### Submission via a Funeral Director Most families choose to have their coordinating funeral home handle the obituary placement. Funeral directors are familiar with the Staten Island Advance’s submission portal, deadlines, and formatting requirements. They can submit the text and photos on your behalf and bundle the publication costs into your overall funeral service invoice. ### Self-Service Submission If you are not using a funeral home, or if you prefer to manage the process yourself, you can submit the obituary directly. The Staten Island Advance utilizes an online self-service platform for public notices and obituaries. This portal allows you to draft the notice, upload photos, choose publication dates, view a preview of how the ad will look in print and online, and make a secure payment. ## Step-by-Step Guide to Placing an Obituary on SILive If you choose to submit the obituary directly, following these steps will help streamline the process.
### Step 1: Gather Required Information Before logging onto the submission portal, compile all the necessary details to avoid delays. You will need: * **Biographical Information:** The deceased’s full name (including maiden name or nicknames), age, town of residence, and dates of birth and death. * **Obituary Text:** A written tribute detailing their life achievements, surviving family members, and personality. * **Service Details:** Specific dates, times, and locations for visitations, funeral services, and burial or cremation ceremonies. * **A High-Resolution Photo:** If you wish to include an image, prepare a clear, high-resolution portrait. * **Verification Details:** To prevent fraudulent submissions, the Staten Island Advance requires verification of the death. You must provide the name and contact information of the funeral home, crematorium, or medical school handling the arrangements, or upload a copy of the death certificate. ### Step 2: Access the SILive Obituary Portal Navigate to the official SILive website and locate the obituaries section. Look for the link labeled "Place an Obituary," "Submit a Notice," or "Place an Ad." This link will redirect you to the secure self-service portal managed by Advance Local (the parent company of the Staten Island Advance). ### Step 3: Draft and Format the Notice Copy and paste your prepared text into the portal's submission form. The tool will allow you to format the text and upload your photo. As you input the information, the portal will generate a real-time digital proof showing exactly how the obituary will appear in the printed newspaper and online. ### Step 4: Select Publication Dates Decide when you want the obituary to run. You can choose to publish the notice in the print edition of the Staten Island Advance, online on SILive.com, or both. Keep in mind that the print edition may not publish every day of the week, so you will need to select from the available print publication dates that align with your scheduled services.
### Step 5: Review, Pay, and Submit Carefully proofread the generated preview for spelling, dates, and contact information. Once submitted and paid for, changes can be difficult to make. After confirming the details, enter your payment information to complete the submission. The newspaper's staff will verify the death with the designated funeral home before authorizing the notice for publication. ## Deadlines and Pricing Guidelines To ensure the obituary runs on your preferred dates, it is critical to submit the notice well in advance of the publication deadlines. ### Deadlines Print deadlines are strict and typically fall one to two days prior to the publication date. If you want the notice to appear before scheduled services, submit the draft as early as possible. Online-only notices generally have more flexible timelines but still require time for verification.
### Pricing The cost of placing an obituary in the Staten Island Advance varies based on several factors: * **Length:** Pricing is typically calculated by the line or word count. * **Visual Elements:** Adding a photo, flag icon, religious symbol, or custom border will increase the cost. * **Run Duration:** Publishing the notice for multiple days in print will incur additional fees. * **Digital Upgrades:** Online packages often include a guestbook hosted on SILive and Legacy.com, which may have a flat fee associated with it. You will receive an exact price quote through the self-service portal before you finalize your order. ## Managing and Finding the Published Obituary Online Once the obituary is verified and published, it will appear in the print newspaper on the selected dates and will be permanently archived online.
### Finding the Listing To locate the published notice online, visit the SILive obituaries page. You can search for the listing using the search bar by entering the deceased's first and last name. The portal also allows users to filter listings by publication date or browse alphabetically. ### Interactive Features Online obituaries on SILive are connected to a digital memorial page. This page allows family and friends to: * Read the full text of the obituary. * View service times and get directions to the funeral home or place of worship. * Leave condolences, share memories, and upload personal photos in the guestbook. * Send flowers or make charitable donations in memory of the deceased directly through links on the page.
