How do you find a death annoucement from several yrs ago?

Question

my grandfather died and now i want to go back and find the obit,also would like to see if there was a will how do i find this information

Answer 1

In the USA most newspapers charge for archive lookups. Go to the public library. You will need his exact death date. His obit will be in microfilm copies of the newspaper, anywhere from the day to 8 days after he died.

The county court, probate devision will be able to tell you if he left a will.

Answer 2

Contact the local newspaper that would have run the obit and ask the how to get it. All newspapers keep copies of past issues for sometimes decades.

Answer 3

Ted Pack has given you the answer for the US, same applies to the UK.

The local library (Reference Section) usually has a Local History Section; ask the Reference librarian about newspaper archives.

Try the Probate Office in the area in which he lived for finding a Will.

With most Family History documents, if you can find them locally, it will be cheaper than trying to obtain them from National Archives.

Answer 4

If you want to know if your grandfather left a will the best way to find this out is to contact the Probate court  in the county seat of the community where your grandfather was living before he passed. You may need to know the date of his death depending on the data base of records kept there.  The obit will give you the date of death and survivors at the time of his death but no information regarding a will. Contact funeral homes and newspapers in the town where your grandfather died for obit announcements. Also if he's buried in a cemetery instead of having been cremated the cemetery will have records that may be useful.  Good luck.