How to find the obituary index, search for your person, and locate or request the information you find for obituaries published in the local Topeka area newspapers.

Here’s how to proceed with your search from anywhere on the Library’s Digital Branch.

  1. Click on the “Research” button and then click on “Genealogy and Local History” in the left-hand column under “Reference.”
  2. In the middle of the right-hand column is a button which says “Obituary Request Form” where those from out-of-town can find information about making a request including costs, timeline and information needed from the requestor.
  3. To search the obituary index, scroll down a bit further and find the third link under “Genealogy and Local History Links” which is the “TSCPL Obituary Index“.  Click on this to search the index (note, the index just tells you where to locate the information in the microfilm, it does not give you the obituary itself).
  4. In the search box, type the name you are looking for. If you know that they died in Topeka and do not get a result on the first try, please try other combinations/spellings of the name such as just the last name or first name (if they are fairly unique) as the index is very literal and only matches exact names.
  5. Once you find the entry for the person you are looking for, print the individual page (not the search result list of names) or write down ALL of the information.
  6. If you are in the library or local, bring the information to the Topeka Room (204) to look up the obituary on the microfilm of the newspapers. From the microfilm machines you can print or save the page to a flash drive.
  7. If you are NOT local, please follow the instructions given when you click the “Obituary Request Form” button on the “Genealogy & Local History” blog page. If you are in Kansas, there is currently no charge for getting obituaries looked up and sent. For requests from out-of-state, there is a $5 charge per item looked up (for example: 1 person, 3 citations in the paper = 3 look-ups = $15).

*Alternate access point through the Library Catalog: click the “Community Directory” tab and then choose Obituary Index, or Obituary Request Form/Fee Info.

For additional information or questions, please refer to the Obituary Request Form or contact: obituaries@tscpl.org or the Topeka Room at 785-580-4510.