots and all.
- San Francisco Public Library (SFPL): Kinda the "secret" weapon. The Magazines and Newspapers Center on the 5th floor of the Main Library is incredible. They have the Chronicle on microfilm from day one.
- The SFPL Obituary Search Request: If you don't live in the Bay Area, you can actually file a request. They won't do your whole family tree, but if you have a name and a specific date, a librarian will often help you find the record.
Modern Costs and Submissions
Let’s say you need to place one. It’s not cheap.
Basically, you’re looking at a starting price of roughly $399. That’s for a basic 2-column text layout. If you want a photo—and most people do because it makes the tribute feel real—the price jumps. A 2-column ad with a photo starts closer to $498.
If you want the "Grand Sendoff," like a 6-column spread with multiple photos and a long life story, you could easily spend $1,390 or more.
- Deadlines: If you want it in tomorrow's paper, you usually have to have it approved and paid for by 2:00 PM the day before.
- Verification: The Chronicle won't just take your word for it. They need the name of the funeral home or the cremation society to verify the passing. It prevents "prank" obituaries, which, believe it or not, have happened in the past.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Don't just search "John Smith SF Chronicle." You’ll get ten thousand hits.
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Use quotes. Search ""John Smith"" to lock that name in. Add the year if you know it. If the person was a veteran, search for their rank or their branch of service. Often, the Chronicle archives will categorize people by their affiliations—think "Rotary Club" or "ILWU" (the longshoremen’s union).
Also, check the San Francisco Examiner archives. For a long time, the Chronicle and the Examiner had a Joint Operating Agreement. Sometimes an obit would run in one but not the other, especially on Sundays.
Actionable Tips for Researchers
If you are stuck, try these specific steps:
- Check the "Sporting Green": If the person was a local athlete or coach, they might have a feature story in the green-tinted sports section instead of a standard paid obit.
- Use the SFPL's "Heritage Hub": If you have an SFPL library card, you can access certain news databases for free from your living room. It saves you the $20-a-month subscription to genealogy sites.
- Search by Street Address: Sometimes old death notices listed the home address for the wake. Searching an address can occasionally pull up a relative you didn't know lived there.
- Look for "In Memoriam": These are different from obituaries. They usually run on the anniversary of a death. If you missed the original obit, an "In Memoriam" might give you the dates you need.
To start your search today, head to the SFPL's Virtual Library if you have a card, or browse the Legacy.com San Francisco portal for anything from the last two decades. For those looking to place a notice, use the Hearst EZAds portal to get a real-time price quote based on your word count.
Next Steps for You
- Identify the Era: Decide if you're looking for "Recent" (Post-2005) or "Historical" (Pre-2005).
- Gather the Metadata: Get the full legal name and, if possible, the middle initial or mother's maiden name.
- Contact the Library: If you're out of state, use the SFPL's online request form to have a librarian pull a microfilm scan for a small fee or free of charge depending on the current policy.