Finding a specific tribute in the san marcos daily record obits can feel like a scavenger hunt if you don't know where the digital bodies are buried—metaphorically speaking. Honestly, when a long-time local passes away in a town like San Marcos, the Record is where the community goes to verify the news. It’s the paper of record for Hays County. Since 1912, it has been the primary ledger for who lived, who loved, and who left this stretch of the Hill Country.
But things have changed.
If you're looking for an old friend or a relative who passed recently, like Donnie R. Ortiz or Kay Leffingwell Halm in early 2026, you're looking at a different landscape than someone searching for a record from the 1970s. The newspaper moved to a reduced print schedule recently, now hitting doorsteps on Wednesdays, Fridays, and Sundays. This means the way people submit and find obituaries has pivoted toward the web.
Tracking Down San Marcos Daily Record Obits Online
You've basically got two main paths for finding a recent notice. The first is the official San Marcos Record website. It’s pretty straightforward. You head to their "Obituaries" section, and you'll see a running list sorted by the latest entries.
Sometimes the official site is a bit lean. That's why the second path, Legacy.com, is often more useful for those who want to leave a digital flower or a note in a guestbook. The san marcos daily record obits are mirrored there, and it often includes photos and service details that might be behind a paywall elsewhere.
The Search Process
- Exact Name Matches: If you search for "Jim Cost," you might miss him if the record was filed under "James Gerard Cost." Try variations.
- Date Filtering: Use a window. If you think they passed in late 2025, search from November through January to account for publication delays.
- Funeral Home Sites: In San Marcos, names like Thomason Funeral Home and Pennington Funeral Home are staples. Often, they post the full text on their own sites before the newspaper even goes to print.
It's kinda frustrating when a name doesn't pop up immediately. Don't panic. There is often a 24-to-48-hour lag between a death and the formal obituary appearing in the Daily Record.
Digging into the Archives
What if you're doing genealogy? Maybe you're looking for a Buckner or a Staples from the early 20th century. This is where it gets interesting—and a little complicated.
The San Marcos Public Library is your best friend here. They have a digital archive hosted by Advantage Preservation that covers a massive chunk of Hays County history. We’re talking over 200,000 pages of the San Marcos Daily Record from 1975 to 2021, plus older runs of the San Marcos Record dating back to 1919.
Why the Archives Are Tricky
- Name Changes: The paper was just the "San Marcos Record" for decades before adding "Daily" in the 70s.
- The "Initials" Era: In the 1930s and 40s, many men were listed only by initials, like "T.A. Buckner."
- Married Names: Searching for a female ancestor? You might have better luck searching for "Mrs. [Husband's Name]" if she passed away before the mid-1970s. It was a different time.
If the digital search fails, the physical library on East Hopkins Street still holds microfilm. It’s tedious, yeah, but it's the only way to find those 19th-century "West Texas Free Press" mentions that haven't been OCR-scanned yet.
📖 Related: OKC 15 Day Weather Forecast: Why January Just Got Weird
How to Place an Obituary in the Daily Record
So, you're the one having to write the notice. It's a tough job. You want to get the legacy right without breaking the bank, because—let’s be real—newspaper space isn't cheap.
Currently, placing a notice in the san marcos daily record obits starts at roughly $93. That usually covers a basic text-only notice. If you want a photo (and you probably do), or a funeral home logo, the price ticks up. They charge about $13.25 per column inch. A long, flowery tribute can easily run you several hundred dollars.
The Submission Deadline
Timing is everything. For the Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Saturday editions, you usually need to have the copy in by 11:00 am the day before. Because the print schedule is now limited to three days a week, if you miss that Friday morning window for the Sunday paper, you’re looking at a long wait.
You can email the staff directly at bookkeeping@mosercommedia.com or use the Legacy.com self-service portal. Most people find the portal easier because it gives you a real-time price quote as you type.
The Role of Moser Community Media
The paper is currently owned by Moser Community Media, LLC. They bought it from Worrell Newspapers, who had it since the 70s. Why does this matter? Because under Moser, the Record has leaned more heavily into its identity as a hyper-local "community" paper.
They know that for many families, the obituary is the last time a loved one's name will appear in print. It's a high-stakes piece of writing. The current publisher, Mandy Farrow, and the editorial team under Dalton Sweat still treat these submissions with a level of local care you don't always get at the big city dailies in Austin or San Antonio.
Actionable Steps for Your Search
If you are looking for information right now, follow this sequence to save time:
- Check the Thomason or Pennington websites first. They are the two biggest funeral providers in the area and often have the information for free.
- Search the official San Marcos Record "Obituaries" tab. Use the "Filter" function to narrow down by month if the name is common.
- Head to the San Marcos Public Library digital archive for anything older than 2022. It's a free resource and much better than paying for a genealogy site subscription.
- Call the Record office at (512) 392-2458 if you're trying to find a specific publication date for legal reasons, like settling an estate or a "Notice to Creditors."
When writing an obit yourself, keep the biographical details concise but include the specific "San Marcos" connections—where they worked, what church they attended, or if they were a Bobcat. Those are the details that help the community connect the dots.