Losing someone is heavy. It's a weight that makes even simple tasks, like finding a specific notice or checking service times, feel like climbing a mountain in a snowstorm. If you're looking for Post Tribune obituaries Northwest Indiana, you’re probably dealing with that specific fog right now. Honestly, the way local news has changed over the last decade makes this harder than it used to be. You can’t just walk to the end of the driveway, snap the rubber band off the paper, and flip to the back page as easily as your parents did.
Everything is digital now. Or mostly digital.
📖 Related: Pittsburgh PA Phone Book: Why It’s Still Around and How to Actually Use It
The Post-Tribune, which has been the heartbeat of Lake and Porter counties for generations, has gone through some serious transformations under the ownership of MediaNews Group (and previously Tribune Publishing). This matters because where you find an obituary depends entirely on how the family placed it and how the newspaper’s current digital archive is indexed. It's a mess of legacy systems and modern paywalls.
Why Searching Post Tribune Obituaries Northwest Indiana is Tricky Now
Ever notice how Google sometimes sends you in circles? You type in a name, click a link, and suddenly you’re staring at a generic landing page or a "subscribe now" pop-up. It’s frustrating.
The Post-Tribune serves a massive, diverse area. We’re talking Gary, Merrillville, Hobart, Crown Point, and all the way out to Valparaiso. Because of this wide net, the obituary section is high-traffic. Most people don’t realize that the Post-Tribune actually partners with Legacy.com to host their death notices. If you’re searching on the official newspaper site and get stuck, try going directly to the Legacy portal for Northwest Indiana. It often loads faster and has better filter tools for specific dates.
Here is the thing about the Region: we have a lot of "overlapping" news. Someone might live in Munster but work in Chicago, or grow up in Hammond and move to Schererville. Families often have to choose between the Post-Tribune and The Times of Northwest Indiana (NWI Times). If you can't find the person you’re looking for in one, they are almost certainly in the other.
The Cost Factor Nobody Mentions
Running an obituary isn't cheap. It's actually kind of shocking how much it costs to say goodbye in print. A standard notice in a major regional paper can run several hundred dollars, especially if you add a photo or want it to run for multiple days.
Because of these prices, some families are opting for "shorter" print versions. They’ll put the bare essentials in the Post-Tribune—name, date of death, funeral home—and then post the long, beautiful life story on the funeral home's own website. If you find a "stub" of an obituary that feels way too short, Google the funeral home mentioned. That’s where the "real" story usually lives, along with the guestbook where you can actually leave a comment without hitting a paywall.
Navigating the Archives Like a Pro
If you are doing genealogy or looking for someone who passed away years ago, the process changes completely. The current Post-Tribune website is great for the last couple of years, but for anything older, you need a different toolkit.
Local Libraries are Gold Mines.
The Gary Public Library and the Lake County Public Library system have microfilmed records of the Post-Tribune (and its predecessor, the Gary Post-Tribune) going back decades. You don't even have to be a tech genius. Librarians in the Region are some of the most helpful people you'll ever meet; they deal with these requests daily.Digital Databases.
If you have a library card, you might have free access to NewsBank or ProQuest. These databases allow you to search the actual text of old Post Tribune obituaries Northwest Indiana without scrolling through blurry microfilm. It's a lifesaver for finding that one great-uncle who moved to Portage in the 70s and then disappeared from the family tree.Social Media "In Memoriam" Groups.
Northwest Indiana has a very "small town" vibe despite being so close to Chicago. There are several Facebook groups dedicated to "Region Remembers" or specific high school alumni pages (like "You grew up in Merrillville if..."). Often, someone will scan a physical clipping of a Post-Tribune obit and post it there long before it shows up in a digital archive search.
Don't Ignore the Funeral Home Sites
I can't stress this enough. Places like Geisen Funeral Home, Burns-Kish, or Pruzin Brothers have their own internal search engines. Sometimes the Post-Tribune digital feed lags by 24 to 48 hours. If you know which home is handling the arrangements, go straight to the source. It’s the most "real-time" data you can get. Plus, these sites usually host the livestream links for services, which the newspaper obituaries often omit due to space constraints.
✨ Don't miss: Getting Your Marriage License in Oakland: What Most People Get Wrong
What to Do if You Need to Place a Notice
Maybe you aren't searching for an obit, but need to write one. It’s a daunting task when you’re grieving.
The Post-Tribune usually requires obituaries to be submitted through a funeral home. This is a security measure. It prevents "prank" obituaries (which, believe it or not, are a real thing). If you are handling a DIY memorial or a green burial without a traditional director, you'll need to contact the paper’s intake department directly with a death certificate in hand.
Keep it simple. You don't need to write a novel. Focus on the milestones: where they worked (U.S. Steel? BP? Inland?), where they went to school, and who they loved. In Northwest Indiana, mentioning a person’s church or their favorite local haunt—like a specific pierogi fest or a neighborhood tavern—gives the notice a sense of place that people recognize.
👉 See also: Why the Patek Philippe Calatrava 96 is the Only Watch That Actually Matters
Common Mistakes in Searching
Spelling. Honestly, it's usually just spelling.
European last names in the Region can be complicated. If you can't find a name, try searching with just the first three or four letters followed by an asterisk, or just search by the last name and the city. Also, check the dates. People often search for the date the person passed away, but obituaries usually run 2-4 days after the death. Expand your search window to a full week.
The Post-Tribune has been through the ringer with corporate buyouts, but it remains a vital record of life in Lake and Porter counties. Whether you're looking for a long-lost relative or trying to find service times for a friend, these records are the threads that hold the community's history together.
Practical Steps for Your Search
- Check the Legacy.com Northwest Indiana Portal: This is the most direct digital path for recent deaths (last 5-10 years).
- Use the Lake County Public Library's Online Resources: If you have a local library card, use their "Genealogy" tab to access newspaper archives for free.
- Verify with the Funeral Home: Always cross-reference the newspaper's info with the funeral home’s website to confirm service times, as these can change last minute due to weather or family emergencies.
- Search Variations of the Name: If the person had a nickname or a maiden name, search for those separately. Northwest Indiana records often use "Mrs. [Husband's Name]" in older print archives, which can be a hurdle for 20th-century research.
- Look for "The Times" as a Backup: If a notice doesn't appear in the Post-Tribune, it's almost certain to be in the NWI Times, as many families choose one over the other to save on costs.