How to Find and Share Obituaries Through Franklin Strickland Funeral Home in Chattanooga
When someone dies, locating their obituary quickly matters. Franklin Strickland Funeral Home, operating in Chattanooga for decades, maintains obituary records that serve both immediate family notification and public record purposes. This guide explains how the funeral home's obituary system works, where to access notices, and what options exist for publishing and sharing death announcements across Chattanooga's communities.
Where Franklin Strickland Posts Obituaries
Franklin Strickland Funeral Home publishes obituaries through multiple channels to reach different audiences. The funeral home's primary platform is its website, where families can post full obituaries, arrange viewings, and manage guest books. Obituaries typically appear within 24 to 48 hours of being submitted, though the exact timeline depends on whether the family has finalized details like service dates and surviving relatives.
The funeral home also coordinates with the Chattanooga Times Free Press, the city's major daily newspaper. Obituaries published in the newspaper's print edition (typically appearing Tuesday through Sunday) reach readers across Hamilton County and beyond. The Times Free Press maintains an obituary archive searchable by name and date, making it a reliable source for historical records. Families can request newspaper publication directly through Franklin Strickland, though print placement involves separate fees from the funeral home's base services.
Beyond the funeral home's own channels, obituaries are automatically distributed to legacy platforms like Legacy.com and Ancestry.com, which aggregate death notices from funeral homes nationwide. These platforms allow extended family and former neighbors to leave condolences and flowers can be ordered through integrated florists. Because these listings pull from the funeral home's database, they reflect whatever information the family provides at the time of arrangement.
Practical Steps for Locating a Specific Obituary
If you're searching for someone who used Franklin Strickland's services, start with the funeral home's website directly. Most funeral homes in Chattanooga, including Franklin Strickland, maintain searchable obituary pages organized by recent dates and surnames. If the death occurred within the past two years, a name search usually retrieves the notice within seconds.
For older obituaries or those you cannot locate online, call Franklin Strickland directly. Staff can confirm whether the funeral home handled the arrangements and provide details about where the obituary was published. They may also offer copies of the funeral program or service details if you're a family member or authorized requester.
The Chattanooga Times Free Press obituary archive is a second reliable resource, especially for deaths from the past decade. The newspaper's online system is searchable by name, date range, and publication date. Access is free for recent obituaries; older archives may require library access through the Chattanooga Public Library system, which offers free database access to cardholders from multiple locations including the Main Library on Broad Street.
What Information Typically Appears in a Franklin Strickland Obituary
Standard obituaries from Franklin Strickland include the deceased's full name, age at death, date of death, and hometown. Most expand to cover surviving family members (spouse, children, grandchildren), preceding family members who died earlier, military service, employment history, and community involvement. Religious affiliation and church memberships appear when relevant, as do college degrees and professional licenses.
The funeral home ensures obituaries note visitation hours, service time and location, and burial details. If the service is held at a church in Chattanooga (whether a congregation near downtown, in East Brainerd, or another neighborhood), that church name and address appear. Some families include a brief statement about the deceased's character or life philosophy, and nearly all modern obituaries now include a digital link where people can view photos, leave condolences, or arrange flower delivery.
Obituary length varies by family choice and budget. A basic notice might run 150 to 250 words and cost $150 to $300 if published in the newspaper. A full obituary with photographs and extended family details can reach 600 words or more and cost $400 to $600 or higher in print, depending on the Chattanooga Times Free Press's current rate card (rates change annually and should be confirmed directly).
Differences Between Obituary Sources
Franklin Strickland's website obituaries are free to post and reach people actively searching for death information. They remain accessible indefinitely and include interactive features like guest books and flower ordering, making them useful for people who knew the deceased but live far away.
Newspaper obituaries in the Chattanooga Times Free Press cost more but reach a broader audience, particularly older adults and longtime Chattanooga residents who read the paper daily. Print obituaries are archived and carry the legitimacy of newspaper publication, which some families value for official record purposes.
Legacy.com and similar aggregators are free and reach people searching nationally or who once knew the deceased but lost touch. These platforms are easier to navigate for people unfamiliar with funeral home websites, though the information comes from the funeral home's original posting.
Facebook memorial pages and Nextdoor neighborhood announcements have become informal supplementary channels. While not official obituaries, these posts often reach immediate neighbors in specific Chattanooga areas (North Shore, St. Elmo, Avondale, etc.) faster than traditional outlets.
Practical Considerations When Arranging an Obituary
When you contact Franklin Strickland to arrange services, discuss obituary publication explicitly. Ask whether the funeral home includes basic online posting at no additional cost, what newspaper placement costs, and which platforms receive automatic distribution. Clarify the timeline for appearing online versus in print, since newspaper deadlines may delay publication by one to three business days.
Request a draft of the obituary before it posts. Review names, dates, and family relationships for accuracy; obituaries with errors require corrections that can be time-consuming to update across multiple platforms.
If the deceased lived in Chattanooga but family members are scattered, consider whether a newspaper obituary justifies the expense. If most contact will come through social media or the funeral home's website, print publication may be unnecessary. Conversely, if the deceased had deep roots in Chattanooga and the family values reaching longtime friends, print placement in the Times Free Press is worth the cost.
Obtain multiple copies of the published obituary if it appears in the newspaper. Families often need obituaries for insurance claims, legal proceedings, and family records. The Times Free Press can provide PDF copies, and Franklin Strickland usually retains printed clips.
Planning a service at Franklin Strickland includes deciding which Chattanooga locations matter for the obituary. If visitation occurs at the funeral home on specific dates, those details must be accurate and posted at least 48 hours before the scheduled time so people can plan to attend.
