STL Obits for Today: Why Finding Local Notices Is Kinda Tricky Right Now

STL Obits for Today: Why Finding Local Notices Is Kinda Tricky Right Now

Finding stl obits for today is usually a straightforward task, but if you’ve spent any time refreshing the St. Louis Post-Dispatch site or scrolling through Legacy lately, you know it can feel like a maze. It’s a Sunday, January 18, 2026. Usually, Sundays are the biggest days for print obituaries in the Gateway City. People still like that physical Sunday paper ritual. But online? That’s where things get messy.

Honestly, the way we track deaths in St. Louis has shifted. It’s not just about one newspaper anymore. You’ve got local funeral homes like Kutis, Bopp Chapel, and Newcomer all running their own digital boards. If you’re looking for someone specific today, you basically have to check three or four different "sources of truth" to be sure you haven't missed a notice.

The Big Names Released This Sunday

Today’s listings in the St. Louis Post-Dispatch include some long-time locals who really shaped their neighborhoods. It’s a heavy list today.

Francis J. "Skip" Deady III is one of the more prominent names appearing this morning. He was a Marine who served in Vietnam and a massive Mizzou Tigers fan. If you knew Skip, you knew he was probably at the golf course or fishing when he wasn't at Life Church. His services are actually set for next week, January 21, at the Kutis South County Chapel on Lemay Ferry Road.

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Then there’s Murad Michael "Rod" Abid. He was only 63. He’d been fighting Frontotemporal Dementia for over a decade. It’s one of those stories that just hits the community hard because he was a McCluer High alum and well-known in the North County area before he got sick.

A few other names you'll see in the stl obits for today include:

  • James Francis Allgire, a beloved husband and "Jimpa" to his grandkids.
  • Margaret A. Ayres, who was "Fortified with the Sacraments of Holy Mother Church," a phrase you see a lot in South City and South County notices.
  • Christopher Michael Blanton, whose family is gathering at Bopp Chapel in Kirkwood.
  • Mary Suzanne "Sue" Barry, with services over in O'Fallon at Assumption Parish.

Why the Sunday Paper Isn't the Only Place to Look

Back in the day, if it wasn't in the Post-Dispatch, it didn't happen. That’s just not true in 2026. A lot of families are skipping the high cost of a print legacy notice and going straight to the funeral home’s website.

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For example, if you're looking for someone in North City, you should be checking Wade Funeral Home or Austin A. Layne Mortuary. They often post updates hours or even days before the major aggregators pick them up. If the person was in West County, Schrader or Bopp Chapel are your best bets for real-time info.

It's also worth noting that the St. Louis Public Library keeps a digital index, but that’s better for genealogy. For today, you want the "Recently Published" filters on Legacy.com or the specific "Obituaries" tab on STLToday.

How to Actually Find Someone

  1. Check the Aggregators First: Legacy.com usually hosts the Post-Dispatch's digital content. It’s the fastest way to see the "big list."
  2. Use Search Engines Specifically: Don't just type "stl obits." Type the person's name + "St. Louis obituary 2026."
  3. Funeral Home Sites: If you know which home is handling the arrangements (like Kutis or Newcomer), go to their site directly. They often have guestbooks where you can leave memories that don't appear on the main news sites.
  4. Social Media: In St. Louis, word travels fast on Facebook. Local neighborhood groups (like those for "South City" or "Old North St. Louis") often share notices before the official obit is even written.

Notable Losses We're Seeing This Week

It's been a tough start to the year. We’ve seen the passing of some local legends, including Jim Hartung and John Forté. Even some national figures with St. Louis ties, like Bob Weir, are showing up in the local notable mentions because of their ties to the area's music scene.

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One thing that's changed is how we talk about these lives. You’ll notice the obits today are much more "story-heavy." Families are writing about their loved ones' passions—like Jeannine Schmulling, whose notice today mentions her 25-year career as a docent and her 85th birthday trip to India. These aren't just lists of survivors anymore; they're tiny biographies.

What to Do If You're Searching

If you’re trying to find details for a service today, Sunday, January 18, keep in mind that many visitations happen on Monday or Tuesday following the Sunday announcement.

For Francis "Skip" Deady, the visitation is Tuesday from 4 to 7 p.m.
For James Bosch Sr., the visitation is Tuesday at Seven Holy Founders Church.

Don't panic if you don't see a time listed immediately. Sometimes the notice says "Services Pending," which basically means the family is still working with the cemetery (like Jefferson Barracks) to coordinate a time.

Actionable Steps for St. Louis Residents

  • Bookmark the "Today" Filter: Save the specific "Today's Obituaries" link from STLToday to your browser. It updates around midnight every night.
  • Sign Up for Alerts: Legacy allows you to set a "keyword alert" for surnames. If you're watching for a specific family name, this is a lifesaver.
  • Verify the Location: St. Louis is famous for having multiple locations for the same funeral home. If it says "Kutis," make sure you know if it's the Affton, City, or South County chapel. There's nothing worse than showing up to the wrong Lemay Ferry location.
  • Check for Live Streams: Since the pandemic, many St. Louis churches (especially the larger Catholic parishes) live-stream funerals. If you can't make it to the service listed in today's obits, check the church's website for a YouTube or Facebook Live link.

Finding stl obits for today requires a little bit of digital detective work, but the information is out there. Start with the major papers, but don't be afraid to dig into the individual funeral home portals to get the full story of the neighbors we lost this week.