Finding a specific notice in The Telegraph Alton obituaries used to mean flipping through a physical newspaper at the kitchen table or squinting at microfilm in a dark library basement. Things have changed. Today, the process is mostly digital, but honestly, it’s also a bit fragmented. Whether you are looking for a neighbor who passed away last Tuesday or you’re digging into family genealogy from the 1800s, where you look depends entirely on the date you’re targeting.
Local news in the Alton and Riverbend area has always revolved around The Telegraph. It’s the primary record for Madison County. If you've ever tried to hunt down a death notice and felt like you were hitting a paywall or a broken link, you aren't alone. It’s kinda frustrating when you just want to find service times or leave a condolence message.
Where the Recent Records Live
For anything published recently—basically within the last few years—your best bet is the digital partnership between The Telegraph and Legacy. This is where the "live" data sits.
Most people start at the official newspaper website, but you’ll often get redirected. Legacy hosts the searchable database that includes people from Alton, Godfrey, Wood River, Bethalto, and the surrounding towns. You can search by first and last name, or just browse by date if you aren't 100% sure of the spelling.
Recent entries like Peggy Lou Doles (who passed Jan 7, 2026) or Marsha Willeford (Jan 2026) show up here with full bios. These digital memorials aren't just text anymore; they usually have guestbooks where you can see what memories friends are sharing.
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Sometimes the "official" site feels cluttered with ads. If that’s the case, local alternatives like RiverBender often carry similar local obituary information for the Metro East area, and they sometimes catch notices that might be formatted differently in the paper.
Why the Date Matters
If you are looking for someone who passed away between 2012 and 2019, things get tricky. There was a period where digital archives weren't as seamlessly integrated. For these "middle-age" records, you might actually need to use a library resource. The Hayner Public Library in Alton is basically the gold standard for this. They have specific online resources that aren't available to the general public from home due to copyright stuff.
The Telegraph Alton Obituaries: Searching the Archives
Digging into the past is a totally different beast. If you're looking for an ancestor from the 19th century, you’re in luck because The Telegraph has some of the best-preserved historical records in Illinois.
We’re talking about records dating back to 1836.
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- GenealogyBank: This is a paid service, but it’s one of the few places where you can actually see the original newspaper scans. It’s useful if you want to see the "Death Notices" column exactly as it appeared in 1940.
- The Hayner Library Genealogy & Local History Library: Located on State Street in Alton, this place is a treasure trove. They have the Alton Evening Telegraph on microfilm and digital databases like NewsBank that cover January 2020 to the present in full-color PDF.
- Madison County ILGenWeb: This is a volunteer-run site. It’s free. It’s basically a labor of love where people have transcribed old obituaries from The Telegraph and other local papers. You can find snippets of residents from the 1800s, like Henry Maas who died in 1903 or even early cholera victims from the 1830s.
How to Post a Notice Yourself
If you’ve unfortunately lost someone and need to place an obituary in The Telegraph Alton obituaries, you should know it’s rarely free. Most people go through their funeral home, but you can do it yourself.
The pricing typically starts around $175 to $280 for a basic notice.
The newspaper usually charges by the line. A photo usually counts as 5 or 6 lines of text. If you want it to run for multiple days, the price for the second and third days is usually discounted. You have to get your submission in by 3 p.m. Monday through Friday to make the next print cycle.
Honestly, it's easier to let the funeral director handle it. They have direct portals to the newspaper's "Obit Desk" and can ensure the formatting doesn't get messed up. If you're doing it solo, you can email obits@thetelegraph.com or use the online submission tool at obits.hearstillinois.com.
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Avoiding Common Mistakes
One thing people often mess up is the "survivor" list. In the rush of grief, it’s easy to forget a cousin or misspell a grandchild’s name. Once it’s in print, it’s permanent.
Another tip? Mention the maiden name. For genealogy purposes, a woman’s maiden name is the "key" that unlocks her family history for future generations. If you leave it out, you’re making it ten times harder for a great-grandchild to find her in 50 years.
Actionable Steps for Your Search
If you are currently searching for a record, start with these specific actions:
- Check Legacy.com first for anyone who passed away in the last 2-3 years.
- Visit the Hayner Library website if you are a local resident; they provide remote access to some databases with a library card.
- Use the search term "site:thetelegraph.com [Name]" on Google to bypass some of the clunky on-site search engines.
- Contact the Madison County Genealogical Society if you hit a brick wall with an ancestor from the early 1900s.
When searching, try variations of the name. Old records often used initials (like "J.W. Smith" instead of "John William Smith"). Keeping your search broad at first will help you catch those older, less-precise entries in The Telegraph Alton obituaries archives.