Find DeKalb County Obituaries

Obituary records in DeKalb County are available through the Times-Journal newspaper in Fort Payne, local funeral homes, and the Probate Court. Located in the northeastern corner of Alabama on Lookout Mountain, DeKalb County has a strong sense of community and local newspapers have published death notices for generations. The Probate Court maintains estate and will records that can help with genealogy research when obituaries are not available. Several funeral homes serve the county and keep archives of obituaries on their websites.

DeKalb County Probate Court

The DeKalb County Probate Court handles wills, estates, and probate matters. These records often list heirs and family members, which helps when you cannot find an obituary. The court has records going back to the 1800s.

DeKalb County shares the 9th Judicial Circuit with Cherokee County. The Probate Court is in the courthouse on Grand Avenue in Fort Payne. Judge Ronnie Osborn serves as the Probate Judge.

You can search some DeKalb County records online through the county website. Marriage, divorce, probate, and land records are available. The online portal is at services.revenue-dekalbco-al.us/ProbateRecords/.

FamilySearch has digitized DeKalb County Probate Court records from 1800 to 1913 and Chancery Court records from 1836 to 1916. The originals are at the Fort Payne courthouse. They were filmed by the Utah Genealogical Society in 2003 and 2004.

DeKalb County Newspapers

The Times-Journal is the main newspaper for DeKalb County and Fort Payne. It publishes obituaries for local residents and has served the community for many years.

Current obituaries from the Times-Journal appear on Legacy.com. You can search by name and filter by location. Recent obituaries are usually posted within a day or two of being submitted.

For historical obituaries, check newspaper archive services like Newspapers.com and GenealogyBank. The Alabama Department of Archives and History has microfilm of old DeKalb County newspapers. You can visit their research room in Montgomery to search these records.

To submit an obituary to the Times-Journal, work with the funeral home handling services. They coordinate with the newspaper to publish death notices.

DeKalb County Funeral Homes

Several funeral homes serve DeKalb County. They post obituaries online and keep archives going back years. If you know which funeral home handled services, start your search there.

Major funeral homes in DeKalb County include:

• Wilson Funeral Home, Fort Payne
• Rainsville Funeral Home
• Guntersville Memorial Chapel
• Daves Culberson Funeral Home
• Scottsboro Funeral Home

DeKalb County is near the borders of Georgia and Tennessee. Some families use funeral homes in those states. If you cannot find an obituary in DeKalb County, check funeral homes in Chattanooga or Rome, Georgia.

Funeral homes can search their old records if you call them. Have the full name of the deceased and approximate date of death ready. Some keep paper records going back decades.

How to Search DeKalb County Obituaries

Legacy.com is the best place to start for recent obituaries. It collects death notices from newspapers and funeral homes across the country. Search by name and filter by DeKalb County or Fort Payne.

For older obituaries and genealogy research, use these resources:

• FamilySearch has free probate records from 1800 to 1913
• USGenWeb Archives has transcribed obituaries and death notices
• Find a Grave has burial records for DeKalb County cemeteries
• The DeKalb County Genealogical Society has local records

The DeKalb County Genealogical Society is at PO Box 681087, Fort Payne, AL 35968-1612. They have volunteers who help with local research and may have indexes not available online.

Landmarks of DeKalb County at 510 Gault Ave N in Fort Payne has historical records and can help with local history research. Call them at (256) 845-6888.

The DeKalb County Public Library at 504 Grand Ave NW in Fort Payne has genealogy resources. Phone: (256) 845-2671.

Published DeKalb County Records

There is a published book called "DeKalb County, Alabama Probate Court Records, 1836-1930" available from Genealogical.com. This book has abstracts of probate records that can help you find family information when obituaries are not available.

The book includes wills, estate settlements, guardianship records, and other probate matters. These records often list heirs and family relationships that help piece together family trees.

Under Alabama Code Section 36-12-40, probate records are public records. Anyone can request copies after an estate is closed. Alabama Code Section 22-9A-21 restricts death certificates for 25 years.

Nearby Counties

Some obituaries may appear in newspapers from neighboring counties. These counties border DeKalb County.

DeKalb County also borders Georgia. Check Dade County and Walker County, Georgia newspapers if you cannot find an obituary in Alabama sources.

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Use the search tool below to find obituary records in DeKalb County, Alabama.