Finding Express-Times Obituaries: Easton And Lehigh Valley Memorials (2026 Guide)

The Express-Times, serving as the historical and contemporary paper of record for Easton, Pennsylvania, and Warren County, New Jersey, remains the most trusted source for local obituaries and death notices. Whether you are looking for recent services in the Lehigh Valley, conducting deep genealogical research, or planning to submit a memorial notice for a loved one, navigating this repository requires an understanding of modern digital syndication and local archival resources.

Today, The Express-Times publishes its daily news and obituaries digitally through its online home, Lehighvalleylive.com, in partnership with Legacy.com. This guide provides comprehensive, actionable insights into searching archives, understanding publication costs, and navigating local records in Northampton, Lehigh, and Warren counties.

Accessing Recent and Historical Express-Times Obituaries

Finding a death notice or obituary requires different approaches depending on whether the event occurred recently or decades ago. Modern notices are highly digitized and indexable, whereas historical records require a mix of digital archives and physical library research.

Searching Modern Online Records (2000 to 2026)

For any obituaries published over the last two and a half decades, digital databases offer rapid, indexed searching.

• The Digital Portal: All current notices are hosted on the Lehighvalleylive obituary channel, powered by Legacy. To search these, you require the decedent's first and last name, along with an approximate year of death.
• Refining Search Filters: The search engine allows filtration by publication date, location (such as Easton, Bethlehem, Allentown, or Phillipsburg), and keyword. If a last name is common, adding keywords like a specific high school, employer, or church can isolate the correct record.
• Interactive Guestbooks: Modern entries include digital guestbooks where community members leave condolences, share photographs, and light virtual candles. These guestbooks remain open indefinitely for viewing, though entry moderation varies by selected package.

Locating Historical and Genealogical Records (Pre-2000)

If your research extends into the 19th or 20th centuries, standard search engines will rarely suffice. The Express-Times has been in publication since the mid-1800s, meaning vast amounts of ancestral data reside on microfilm or within specialized genealogical databases.

• The Easton Area Public Library (EAPL): The Henry F. Marx Local History Room at the EAPL is the premier repository for local historical research in Easton. They maintain extensive microfilm rolls of The Express-Times (and its predecessor publications).
• The Northampton County Historical & Genealogical Society (NCHGS): Located in Easton, the NCHGS offers researchers access to local family folders, church records, and historical newspaper clippings that predate digital scanning.
• Subscription Databases: Platforms like Newspapers.com and Ancestry.com have digitized substantial runs of The Express-Times. A library card from a participating Lehigh Valley library often grants free remote access to these portals.

Publishing an Obituary in The Express-Times

Placing a memorial notice is a standard step in funeral planning. For those managing arrangements in 2026, understanding the mechanisms of submission and the associated costs ensures a smoother process during a difficult emotional period.

Submission Methods

There are two primary avenues to submit an obituary to The Express-Times:

1. Funeral Home Submission (Recommended): Most licensed funeral homes in the Lehigh Valley and Warren County handle obituary placement as part of their standard administrative services. They verify the death certificate, format the text to newspaper specifications, and upload the files directly through secure portal accounts.
2. Private Citizen Submission: If you are handling arrangements independently or writing a memorial retroactively, you can submit directly to the Advance Local obituaries department. This requires proof of death (such as a death certificate or a letter from the crematorium/funeral director) to prevent fraudulent listings.

Structure of Costs and Packages

Obituary pricing is calculated based on line count, photo inclusion, print run frequency, and digital permanence.

Rate Factors to Keep in Mind

Print versus digital delivery options greatly influence your total cost. While a basic online notice on Lehighvalleylive.com ensures permanent indexation, adding print insertions in the physical Express-Times editions incurs per-line charges. Opting for multi-day print packages or including full-color photographs will adjust the final quotation upward.

Memorial Publication Options in the Lehigh Valley

To help you decide on the most effective platform for a memorial notice, the table below compares the primary regional options available for reaching the Easton, Bethlehem, Allentown, and Warren County communities.

A Step-by-Step Guide to Submitting a Notice

If you are tasked with composing and placing an obituary yourself, follow these steps to ensure compliance with newspaper standards and to optimize search visibility for family members searching online.

