Finding a specific tribute in a local paper shouldn't feel like a part-time job. Honestly, when you’re looking for The Times of Northwest Indiana obituaries, you’re usually either grieving, helping a friend, or deep in a genealogy rabbit hole. You don't want "optimized experiences." You want a name, a date, and maybe a photo that captures a life well-lived.
The Times—often called the NWI Times or the Munster Times by locals—has been the record of record for Lake, Porter, and LaPorte counties for generations. But the way we find these records has changed. Gone are the days when you had to wait for the morning delivery to see who passed. Now, it’s a mix of digital archives, Legacy.com partnerships, and library microfilm.
It’s kinda complicated, but here is how it actually works.
Where the Recent Records Live
If you’re looking for someone who passed away in the last few days or weeks, your first stop is almost always the digital edition. The paper partners with Legacy.com to host their modern "guest books."
You've probably noticed that if you Google a name, the Legacy link pops up first. That’s because the physical paper and the website are now basically tethered together. When a family pays for a notice in the print edition of The Times, it’s almost always bundled with an online memorial that stays up "permanently."
Wait, what does "permanent" actually mean? In the world of 2026 digital media, it means as long as the hosting contract exists. For most families, this is great because friends from out of state can leave comments or upload photos of "Jerry" from that fishing trip in 1982.
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The Difference Between a Death Notice and an Obituary
People use these terms interchangeably, but in the newsroom at The Times, they’re different animals.
A death notice is basically the "just the facts" version. It’s short. It’s cheap (well, cheaper). It lists the name, the age, and the service time. Families usually run these when they just need to get the word out about the funeral at St. Maria Goretti or Kish Funeral Home.
An obituary is the story. It’s where you find out that Mrs. Higgins was a secret poker champion or that she worked at Inland Steel for 30 years. The Times of Northwest Indiana obituaries are often written by the families themselves or with the help of a funeral director.
- Cost: Notices usually start around $150, but a full-page spread with a color photo? You’re looking at several hundred dollars.
- Verification: You can’t just call up and say someone died. The paper requires verification from a funeral home or a crematorium. This keeps the trolls away.
Hunting for Ancestors: The Deep Archives
Maybe you aren’t looking for a recent passing. Maybe you’re trying to find your great-grandfather who lived in Hammond in the 1940s. This is where it gets fun—and a little dusty.
The Times has undergone several name changes over the last century. It was once the Hammond Times, then the The Times (Munster). If you go back far enough, you might even be looking for the Lake County Star.
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For genealogy, the Lake County Public Library (LCPL) is your best friend. They have a massive obituary index. You don't even have to be in the building for some of it. Their online database lets you search by name and year. If they have the record, they’ll tell you the exact date and page number of the paper.
Where to look for old records:
- Indiana Legacy Database: A statewide project that includes a lot of NWI data.
- Ancestry.com / Newspapers.com: Great, but they cost money.
- Microfilm: Head to the Munster or Crown Point libraries. There’s something strangely satisfying about cranking that old machine and seeing the grainy black-and-white pages from 1955.
How to Submit a Notice Without Getting Ripped Off
If you find yourself in the position of having to write one of these, take a breath. It’s a lot to handle during a loss.
The easiest way is to let the funeral home do it. Places like Geisen, Burns, or Elmwood handle submissions to The Times every single day. They know the deadlines. If you miss the "cutoff" (usually early afternoon for the next day's print), you're out of luck until the following edition.
If you’re doing it yourself, use the online portal at nwitimes.com.
Pro Tip: Word count is everything. Most papers charge by the line or the inch. If you want to save money, keep the flowery language for the eulogy and keep the newspaper notice focused on the "who, when, and where." You can always put the long, 2,000-word life story on the free memorial page the funeral home provides.
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Why Local Obituaries Still Matter
In an era of Facebook posts and "In Memory" TikToks, why does anyone pay for a spot in The Times?
Basically, it’s about the permanent record. When you post on social media, it disappears in the feed. When an obituary is published in The Times of Northwest Indiana, it becomes part of the history of the Region. It goes into the Library of Congress archives. It becomes a findable fact for a grandchild fifty years from now who wants to know what their family was like.
Your Next Steps
If you need to find a record right now, here is exactly what to do:
- For recent deaths (last 10 years): Go to the NWI Times website and click the "Obituaries" tab. It will redirect you to the Legacy portal. Use the filters to narrow it down by "last 30 days" or "last year."
- For older records (pre-2000): Visit the Lake County Public Library's Genealogy page. Search their index first. If you find a hit, you can request a scan of the article for a small fee or visit in person.
- For submitting: Call your funeral director first. Ask if the newspaper fee is included in their "professional services" or if it’s a "cash advance" item. If you’re doing it solo, have a digital photo (JPG) and a credit card ready before you log into the portal.
Death is a part of life in the Region, from the steel mills to the dunes. The Times remains the place where those stories are officially told.