7 Essential Facts About South Florida Sun Sentinel Obituaries You Need To Know In 2025

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Navigating the process of publishing an obituary or searching for a loved one’s death notice in South Florida can be a complex and emotional task, especially in a large metropolitan area like Fort Lauderdale and Broward County. This updated guide, current as of December 2025, provides the latest, most precise information on the *South Florida Sun Sentinel* obituary system, covering everything from current costs and submission deadlines to the powerful historical archives that trace back nearly four decades. For families, funeral homes, and genealogists, understanding the newspaper’s specific requirements is crucial for ensuring a timely and accurate tribute.

The *Sun Sentinel* remains a primary source for memorializing lives across South Florida, serving communities from Palm Beach County down to Miami-Dade. Whether you are placing a new notice or conducting historical research, the digital and print platforms offer different features and services. We've compiled the most vital, up-to-date facts to simplify your search and submission process today.

Key Features and Archival Access for South Florida Sun Sentinel Obituaries (1986–2025)

The *South Florida Sun Sentinel* provides a comprehensive historical record of life and loss in the region. Understanding how their archives and current listings are structured is the first step for anyone conducting a search or seeking to publish a notice. This section details the core components of the newspaper’s memorial offerings.

  • Extensive Archival Depth: The digital and print archives for *Sun Sentinel* obituaries are extensive, allowing researchers and family members to search listings dating back to 1986. This historical depth is a critical resource for genealogy and local history research.
  • Digital Partnership Access: The newspaper’s death records are often indexed and searchable through major genealogical platforms. You can find *Sun Sentinel* obituaries and death notices via services like GenealogyBank and Ancestry, which offer powerful search tools for finding long-lost family members in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.
  • Distinction Between Obituaries and Death Notices: While often used interchangeably, the *Sun Sentinel* typically publishes paid, detailed obituaries submitted by families or funeral homes, which include biographical information and funeral service details. Death notices are generally shorter, sometimes free or minimal listings, but the modern digital platform often merges these listings for ease of search.
  • The "In Memoriam" Section: Separate from standard obituaries, the *In Memoriam* section allows families to place anniversary or remembrance notices for deceased loved ones, often on the one-year or other significant anniversaries of their passing.
  • Geographic Coverage: The listings cover a wide range of South Florida communities, including major areas like Broward County, Palm Beach County, and often notices from adjacent regions, making it a central record for the entire metro area.

Current Submission Process, Deadlines, and Costs in 2025

For families and funeral homes, the process of submitting an obituary is time-sensitive and requires adherence to specific guidelines. The *Sun Sentinel* offers both self-service and direct submission options, with costs that vary based on length and inclusion of a photo.

Step-by-Step Guide to Placing an Obituary

The *South Florida Sun Sentinel* provides multiple channels for placing a paid notice:

  1. Self-Service Online Portal: The most common method is using the dedicated online portal at placeanad.sun-sentinel.com/obituary. This system guides the user through template selection, text entry, photo upload, and payment.
  2. Direct Email Submission: Funeral homes and individuals can also submit text and photos directly to the classifieds department via email at ssobits@sunsentinel.com. This is often preferred for complex or custom layouts.
  3. Phone Consultation: For questions regarding costs, deadlines, or technical issues, the advertising department can be reached at 800-250-2000.

Understanding the Cost Structure and Deadlines

The cost of a notice is primarily determined by its length and the inclusion of extra features like a photograph or a special icon. The newspaper offers a tiered pricing model:

  • Mini Obituary (Starting at $45.00): This is the most economical option, typically limited to the person's name and five lines of text.
  • Standard Obituary: This option allows for a significant amount of text, a photograph, and various layout choices, with the final price calculated based on the total space used.
  • Online Permanence: A key benefit of placing a paid notice is that the online version of the obituary remains posted indefinitely on the *Sun Sentinel* website, serving as a permanent memorial.

Critical Deadlines: To ensure publication on a specific day, strict deadlines must be met. For example, to appear in the Sunday edition, the obituary must typically be submitted and approved by Friday at 4 PM. Deadlines for other days are generally 4 PM two days prior to publication (e.g., Friday 4 PM for Monday's paper). It is always recommended to confirm the current deadline with the classifieds department.

The Role of Obituaries in South Florida’s Community and Genealogy

Beyond being a simple announcement, the *Sun Sentinel* obituary section serves a vital function in the South Florida community. It connects friends, colleagues, and distant family members, providing essential information on memorial services, funeral arrangements, and charitable donation requests.

Entities and Topical Authority: A Genealogy Goldmine

For genealogists and family historians, the *Sun Sentinel* archives are an invaluable resource, often providing details not found in government records. The high volume of listings from areas like Fort Lauderdale, Boca Raton, and West Palm Beach means the records are a rich source of biographical data.

Key entities and LSI keywords that reinforce the topical authority of the *Sun Sentinel* include:

  • Funeral Home Records: Many submissions are coordinated directly with local funeral homes (e.g., T.M. Ralph Funeral Homes, Lakeside Funeral Home), ensuring accuracy and consistency.
  • Affiliated Publications: The reach extends beyond the main paper, sometimes including notices from related publications like the *Jewish Journal: South Broward* and the *South Florida Times*.
  • Historical Context: The archives chronicle the lives of notable South Florida residents, including artists, politicians, and business leaders. For example, the passing of figures like Alan Ira Becker (a noted performer and artist in South Florida) in 2024 was prominently featured, providing a permanent historical record of his contributions.
  • Legal Notices: The classifieds section also contains public and legal notices, which are often cross-referenced with death notices and estate settlements.

When conducting a search, utilize LSI keywords such as *Broward County death records*, *South Florida memorial services*, and *Sun Sentinel obituary archives* to narrow down the results effectively. The ability to search by specific dates, such as the *date of death*, age, or location (Fort Lauderdale, Delray Beach, etc.), makes the digital archive a powerful tool for tracing family history.

Writing a Meaningful Obituary: What to Include

A well-written obituary should be more than just a list of facts. The *Sun Sentinel* encourages families to include a comprehensive set of details to honor the deceased's life:

  • Full legal name and any well-known "nickname."
  • Age at death and date of death.
  • City of residence in South Florida.
  • A brief biography or career highlights.
  • Names of immediate family members (survivors and predeceased).
  • Detailed funeral or memorial service information (dates, times, locations, cemetery).
  • A request for memorials, such as donations to a specific charity in lieu of flowers.

By following these guidelines and utilizing the available digital and print services, families can ensure that their loved one's memory is preserved accurately and permanently in the public record of South Florida.

7 Essential Facts About South Florida Sun Sentinel Obituaries You Need to Know in 2025
south florida sun sentinel obituaries
south florida sun sentinel obituaries

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