Step 1: Gather Critical Biographical Data

Before drafting, compile all essential facts. This includes the full legal name (and maiden name, if applicable), age, date of death, place of residence, significant survivors, predeceased relatives, and details regarding public visitations or memorial services.

Step 2: Draft the Narrative

Write in chronological order. Begin with the announcement of death, followed by a summary of their life achievements, education, career, military service, and organizational involvements. Keep sentences concise to avoid excessive line costs in the print edition.

Step 3: Choose Your Media

Select a high-resolution photograph. Digital submissions should be in JPG or PNG format, ideally showing the individual clearly from the shoulders up. Avoid heavily cropped group photos, which can lose quality during newsprint reproduction.

Step 4: Submit for Verification and Proofing

Upload the text and image via the Lehighvalleylive portal or your funeral director. Always request a digital proof. Review dates, times, addresses of churches or cemeteries, and the spelling of family members' names carefully before authorizing publication.

Step 5: Schedule the Publication Dates

Coordinate the print run with the date of the service. For maximum attendance, plan for the print notice to appear at least three to four days before the scheduled services. The online version will typically go live within hours of proof approval.

Researching Ancestry and Genealogy in Easton

For genealogists tracing families in the Easton area, The Express-Times is an invaluable resource. Because Easton served as a major industrial hub, canal center, and railway crossing point throughout the 19th and 20th centuries, its local newspapers documented a highly transient and diverse workforce.

• The Henry F. Marx Collection: This collection at the Easton Area Public Library contains localized indexes of marriages, births, and deaths compiled from historical newspapers dating back to the late 18th century. It bridges gaps where official county death certificates (not mandated in Pennsylvania until 1906) do not exist.
• Coroner Records and Civil Filings: If an obituary points to a sudden or unusual death, researchers can cross-reference the date with the Northampton County Archives division to locate coroner records, estate administrations, or wills.
• New Jersey Cross-Connections: Because Easton is situated directly across the Delaware River from Phillipsburg, New Jersey, families frequently moved back and forth. Always check the Warren County Library System if a name disappears from Easton records; the individual may have lived or died in Phillipsburg, Alpha, or Lopatcong.

Frequently Asked Questions

How can I find an Express-Times obituary from yesterday?

To locate a recent obituary, visit the obituary section on Lehighvalleylive.com. Because these notices are uploaded daily, you can find recent entries by filtering for deaths published within the last 24 to 48 hours. Alternatively, entering the decedent's last name directly into the search bar on the homepage will display the modern, indexed listing.

What is the deadline for submitting an obituary to print in the next day's paper?

The standard deadline for submitting an obituary for print publication in The Express-Times is generally 2:00 PM EST on the business day prior to publication. However, these deadlines can change during major holidays or weekend runs. It is highly recommended to finalize submissions through your funeral director by mid-morning to ensure ample time for layout, proofing, and pricing verification.

Can I include a photo in a digital-only obituary?

Yes, you can include one or multiple photos in a digital-only obituary hosted on the Lehighvalleylive portal. While print editions charge significantly for photo space due to physical page limits, digital packages offer greater flexibility, allowing families to build richer memorial pages with multiple image galleries and interactive features.

How do I search historical Express-Times obituaries from the 1800s?

To find obituaries from the 19th century, you will need to utilize microfilm collections or digital historical newspaper archives. The Easton Area Public Library holds microfilm of The Express-Times and its historic predecessors. For remote research, subscription services such as Newspapers.com provide digitized, optical-character-recognized (OCR) searchable editions of these archives.

Why can't I find an obituary for someone who recently passed away in Easton?

If an obituary is missing, it is usually because the family chose not to publish a public notice, or the submission process is still underway. Writing and approving an obituary can take several days. Additionally, check if the notice was published under a maiden name, a middle name, or placed in a neighboring publication like Allentown's The Morning Call instead.

Managing Memorial Legacies with Care

Publishing a tribute is a vital step in honoring a loved one and preserving local history for future generations. For support in drafting a comprehensive notice, calculating exact print and digital publication fees, or accessing the historical vaults of the Lehigh Valley, work closely with a licensed local funeral home or contact the Advance Local obituaries department directly. Taking the time to craft a precise record ensures your family's history remains discoverable for decades to come.