If you’re from Lorain County, you know the deal. The Chronicle-Telegram is essentially the heartbeat of Elyria and the surrounding towns. It’s been that way since the paper formed from a merger back in 1919. But let’s be real: most people aren't checking the front page for city council notes first. They’re heading straight for the chronicle telegram obits.
It’s about community. Honestly, in a place like Elyria or Lorain, an obituary isn't just a notice. It’s a final story. It’s a way to see that Frank Pelusi—who just passed at 91—wasn't just a name, but the "Mr. Fashion Cleaners" who ran his tailoring shop for 70 years. These snippets of life are what keep the local history alive.
Finding the Chronicle Telegram Obits Without the Headache
You’d think finding a local obituary would be simple, right? Sometimes it is. Other times, you’re clicking through three different websites trying to find a service time. Basically, there are three main ways people actually access these records today.
First, there’s the official site, chroniclet.com. They have a dedicated obituary section. It’s updated daily. If you’re looking for someone who passed away yesterday, like Anita A. Counts or Ruth E. Nichols, that’s your best bet. You’ll find the full text there, often with photos.
Then you’ve got the partnership with Legacy.com. Most local newspapers, including the Chronicle-Telegram, feed their notices into Legacy. This is actually pretty handy because it allows for "Guest Books." You can leave a note for the family or light a virtual candle. It's a bit more interactive than just reading a block of text in the Sunday paper.
The third way—and this is where people get stuck—is the archive.
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Why the Archives Matter
If you are doing genealogy, the chronicle telegram obits are a goldmine. The paper has been under Hudnutt family ownership since the 1920s. That kind of consistency is rare. It means the records are actually well-kept.
- Ancestry.com has a massive index of these obituaries.
- NewspaperArchive is another heavy hitter for the old stuff.
- Local libraries in Lorain County often have microfilm if you want to go old school.
But here is the thing: the digital age changed how we search. You can’t just type a name and expect a perfect result every time. Middle initials matter. Maiden names are huge. If you’re looking for Joyce Shinsky Pleban, you might find her under "Pleban" or "Shinsky" depending on how the family filed the notice.
The Cost of Saying Goodbye
Let’s talk about something most people don't realize until they’re in the middle of a crisis. Running an obituary in the Chronicle-Telegram isn't free.
Usually, the funeral home handles the submission. They have a portal. But if you’re doing it yourself, you have to go through their "Submit an Obituary" form on the website. The price varies based on length and whether you include a photo. Honestly, it can get pricey. That’s why you’ll sometimes see a very short "death notice" versus a full "obituary." A death notice is basically just the facts: name, date, and funeral home. An obituary is the biography.
What People Get Wrong About Online Searches
Most people assume that if it’s not on Google, it doesn't exist. That’s a mistake with local news.
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The Chronicle-Telegram uses a paywall for a lot of its content. While many obituaries remain accessible, searching for older ones often requires an All-Access Subscription. If you’re hitting a wall, it’s probably because the content is tucked away in the E-edition, which is a digital replica of the actual printed paper.
Pro Tip: If you’re looking for someone from the 1950s or 60s, don't just search the name. Search the address or the name of the funeral home (like Dicken or Busch). Often, the OCR (optical character recognition) on old scanned papers misses the main name but catches the smaller details.
Real Stories in the Recent Chronicle Telegram Obits
Just looking at the records from early 2026, you see the fabric of the community. You see Michael Edward Schestag, who passed at 48 and was described as the "glue for his family." You see veterans like Frank Pelusi who served in Germany. These aren't just records; they are the narrative of Lorain County.
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Actionable Steps for Your Search
If you are currently trying to track down a specific notice or place one, here is exactly what you should do:
- Check the "Obituaries" category on chroniclet.com first. It’s the most direct source for anything within the last few weeks.
- Use maiden names. If you’re searching for a woman, always search "nee [Maiden Name]" as the Chronicle often includes this in the header.
- Contact the Elyria Public Library. If the online search fails for an older record, their librarians are experts at navigating the specific Lorain County archives.
- Verify the date. Obituaries usually run 2-4 days after the passing. If they died on a Monday, check the Wednesday and Thursday editions.
The chronicle telegram obits remain the definitive record for the region. Whether you're paying respects or tracing your roots, knowing where to look—and understanding that the "E-edition" might hold the keys you're missing—makes the process a whole lot less frustrating.
Keep your search terms specific, and don't be afraid to pick up the phone and call the newsroom if a digital search leads to a dead end. They’ve been at 225 East Avenue for a long time, and they generally know where the bodies—and the records—are buried.