Finding a specific person in the tampa bay times obits can feel like trying to find a single grain of sand at Clearwater Beach on a Saturday in July. It’s a lot. Honestly, if you grew up around here, you know that the "St. Pete Times" (now the Tampa Bay Times) was always more than just a paper; it was the definitive ledger of who we were.
Even now, in early 2026, when everything feels like it’s moved to TikTok or some fleeting social media post, the obituary section remains the one place where a life actually gets a full stop. It's a permanent record. It isn't just about the "who died" part; it’s about the "how they lived" part.
The Real Cost of Saying Goodbye
Let’s get the brass tacks out of the way first. People often ask me if it’s expensive to run a notice. Well, it’s not exactly cheap, but there is some wiggle room.
Currently, the tampa bay times obits offer the first five column lines for free on the first day of publication. That’s enough to get the name, age, and maybe a very brief service detail out there without spending a dime. But if you want to tell a story? That's where the costs start to climb.
Each additional line—roughly 20 characters—runs about $12. If you want a photo (and most people do), you’re looking at an extra $50 per day.
You’ve also got to account for the $30 Legacy.com fee. This is basically mandatory for any paid obit over six lines, and it keeps the digital guestbook live for 30 days. It’s a bit of a "death tax" on the process, sure, but it’s the only way people from out of state can easily leave a comment or share a memory without having to mail a physical card.
Finding the Old Stuff
If you’re a genealogy buff or just trying to settle a family debate about when Great Aunt Martha actually passed, the archives are your best friend.
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The digital search on the Times’ website is powered by Legacy, which is great for anything from the last few decades. But if you’re digging deeper? You’ll want to check out the Tampa Bay Obituary Index. It covers a massive span from 1855 all the way to 1990.
For the really old records, you'll likely end up looking at microfilm at the St. Petersburg or Tampa downtown libraries. It sounds archaic, but there’s something weirdly cool about scrolling through those black-and-white reels and seeing the ads for 15-cent coffee right next to a family’s most somber announcement.
How the Local Paper Stays Relevant
The Tampa Bay Times is unique because of the Poynter Institute. While other papers across the country were bought up by massive hedge funds and stripped for parts, the Times has fought to stay locally rooted.
This shows up in the tampa bay times obits in a way that’s hard to describe unless you read them regularly. You’ll see notices for former citrus grove owners, Tampa cigar factory workers, and even the occasional "Florida Man" who went out in a blaze of glory (or just a very weird fishing accident).
They capture the specific flavor of the Gulf Coast.
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Some Practical Advice for Writing One
If you find yourself having to write one of these, don't feel like you have to use that stiff, formal language. "He was a beloved father and grandfather" is fine, but "He was a mediocre fisherman but a world-class storyteller at the local VFW" is so much better.
People read these to remember the person, not just to verify the date of the service.
- Check the deadline: Usually, you need to have everything submitted by 4:00 p.m. a day or two before you want it to run.
- Double-check the spelling of names: Once it’s in newsprint, it’s there forever.
- Include a "In Lieu of Flowers" section: It helps guide people who want to do something but don't know what.
The Digital Shift
Kinda crazy to think about, but the online version of the tampa bay times obits actually gets more traffic than many of the front-page news stories.
Death is evergreen content.
The online portal (tampabay.com/obits) is updated daily. It’s searchable by name, date, and even keywords. So if you remember a guy who used to volunteer at the Sunken Gardens but can't remember his last name, you can usually track him down by searching "Sunken Gardens" in the obituary search bar.
Why We Still Read Them
I think we check the obits because it connects us to the neighborhood. You see a name and realize, "Oh, that was the lady who always had the best Christmas lights on 4th Street."
It’s a form of community glue.
The Times has faced some financial hurdles lately—who hasn't in the news business?—but the obituary section is the one part of the paper that feels truly recession-proof. It's the final word on a life lived in the 727 or 813.
Next Steps for Your Search
If you are looking for a specific record right now, start with the search bar at the top of the Tampa Bay Times obituary page. Filter by the last 30 days first to see if it’s recent. If you’re looking for someone from several years ago, use the "Advanced Search" and plug in the year to narrow it down, otherwise, you'll be scrolling through thousands of "Smiths" and "Johnsons."
For those trying to submit a notice yourself, go directly to the "Place an Ad" portal on their site rather than just emailing a random editor. It’ll give you a real-time price quote so you aren't surprised by the bill later.
Make sure you have a high-resolution JPG of the photo ready to go, as blurry photos look even worse when they hit the newsprint.
The paper's staff usually reviews everything for content before it goes live, so don't worry if it doesn't show up the exact second you hit "submit." It usually takes a few hours for the human element to catch up with the digital one.