40+
Families connected
24/7
Monitoring
2,500+
Sources
50
States covered
The family connections you're searching for are time-sensitive
Every genealogist knows the heartbreak of discovering a relative just months after they passed. The oral histories, the photos, the family stories—gone forever. Monitoring lets you know when elderly relatives pass, giving you the chance to attend funerals and connect with family members you've never met.
"When my great-aunt passed, I was notified in time to attend the funeral and meet cousins I never knew existed. One of them had boxes of old family photos. It changed my understanding of my family history."
— Patricia K., Genealogy Researcher
The Unique Value of Obituaries for Genealogical Research
Obituaries are among the most information-rich documents available for genealogical research. Unlike vital records that contain only essential facts, obituaries often include biographical narratives that reveal family relationships, migration histories, and life events that would otherwise be lost to time. A single obituary might mention parents, spouse, children, grandchildren, siblings, and even close friends, providing connection points that can extend your research in multiple directions simultaneously.
For genealogists, the timing of obituary discovery is often critical. When an elderly relative passes, the funeral or memorial service brings together family members who may have known the deceased for decades. These gatherings represent irreplaceable opportunities to collect oral histories, share photographs, and make connections with living relatives who possess knowledge that exists nowhere else. Missing these opportunities means losing access to information that will never be documented in any public record.
Traditional approaches to tracking relatives involve periodically searching obituary websites and local newspapers, hoping to catch notices before they expire or are archived behind paywalls. This manual approach is both time-consuming and unreliable, particularly when tracking relatives in multiple states or countries. Obituaries can appear at any time, and missing even a few days of checking can mean missing the notice entirely, or learning about it too late to attend services.
Automated obituary monitoring solves this problem by continuously scanning thousands of sources and alerting you immediately when potential matches are found. Instead of spending hours each week manually checking obituary sites, you can add the names of relatives you are tracking and let the system notify you when relevant obituaries appear. This approach is not only more efficient but more reliable, ensuring that you never miss a notice due to vacation, illness, or simply forgetting to check.
Special Considerations for Adoptees and DNA Discoveries
For adoptees and individuals who have discovered biological family through DNA testing, obituary monitoring serves a uniquely important function. Many biological relatives, particularly birth parents, may not be open to direct contact during their lifetimes. This creates a painful situation where you know about relatives you cannot approach, but still want to learn more about your biological family history and potentially connect with siblings or other relatives who may be more open to contact.
When a birth parent or other biological relative passes away, the dynamics often change. Memorial services bring together family members who may never have known about you, creating opportunities for introductions that would not have been possible otherwise. Obituaries themselves often contain information about surviving relatives, birthplaces, and family history that fills gaps in your personal narrative. Some adoptees have met half-siblings for the first time at memorial services, beginning relationships that enrich both parties' lives.
Monitoring in these situations requires sensitivity and respect for boundaries. ObituaryMonitor provides a way to stay informed without intruding on relatives who have requested privacy. When the time comes, you can choose how to respond to the information, whether that means attending services, reaching out to surviving family members, or simply preserving the obituary as part of your family history. The choice remains entirely yours, but at least you have the option rather than learning about the death months or years later.
Why genealogists choose ObituaryMonitor
Keep track of the relatives you've discovered and never miss an opportunity to connect.
Connect Before It's Too Late
Elderly relatives hold irreplaceable family stories and memories. Know when they pass so you can attend services and connect with other family members.
Preserve Family History
Obituaries contain valuable genealogical information: maiden names, surviving relatives, birthplaces, and family connections you may not have known about.
Expand Your Family Tree
Obituaries often mention relatives you didn't know existed. Discover siblings, children, and extended family connections to enrich your research.
Meet Living Relatives
Funerals bring family together. Knowing when distant relatives pass gives you the opportunity to attend services and meet cousins you've never known.
Built for family history research
- Track distant relatives across all 50 states
- High-confidence matching with location filtering
- Email and SMS alerts for immediate notification
- Obituary links preserve genealogical data
- Track multiple family branches simultaneously
- Private and respectful monitoring
Sarah M.
Adoptee & Genealogist
"My biological father didn't want contact. ObituaryMonitor let me know when he passed so I could attend the funeral and meet my half-siblings for the first time. It was life-changing."
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions from genealogy researchers.
How can obituary monitoring help with genealogy research?
Obituaries contain valuable genealogical information: maiden names, surviving relatives, children, grandchildren, birthplaces, and family connections. Monitoring helps you discover this information and connect with living relatives at funerals and memorial services.
Can I monitor multiple family branches?
Yes. You can set up monitoring for as many people as your plan allows. Many genealogists track multiple family lines simultaneously—monitoring distant cousins, elderly relatives, and people they've discovered through research.
Will I know about distant relatives I've never met?
If you have their name and approximate location (or even just their name), you can set up monitoring. When their obituary is published, you'll be notified and can potentially attend services or connect with their surviving family.
How does monitoring help me meet living relatives?
Funerals bring family together. When you're notified about a distant relative's passing, you can attend services and meet other descendants—cousins, second cousins, and extended family you may never have known about otherwise.
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