When someone passes away in eastern Pennsylvania, families often turn to local print and digital spaces to announce the loss and celebrate a life. For generations, The Morning Call has served as the primary newspaper of record for Allentown and the broader Lehigh Valley. Its obituary section does more than just list dates; it binds a community together through shared history, collective mourning, and genealogical preservation.
Understanding how to navigate, submit, or search these records matters whether you're coping with a recent loss or tracing your local ancestry. Let's break down how these notices function, how to work with them, and why they remain essential community anchors.
The Role of Local Obituaries in the Lehigh Valley
A regional newspaper obituary acts as a public acknowledgment of grief. In an era where digital communication is often fleeting and fragmented, print and structured online archives offer permanence. When residents open The Morning Call, they encounter the milestones of neighbors, coworkers, and community leaders.
This shared visibility helps lighten the heavy burden of isolation that often accompanies loss. Knowing that a community acknowledges a person's existence and contribution provides quiet comfort to grieving families. Beyond emotional support, these pages form a living archive. Historians, local researchers, and descendants frequently use decades of past notices to map out regional demographics, local business histories, and family trees.
Types of Notices Available
Families dealing with a loss have several options depending on their budget, how much detail they want to share, and how quickly the information needs to reach the public:
- Death Notices: These are short, factual announcements. They usually include the basic identity of the deceased, age, place of residence, and essential details regarding visiting hours or private services.
- Standard Obituaries: Paid notices that offer more space for a brief biography, career highlights, surviving family members, and personal tributes.
- Extended Memorial Tributes: Highly customized layouts that allow for multiple photographs, long-form storytelling, poems, and specific requests for charitable donations in lieu of flowers.
Choosing the right format depends largely on personal preference and the wishes left behind by the individual.
How to Submit an Obituary to The Morning Call
Submitting a notice to a regional publication can feel daunting while you're emotionally overwhelmed. Most newspapers streamline this process by coordinating directly with regional mortuaries.
Working Through a Funeral Home
The most common and seamless method is to let your chosen funeral director handle the submission. Funeral homes in Allentown, Bethlehem, Easton, and surrounding Lehigh Valley towns have direct submission portals with The Morning Call. They draft the text alongside you, format it to meet publication guidelines, calculate costs based on word count and photo inclusions, and submit it directly.
Direct Submissions and Verification
If you are managing arrangements independently, you can contact the newspaper's classified or obituary desk directly. You'll need to provide proof of death—typically a signed death certificate or verification from the attending medical professional or crematory. Newspapers require this verification to prevent fraud and protect grieving families from malicious pranks.
Deadlines and Timing
Timing is critical when coordinating memorial services. Publications operate on strict daily deadlines. If you miss the afternoon cutoff for the next morning's print edition, the notice will be delayed by a full day. Always ask your funeral director or publication representative for the exact daily deadline, especially for weekend editions.
Using Historical Archives for Genealogy
If you aren't mourning a recent loss but are instead researching family history, The Morning Call archives from decades past are a goldmine. Regional historical societies, the Allentown Public Library, and digital databases like GenealogyBank maintain extensive collections of past editions.
When searching old records, keep these practical strategies in mind:
- Search by Initials: Older editions frequently listed married women by their husband's initials (e.g., Mrs. John Doe) rather than their own first names.
- Anticipate Misspellings: Historical typesetters and editors often made typos transcribing handwritten notes over the phone. Try searching with wildcards or phonetic variations.
- Cross-Reference Places of Employment: Mention of local factories, steel mills, hospitals, or schools can help confirm you've found the right person among individuals with common names.
You can explore broader historical record preservation guidelines through the National Archives to understand how local newspapers fit into national genealogical tracking.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does it cost to publish an obituary?
Pricing varies based on length, the inclusion of photographs, and whether it runs in print, online, or both. Newspapers typically charge by the line or by column inch. Funeral homes usually bundle these publication fees into overall service packages.
Can I edit an obituary after it has been published?
Minor corrections—such as fixing a misspelled name or adjusting a service time—can sometimes be made for subsequent digital runs, but print editions cannot be changed once printed. It's vital to proofread the draft carefully before giving final approval.
Where can I read current notices online?
Current notices and archived entries for the region are hosted digitally through partner platforms like Legacy.com, which aggregates local newspaper deaths across Pennsylvania.
What should I include in a personal tribute?
Beyond basic dates, focus on what made the person unique: their passions, professional achievements, quirks, community involvement, and the names of beloved pets or close friends who shaped their world.
