Finding a specific notice in the union leader obituaries manchester nh section shouldn't feel like a part-time job. Honestly, if you grew up in the Queen City, you know the Union Leader is basically the paper of record for the whole state, but its heart is right here on Amherst Street. It's where we go to see who we lost, sure. But it’s also a massive, tangled archive of New Hampshire history that stretches back to the 1800s.
Most people think you just google a name and the tribute pops up. Sometimes it does. Often, it doesn't.
Maybe you’re looking for a relative who passed away in the 70s, or you're trying to figure out where the calling hours are for a service this weekend at Phaneuf or Lambert. The process has changed a ton lately. Between the digital paywalls, the Legacy.com partnerships, and the way the physical paper is printed, navigating it takes a bit of local know-how.
The Reality of Searching Today
If you need a recent notice, you’ve basically got two paths. The first is the official website. The New Hampshire Union Leader (and its sister, the New Hampshire Sunday News) puts their current obits online through a partnership with Legacy. It’s pretty searchable. You type in "Jeffrey Cohen" or "Judith Goonan"—both of whom the community lost just this week in January 2026—and you'll get the full text, the guestbook, and the funeral home details.
But here is the catch.
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Not every death notice makes it to the website. Families have to pay for that digital "permanent" placement. If they only paid for a one-day print run in the physical paper to save money (and let's be real, newspaper ads are pricey now), it might not show up in a standard Google search.
Where the Old Stuff Lives
Hunting for someone from 1954? Or maybe the 1980s?
- NewsBank: This is the big one. If you have a Manchester City Library card, you can get into the NewsBank database for free. It’s got text-only archives going back to 1989. For the visual learners, they have full PDF versions of the actual newspaper pages, but that only goes back to 2018.
- The Microfilm Room: This is the "old school" way. If you’re at the Carpenter Memorial Building on Pine Street, head to the New Hampshire Room. They have every edition of the Union Leader on microfilm dating back to 1863. It's a vibe. It’s also the only way to find those old "social notices" that preceded modern obituaries.
- GenealogyBank: If you don't mind a subscription, this site has digitized a massive chunk of the Union Leader’s history. It’s often easier to use than the library’s portal if you’re doing heavy-duty family tree work.
Placing an Obituary in 2026
If you're on the other side of this and need to publish a notice, the sticker shock is real. I’ve seen families get hit with a $500 bill for a medium-length story with a photo. The union leader obituaries manchester nh pricing is tiered based on how much you want to say.
Basically, a "Death Notice" is just the facts: name, date, no service info. Sometimes those are free or very cheap (under $100) if they stay under 70 words. But a "Standard" obituary, which usually includes a small headshot and about 100 words, starts around $205. If you want that big, beautiful photo and 200+ words to really tell their life story, you’re looking at $330 and up.
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Don't forget the deadlines. For the daily Union Leader, you need that text in by 5:00 PM (Sunday through Thursday). If you want it in the big Sunday News edition, the cutoff is 3:00 PM on Saturday. Most people just let the funeral home handle this, which is honestly easier because they know the formatting the editors expect.
The "Hidden" Records
One thing people forget: The Union Leader isn't the only game in town anymore. While it’s the biggest, Manchester Ink Link and the local Patch sites often carry tributes too. But if you're looking for the "official" record that lawyers and genealogists trust, the Union Leader is still the gold standard in Hillsborough County.
How to Get the Best Search Results
Stop just typing a name into Google. It’s too messy. Instead, use the specific "site search" trick. Type site:legacy.com "Union Leader" [Name] into your browser. This forces the search to only look at the official obituary partner site.
If you are looking for a woman, remember that older records (pre-1970s) often listed women as "Mrs. John Smith" rather than using their first name. It's a frustrating relic of the time, but searching by the husband's name often unlocks the door to the record you actually need.
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Also, watch for the "In Memoriam" section. These aren't new obituaries; they are paid anniversary tributes. They appear frequently and can sometimes confuse people looking for an actual date of death. They are a nice sentiment, but they aren't the primary record.
Actionable Steps for Your Search
If you’re stuck and can't find a record, here is exactly what you should do:
- Check the Library First: If you live in Manchester, use your library card to log into the NewsBank portal from home. It saves you the $10-$20 fee that other genealogy sites charge.
- Verify the Date: Obituaries usually run 3-5 days after the death. If you only know the month, search a 10-day window around that time.
- Call the Obituary Desk: If you're truly desperate, the Union Leader obituary editor can be reached at 603-206-1503. They are generally available after 2:00 PM.
- Use Social Media: For recent deaths (last 5 years), searching the "Manchester NH Information" or "You know you're from Manchester, NH if..." groups on Facebook is surprisingly effective. People often share the direct links there before they even show up in a Google crawl.
The paper might be smaller than it used to be, but the union leader obituaries manchester nh archive remains the most complete diary of the city’s people. Whether you're grieving or researching, knowing these shortcuts saves you a lot of headache and probably a few bucks.