If you’ve lived in LaSalle County for any length of time, you know that The Times (often referred to as My Web Times) is basically the heartbeat of local information for Streator and Ottawa. When someone passes away, the first place neighbors look is at the times streator il obituaries. It’s more than just a list of names; it’s how this community stays connected. But honestly, trying to navigate digital archives or figure out how to post a tribute can be a bit of a headache if you don't know where to click.
Finding a specific notice from last week—or even last decade—requires a little bit of "insider" knowledge about how Shaw Media manages their records. You’re not just looking for a PDF of a newspaper. You’re looking for a legacy.
How to Find Recent The Times Streator IL Obituaries
The most direct way to see who has passed recently is through the official Shaw Local portal. Most people just Google the name, but that often lands you on a third-party site that wants to sell you flowers before you even read the service times.
If you want the primary source, you head to the "My Web Times" section of the Shaw Local website. They usually group Streator and Ottawa together because the paper covers the whole Illinois River valley area.
Using Legacy.com vs. The Newspaper Site
Most local papers, including The Times, partner with Legacy.com. It’s a massive database. While it's great for searching, it can feel a little corporate.
- The Newspaper Site: Best for "Today’s Paper" feel and local funeral arrangements.
- Legacy.com: Best for searching by year or finding people who moved away from Streator but had their obit published back home.
You’ll find names like Donald William King or Stephen D. Kmetz popping up in recent January 2026 listings. These entries typically include the visitation hours at local spots like Solon-Telford or Winterrowd-Hagi.
Why Local Funeral Homes Are Often Faster
Here is a little secret: if you are looking for the absolute latest information—like if a service was moved because of a snowstorm—the newspaper might be a step behind. Streator's funeral homes update their own websites before the paper goes to print.
Solon-Telford Funeral Home
Located on Seventh Street, they’ve been a staple since what feels like forever. Their "Recent Obituaries" page is usually updated the same day a family makes arrangements. If you saw a name in the times streator il obituaries but need more details on the "Tribute Wall," checking the Solon-Telford site directly is usually your best bet.
Winterrowd-Hagi and Hagi-Schultz
These are the other big players in town. They handle a huge volume of the local services. Interestingly, Hagi-Schultz often has very detailed "Celebration of Life" information that might get trimmed for space in the physical newspaper.
Searching the Archives: Going Back in Time
Maybe you aren't looking for someone who passed yesterday. Maybe you’re doing genealogy or trying to settle an estate. Finding older the times streator il obituaries requires a different toolkit.
Ancestry.com actually has a specific landing page for The Times (Streator) obituaries. It’s organized by last name. If you're looking for a "P" name—like P'anforth or Pacetti—you can browse through digitized records that go back decades.
If you don't want to pay for a subscription, the Streator Public Library is your best friend. They have microfilm. Yes, it’s old school. Yes, it makes your eyes hurt after twenty minutes. But it is the only way to find those small "Death Notices" from the 1950s or 60s that never made it onto the internet.
How to Submit an Obituary to The Times
If you're the one in charge of the arrangements, you've got a lot on your plate. Most funeral directors will handle the submission for you. They have accounts with Shaw Media and know the deadlines.
However, if you are doing a "For Sale By Owner" style tribute—maybe for someone who passed out of state—you’ll need to contact the Shaw Media obit desk directly.
- Email: ottawaobits@shawlocal.com
- Phone: 815-526-4438
- The Deadline: Usually, you need everything submitted by early afternoon to make the next day's cycle, but that changes on weekends.
Don't expect it to be free. The "Long Form" obituaries with a photo and a poem can cost a few hundred dollars. If you're on a budget, ask for a "Death Notice," which is basically just the facts: name, date, and funeral time.
Common Mistakes People Make
Most people forget that Streator is a "commuter" obituary town. Because we are right on the edge of LaSalle and Livingston counties, someone might have lived in Streator but their obituary was published in the Pontiac Daily Leader or the LaSalle News-Tribune.
Always check the surrounding town papers if you can't find the name in the times streator il obituaries. Sometimes families choose the paper based on where the deceased worked for 40 years, not necessarily where they slept.
Another thing: check the spelling. Seriously. If you search for "Smith" with a "y" and they spelled it with an "i," the search bar on these news sites will tell you "Zero Results Found." It’s not very smart software.
Practical Steps for Your Search
If you are looking for someone right now, follow this order to save time:
- Check the Funeral Home Site: Look at Solon-Telford, Winterrowd-Hagi, or Hagi-Schultz first. It's the most "raw" and current data.
- Visit Shaw Local: Go to the "Obituaries" section under the LaSalle County tab for the official newspaper record.
- Use Legacy.com: Use this if you only have a last name and a rough year.
- Call the Library: For anything older than 2005, the physical archives or microfilm are usually necessary.
When you find the obituary, take a screenshot or print it to a PDF immediately. Newspaper websites change their "paywall" rules all the time, and something that is free today might be behind a $15-a-month subscription wall by next year.
To get the most accurate and up-to-date information, you can always reach out to the Streator Area Chamber of Commerce if you're trying to locate a specific historical figure or a business owner whose passing might have been a "front-page" story rather than just a standard listing. They keep a pretty good pulse on the town's history.